From top talent departures at UnitedHealth Group's Optum to several C-suite leaders heading to healthcare startups, these are 27 payer executive moves in June:
Molina Healthcare of New Mexico names Carolyn Ingram plan president
Ms. Ingram previously served as the state's Medicaid director from 2003 to 2011, where she led the development and implementation of New Mexico's first managed long-term services and supports program, according to a June 30 news release. She also previously served as State Children's Health Insurance Program director and chair of the New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool.
Independence Health Group names executive vice president
Independence promoted Michael Vennera to executive vice president and chief strategy, corporate development and information officer June 30. He joined the company 25 years ago and most recently served as senior vice president and chief information officer.
Health Care Service Corp. names former Southwest Airlines exec as chief diversity officer
Health Care Service Corp. appointed Claudia (Raquel) Daniels as chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer June 29.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association names chief data officer
The association named Anurag Voleti as its chief data officer June 29. Mr. Voleti will oversee the company's national data strategy that partners with 34 BCBS companies to securely analyze data and drive targeted solutions to improve care quality and costs.
Former Independence Health CEO launches healthcare advisory firm
Former Independence Health Group President and CEO Daniel Hilferty founded a strategic healthcare advisory firm, Dune View Strategies, June 28. Mr. Hilferty led Independence from 2010 to 2020, including its Blue Cross health plan and Medicaid managed care subsidiary, AmeriHealth Caritas. He was also chair of the board of directors for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association from 2015 to 2017.
Top UnitedHealth Group legal exec departs for Agilon Health
Austin, Texas-based Agilon Health said June 28 it has appointed Denise Zamore as the company's first chief legal officer and secretary to its board of directors, effective Aug. 1. Previously, she served as deputy general counsel at UnitedHealth Group's Optum and oversaw coordination and management of legal, regulatory and compliance matters for all lines of business at UnitedHealthcare.
BCBS Tennessee names new VP, deputy general counsel
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee promoted Alicia Oliver to vice president and deputy general counsel June 27.
Alera Group taps top Cigna exec as senior VP
Deerfield, Ill.-based Alera Group named Steve Kreuger senior vice president of carrier partnerships, Insurance Journal reported June 27. Previously, Mr. Kreuger was general manager and market growth leader at Cigna.
PacificSource Health Plans president and CEO to retire
PacificSource Health Plans President and CEO Ken Provencher will retire March 31, the company said June 24. Mr. Provencher has been with the company for 28 years and served as CEO for 21 years.
CareFirst BCBS names chief digital information officer with hybrid work in mind
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield named Dorothea "Dori" Henderson senior vice president and chief digital information officer June 23. Ms. Henderson will be responsible for leading the nonprofit payer's IT organization and efforts to modernize CareFirst workplaces that enable the company's hybrid workforce to connect better
Security Health Plan names COO
Marshfield-based Security Health Plan of Wisconsin named Dave Nyman as COO June 23.
Former chief product exec at OptumInsight lands at Signify Health
Signify Health named Paymon Farazi chief product officer June 22. He was previously chief product officer at UnitedHealth Group's OptumInsight, where he was part of the Optum deal to bid on Change Healthcare for $13 billion and acquire Equian for $3.2 billion. Mr. Farazi also led the integration of Optum's $1.3 billion Advisory Board acquisition.
Optum chief information officer departs for senior care company
On June 22, Lifespark named Matt Nyquist chief population health officer to lead the St. Louis Park, Minn.-based company's design, development and management of global risk products and market expansion. Mr. Nyquist was the chief product officer and chief information officer for the Center for Digital Health with UnitedHealth Group's Optum. He was also Optum's chief information officer of population health.
Humana chief accounting officer to retire
Humana's senior vice president, chief accounting officer and controller, Michael Koeberlein, is retiring Aug. 1, the Louisville Business Journal reported June 21. He will be succeeded by John-Paul Felter, who most recently served as senior director of investment finance at Indianapolis-based OneAmerica Financial Partners.
US Acute Care Solutions names top Centene exec as CEO
Canton, Ohio-based US Acute Care Solutions named Christopher Hummer its CEO June 21. Previously, Mr. Hummer was CEO and plan president of Centene's Oregon and New Mexico operations.
Cigna Medical Group names new president, general manager
Cigna Medical Group, a division of the payer's Arizona business, named Jeff Holt president and general manager June 20.
Priority Health names 2 vice presidents of government markets
Priority Health appointed Kyla King as vice president of individual markets and Scott Norman as vice president for Medicare June 16.
Regence BlueShield of Idaho names executive medical director
Regence BlueShield of Idaho named Daniel Meltzer, MD, as executive medical director June 16.
Premera Blue Cross exec named CEO of interoperability startup
On June 16, Seattle-based interoperability startup Opala named Ken Chandler as CEO, effective July 1. Mr. Chandler was previously senior vice president of national accounts at Premera Blue Cross.
Former Regence Group medical director joins payment integrity startup
Collinsville, Conn.-based Penstock Group named Robert Haskey, MD, as chief medical officer June 15. Dr. Haskey was a medical director with the Portland, Ore.-based Regence Group, a four-state Blue Cross Blue Shield company. He then joined Canada-based CGI as senior medical director and oversaw several CMS recovery audit programs.
BCBS Arkansas names lead Medicare products executive
Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield named Laurin Dixon, PharmD, as lead executive of Medicare products, Arkansas Business reported June 13. Dr. Dixon has been with Arkansas BCBS since 2020 as director of pharmacy quality and Medicare performance ratings.
Anthem BCBS Virginia president to retire
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia announced June 10 that president Jeff Ricketts is retiring in September after nearly 40 years with the company.
UnitedHealthcare names regional CEO of commercial operations
UnitedHealthcare promoted Gloria Sargent to CEO of commercial operations in Missouri and Central and Southern Illinois, the Alton Telegraph reported June 9. Ms. Sargent will lead the team responsible for providing access to commercial health products and services for small and large employers.
Highmark names new regional president
Highmark named Joseph Haddock as president of its Eastern Pennsylvania market June 8. Most recently, Mr. Haddock served as executive vice president and chief revenue officer of Homestead Smart Health Plans in Philadelphia.
Providence Health Plan names new COO
Providence Health Plan named Cheryl Morrison-Bornstein as COO June 6. Previously, Ms. Morrison-Bornstein oversaw the launch of a commercial self-funded employer strategy and operating model at Blue Shield of California and served as the vice president of client growth strategy at UnitedHealth Group's OptumRx.
Flume Health nabs BCBS exec as chief growth officer
Flume Health, a digital platform startup for health plan administration, named Richard Fu chief growth officer June 1. Mr. Fu previously served as chief strategy officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City.