Executive Moves

MetroPlusHealth promoted Lila Benayoun to chief operating officer, the insurer said Sept. 21. 

UnitedHealth Group has named Sandeep Dadlani executive vice president and chief digital and technology officer at Optum.

Lumeris, a St. Louis-based managed services provider, has named Umar Farooq as president of its Medicare Advantage plan, Essence Healthcare.

America's Health Insurance Plans has promoted Jeanette Thornton to executive vice president of public policy and strategy and named Kristine Grow as interim leader of public affairs and strategic initiatives.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association has named David Merritt senior vice president of policy and advocacy, effective Oct. 24.

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield has added two clinical quality executives to its leadership team, Arkansas Business reported Sept. 19.

Brad D. Smith, former Intuit CEO, has been elected to Humana's board of directors. 

Forge Health, a value-based behavioral health provider, has named Tim Wentworth chair of its board.

Former UnitedHealthcare CEO Steve Nelson has been named CEO of JenCare, a senior-focused primary care practice.

From several new CEOs to a chief ethics officer at Centene, these are 10 payer exec moves reported by Becker's in the first half of September: