Podcasts about community health plans

In this first part of a two-part podcast episode, Managed Healthcare Executive's Managing Editor Peter Wehrwein kicks off our new podcast series "DC Roundtable," with guests Margaret "Meg" Murray, CEO of the Association of Community Affiliated Plans, and member of MHE's Editorial Advisory Board, and CeCi Connolly, president and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans, for a discussion on healthcare policy issues. The trio addressed the impact of Medicaid redetermination, emphasizing ongoing challenges and the need for policy flexibility. While recognizing the ACA's success in expanding access, they highlighted affordability concerns and partisan divides. The conversation also highlighted efforts to advocate for solutions prioritizing access, affordability and quality care.

Ceci Connolly, President and CEO at Alliance of Community Health Plans joins the podcast to discuss her background, top priorities for the rest of the year, programs and initiatives that have been needle-moving, and more!

Michael Bagel, Associate Vice President - Public Policy at Alliance of Community Health Plans, joins the podcast to discuss his background, top priorities for the rest of the year, programs and initiatives that have been needle-moving, and more!

Michael Bagel, Associate Vice President - Public Policy at Alliance of Community Health Plans, joins the podcast to discuss his background, top priorities for the rest of the year, programs and initiatives that have been needle-moving, and more!

Meet Our Guest: Meena Seshamani, MD, PhD is an accomplished, strategic leader with a deep understanding of health economics and a heart-felt commitment to outstanding patient care. Her diverse background as a healthcare executive, health economist, physician and health policy expert has given her a unique perspective on how health policy impacts the real lives of patients. She most recently served as Vice President of Clinical Care Transformation at MedStar Health, where she conceptualized, designed, and implemented population health and value-based care initiatives and served on the senior leadership of the 10 hospital, 300+ outpatient care site health system. The care models and service lines under her leadership, including community health, geriatrics, and palliative care, have been nationally recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and others. She also cared for patients as an Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. Key Insights: Dr. Seshamani transitioned from being a physician to a health economist to fulfill her passion of contributing to the community. ● Diversity in Leadership: Dr. Seshamani highlights the positive impact of having women and people of color in leadership roles at CMS.● Balancing Private and Public Sector: Her background in both the private and public sectors has enriched her understanding of complex healthcare issues, allowing for innovative solutions and thoughtful policymaking.● Overcoming Obstacles: Dr. Seshamani triumphs over obstacles in her path and advocates for a culture that values qualifications over appearance. This episode is hosted by Ceci Connolly. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.Relevant Links: Read more about Dr. SeshamaniFollow Dr. Seshamani on Twitter

Meet Our Guest: Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where she will oversee programs including Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the HealthCare.gov health insurance marketplace. She has decades of experience in the federal government and played a key role in guiding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through passage and implementation. She led the agency's implementation of ACA coverage and insurance reform policy provisions and assisted House leaders in passing several healthcare laws. Brooks-LaSure began her career as a program examiner and lead Medicaid analyst for the Office of Management and Budget.Key Insights: Chiquita Brooks-LaSure discusses challenges of work-life balance, especially for women and mothers, and her efforts to promote health equity at CMS. ● Support is Necessary. As the first Black female administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Chiquita gives credit to mentorship and supportive colleagues, particularly women who helped her grow both professionally and personally.● Representation Matters. Diverse perspectives, including experiences and race, make a difference in decision-making. It is important to see women of color in powerful roles.● Health Equity. The core of health equity is making sure that everyone has the opportunity to achieve optimal health, which is something Chiquita works at every day. This episode is hosted by Ceci Connolly. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.Relevant Links: CMS LeadershipFollow Chaquita on Twitter

Meet Ceci Connolly:Ceci is a recovering journalist who now is in passionate pursuit of a better, more equitable, more affordable health system. She is President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans, a national organization of leading nonprofit, provider-aligned plans. Ceci is also the host of the Healthy Dialogue podcast. After 25 years in the news business – at outlets such as the Washington Post, the Associated Press and Congressional Quarterly – she worked at both McKinsey and PwC in health care thought leadership and consulting. She is a founding member of Women of Impact for Healthcare, co-author of Landmark: The Inside Story of America's New Health-Care Law and What It Means for Us All, and serves on the advisory board of Fannie Mae's Sustainable Communities Initiative. Key Insights:Ceci Connolly is a thought-leader who has years of experience advocating for better healthcare policies: Value Based. Ceci argues that the fee-for-service model has substantially hampered the effectiveness and affordability of the health system. Leveraging Influence. As the largest payer, the federal government has significant opportunity to modernize the healthcare economy while keeping it relevant.Recent Successes. Under Ceci's leadership, the ACHP has helped to normalize telehealth and successfully encouraged greater transparency in drug pricing. Relevant Links:Read more about CeciFollow Ceci on TwitterRead about the Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP)

Meet Our Guest: Diane Holder is Executive Vice President, UPMC; President, UPMC Insurance Services Division; and President and Chief Executive Officer, UPMC Health Plan. UPMC is one of the nation's leading integrated delivery systems and through its health plans and affiliates provides health care coverage and benefits management for more than 4 million men, women, and children in Pennsylvania.Key Insights: Diane Holder shares her journey from journalism to healthcare and how she has navigated being a woman in leadership.● How Can I Help? Diane has been recognized for her community leadership, advocacy for women and children, and support for those suffering from mental health and addiction problems. She credits having strong mentors, good teachers, and perseverance to her successful career.● A Career Risk Worth Taking. When UPMC was starting an insurance company, Diane volunteered to be in charge of the newly formed Insurance Division. Her leadership has helped grow UPMC Insurance Division into one of the largest and most respected insurance companies in the nation.● Find the “Why” in Your Career. It is always a good time to assess the “why” in your career. There can be some duties in a job you won't love, but if you don't love most of them, Diane suggests moving on so you can bring your best to the table.This episode is hosted by Ceci Connolly. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.Relevant Links: Read more about Diane HolderUPMC Insurance Services Division

Meet Lisa Simpson:Lisa Simpson, M.B., B.Ch. President and Chief Executive Officer of AcademyHealth. Before joining AcademyHealth, Dr. Simpson was a professor of pediatrics, first as an Endowed Chair in Child Health Policy at the University of South Florida and then as the Director of the Child Policy Research Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Simpson received her undergraduate and medical degrees at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and an MPH at the University of Hawaii. Key Insights:Lisa Simpson, M.B., B.Ch. explores the combination of serendipity and hard work that defined her career. Know Your Audience. Dr. Simpson had to learn the power of her words as a leader. It's important to signal to staff whether an idea is just brainstorming or a directive. The Value of Mentors. Don't rely on just one mentor. Different mentors can provide unique perspective and advice for different aspects of your career. Additionally, mentors can help you build your network and open doors to more opportunities. Maintaining Network. Essential to Dr. Simpson's career was not just building her network, but also maintaining her network of mentors and peers. Friendships must be nurtured over time. Don't forget to reach out to your connections!  This episode is hosted by Ceci Connolly. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans. Relevant Links:Learn more about Lisa Simpson, B.M., B.ChRead “October 2022 Advocacy Update from Lisa Simpson”

Meet Susan Turney:Susan Turney, M.D. is the CEO of Marshfield Clinic Health System. Previously, she was President and CEO of the Medical Group Management Association. She was also CEO and Executive VP of the Wisconsin Medical Society.  She is a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives (FACMPE) and for 22 years, Dr. Turney was an internal medicine physician at Marshfield Clinic. Dr. Turney received her bachelor's from Northland College and her M.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Key Insights:Susan Turney, M.D. is Marshfield Clinic Health System's first woman CEO, and is opening the door for the next generation of women leaders in healthcare. Prioritizing Diversity. Organizations need to prioritize having diversity. If it's not a priority, it won't happen. Healthcare faces unique challenges that can only be addressed if there's a diverse workforce. How to Mentor. Mentors identify potential talent and help them find opportunities. However, mentorship doesn't stop there. Mentors also need to observe the mentee and have follow up conversations. The process should be iterative. Finding Balance. Finding balance between being a parent and being doctor is challenging. One thing that helped Dr. Turney in her career was to not make promises she couldn't keep; and if she made a promise, she delivered. This episode is hosted by Ceci Connolly. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans. Relevant Links:Read more about Dr. TurneyFollow Dr. Turney on TwitterRead “MCHS names Susan L. Turney as first CEO”

This episode features special guests, Ceci Connolly, President and CEO of Alliance of Community Health Plans or ACHP and Virginia (Ginny) Whitman, Sr. Manager of Public Policy for ACHP. They join host, Pooja Babbrah, filling in for Ken Kleinberg and co-host, Jocelyn Keegan to discuss ACHP's perspective and work on building trust between payers and providers and why that's important, how price transparency policy is translating into real-world changes, and the cultural shift happening as more data becomes shareable. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen/

This episode features special guests, Ceci Connolly, President and CEO of Alliance of Community Health Plans or ACHP and Virginia (Ginny) Whitman, Sr. Manager of Public Policy for ACHP. They join host, Pooja Babbrah, filling in for Ken Kleinberg and co-host, Jocelyn Keegan to discuss ACHP's perspective and work on building trust between payers and providers and why that's important, how price transparency policy is translating into real-world changes, and the cultural shift happening as more data becomes shareable. Pooja kicked off the episode by having Jocelyn briefly introduce herself and share what she's looking forward to learning from the discussion. Jocelyn shared that she recently had the good fortune of presenting at an ACHP conference in May where she met a lot of the community members.Jocelyn went on to share that she's been with POCP for six years as the Payer Practice Lead and has been focused on interoperability and the convergence of sharing clinical data between payers and providers to help automate interactions like prior authorization and support value-based care. Pooja then asked each guest to introduce themselves and share how they came to work with ACHP. Ceci Connolly shared that she is the president and CEO of ACHP now but had a 25 year-long career in journalism before catching the healthcare bug. She recounted that she was covering healthcare and specifically that passage of the Affordable Care Act which led her to pursue a second act of her career which entailed working the McKinsey and helping them set up the Center for Health Reform before moving on to lead the Health Research Institute at PwC before landing at ACHP. She expressed how fortunate she feels to havean amazing group of members and a passionate team that's aligned to take healthcare where she believes it needs to go. Ginny Whitman introduced herself sharing that she's been with ACHP for almost four years and that it was only a few months into her tenure that a dear friend and colleague pulled her into the world of health policy. She continued by saying that she's been focused on exploring what health plans need, what their pain points are and where can they excel and do wonderful and creative things to support their communities. Pooja then asked for Ceci to share more about ACHP, it's mission and the work it's been focused on most recently. Ceci responded by saying that the ACHP member criteria is essentially also the mission. ACHP represents not-for-profit provider aligned regional health plans adding that many of those are plans that are in big integrated systems across theShe explained that many ACHP members are smaller and local in their communities with tight relationships with their provider community which often include risk arrangements which ACHP believes is a model with a bright future for healthcare. Ceci went on to say that ACHP members are very much about access for all in their communities and focused on health as opposed to acute care. She relayed that the ACHP roadmap set by the board of directors includes setting a course to really serve the consumer, meet members where they are and improving transparency and data fluidity so consumers and providers both have the data they need to make the best decisions. Affordability is also a big focus for ACHP, they release a report each year and have taken a pledge on two chronic diseases, diabetes, and cardiovascular to start to move the needle in our members' communities on those.Ceci expressed that she is very positive about the recent law President Biden just signed on inflation reduction that included provisions about drug pricing which is a huge pain point for ACHP members and their communities. She explained that she is also pleased about the enhanced affordable care act provisions as well. Pooja then transitioned the conversation to focus on the theme of a recent ACHP event that highlighted the need to build and improve trust between payers and providers. Pooja asked Ceci to provide her assessment of the historic level of trust between payers and providers and why it's important to redefine and strengthen these relationships?Ceci responded by explaining that the recent event was Ginny's brainchild and would like her perspective on this topic. She went on to explain that ACHP has been hearing from all directions that trust is an issue. Ceci expressed that they were thrilled to have a keynote by Dr. Jan Berger who has written the book on the theme of trust in healthcare. There is a strong foundation to work from because ACHP members are grounded in their local communities. She explained that developments in the technology and the data arena can be positives when it comes to trust, but also pose potential risks. Ginny added that ACHP member plans have close relationships with their provider systems and provider groups but that sometimes the technical infrastructure doesn't support good communication. Part of the focus of the ACHP event was how to make technical level changes to improve that communication with providers ACHP members value so much. Pooja then asked if there were any specific initiatives or programs ACHP members have employed to improve trust with providers? Ginny explained that there are so many programs but one example she described was a vaccination campaign in Minnesota where the community health partners, using data, recognized they were missing communities of color in the vaccine effort. Stakeholders from across the community collaborated to create education and vaccination events to close those gaps. She went on to explain some other examples of partnerships and collaborations between ACHP members and their communities that help build on the foundation of trust. Pooja asked Jocelyn to comment on payer provider trust and data exchange based on her work as the program manager of Da Vinci.Jocelyn started her response by making the observation that there is a duality with how big nationals come into these regional markets and work hard to make themselves seem small and local. They will do things like sponsoring local teams, getting involved in local charities to make themselves seem like part of the community. The small plans, on the other hand, who are already connected to local provider system plans and the community, are spending all this effort to make themselves seem bigger and seem wider and deeper right out into the market. Jocelyn expressed that she finds this juxtaposition interesting. Jocelyn went on to say that the reusability of the work that's emerging in the industry around things like DaVinci and other FHIR initiatives and other standards helps create a more level playing field for smaller plans to make investments in interoperability and more easily tackle regulatory challenges. Pooja then asked what ACHP, and its members are doing around price and patient cost transparency.  Ginny responded by saying that many ACHP members had price estimator or cost estimator tools prior to any regulations coming out which put everyone in a very good place when regulations did drop. Most plans had either already met the requirements or only needed to make small adjustments to do so. She explained that the challenge now is how to incentivize the providers and patients to use these tools. Ginny expressed some concern around some future regulations particularly with some of the overlap of the No Surprises Act and the transparency and coverage rule. I'm not that worried about it, but I will say that I, I do have some hesitations and reserves when it comes to future regulations that we are expecting, um, particularly some of the overlap that was in the no surprises act part of the consolidated appropriations act and what's in the transparency and coverage rule.Ceci added that some ACHP plans are further along in this journey and are incorporating quality information for instance which starts to get at value. She expressed that healthcare is a funny world where transparency is currently defined with price. She explained that if you look at travel and are looking for a hotel, one might look at the cheapest hotel or the cheapest flight but maybe location or a comfortable bed is more important to you. It's the same in healthcare. Some consumers are going to be looking for that value package. Ceci added that some ACHP members have gotten very sophisticated and developed tools that are so easy to use but consumer uptake is still very small and slow.To make her point, Ceci highlighted a health plan in Michigan that developed a super slick tool that's extremely easy to use. The tool shows where plan members are in their deductible, what the co-pay is and where services are located. This plan put in financial incentives, and they have seen some uptick in the utilization, but it's going to take a long time and a big, big effort. In the meantime, there are all these machine-readable files out there creating an insurmountable mound of data that is challenging for payers to sift through. Jocelyn responded by expressing the important role of standardization in helping solve many of these issues. She explained that so many stakeholders are so focused on using standards to meet regulatory requirements they lose sight of the real-world problems that need solving like how to get patient important cost and value information so they can make better decisions about where they get their healthcare. Jocelyn continued to explain that here is a huge investment related to many of these transparency projects and when there is so little uptake, it can be discouraging but that the more we normalize the data using standards we can reduce the overhead cost.Jocelyn explained that it's important to get the right information to the patient at the right point in time. She went on to use an analogy of when someone is in Target shopping, they may look at their Amazon app to see if they can find the item cheaper but sometimes, if a person is on their way to a birthday party and hasn't shopped for a present yet, convenience may be more important in that moment than price. Jocelyn added that the question is how we can create information parody so the provider team and the patient have equal information about the patient's benefits so they can discuss a treatment, procedure or test and where or even when a patient may want to go to get maximum coverage. Ceci jumped in to provide an example of how a mid-Atlantic plan not only provides patients with where they can get a colonoscopy but will mail plan members a home test kit with all the pertinent information about risk factors. This helps make patients more health literate while also allowing them to take more control of their health in the convenience of their own home on their schedule. She added that it's about data, communication, and trust. If your health plan and provider sends information about a colonoscopy and home kit saying this would be good for you to do, you're probably going to do it. So, it's a win, win. Ceci explained that using data in this way to support the patient in a transparent way, it goes a long way in repairing trust in the healthcare system. Adding that if a patient is surprised by an astronomical bill, that's not going to repair their trust, but when data can be used to support conversations leading to a strategic care and financial plan, progress can be made. Pooja then zoomed out the conversation to focus on how interoperability projects are making more data flow and changing how businesses operate. Pooja asked Ceci and Ginny to describe how ACHP is counseling their members on how to approach making this cultural shift. Ceci shared that they emphasize that this is going to be hard work. She pointed back to the early days of electronic health record adoption which took about a decade. Change is hard, especially when it's something personal, like healthcare. Ceci and Ginny both expressed that they just continually beat on the drum to remind their member plans to not give up and make sure the interoperability and serving patients the best way possible through the best use of data must be a top priority, but it will take a long time. Jocelyn agreed that the cultural shift for both big and small plans is still in the early days but that there are some early adopters starting to make more substantial changes. She added that of course there are still organizations that are still checking the regulatory box versus making real, systemic changes but as CMS and ONC continue this unprecedented alignment and increased communication with the industry about their priorities, it may make it easier for stakeholders to make the changes needed. Ultimately leaders need to keep evangelizing and painting the picture of the future and what it looks like from a roadmap perspective. So really laying out where things are headed from a regulatory perspective, [00:34:00] it does still surprise me that folks are taking the checkup, check the box approach. But I wholeheartedly agree with CC and Jenny, I think that this is about evangelizing and painting that picture forward, helping people understand what the roadmap work is and that it includes APIs and a patient-centered approach. Some will lead and some will follow. In closing, Pooja asked the guests if there were any final messages or calls to action, they wanted to put out to the industry. Ceci responded by saying that she thinks this is an incredibly exciting and a bit unnerving time and that she wanted to share the mantra all ACHP members get on a laminated card which is “think big, start small, act fast” Pooja closed out the episode by thanking guests, Ceci and Ginny before reminding listeners that they can find and subscribe to The Dish on Health IT podcast on Apple podcast, Spotify, or whatever platform you use to pick up podcasts and that videos of episodes can be found on the POCP YouTube Channel. 

Meet Sanjula Jain, Ph.D.:Sanjula Jain, Ph.D. is SVP of Market Strategy and Chief Research Office at Trilliant Health and a Co-founder of Think Medium. She also serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the Division of Clinical Informatics. Previously, she was the Executive Director of Research and Advisory at The Health Management Academy. She received a B.A. in Psychology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from Rice University, and a Ph.D. in Health Services Research and Health Policy from Emory University.Key Insights:Sanjula Jain, Ph.D. is co-author of “The New Health Economy: Ground Rules for Leaders.” It's an overview the history and impact of health care politics, policy, providers, and personalization.Defining Healthcare. The New Health Economy serves as a framework for understanding healthcare. Healthcare is a $4 trillion economy, with many stakeholders and silos. Making meaningful change in a specific area requires understanding and accounting for the many other pieces of the healthcare equation. (7:46)The Writing Process. The best writing advice is simple, but effective: chunk it up. Outlining, even if you don't stick to it, provides a starting point and helps define the scope of the project. Additionally, Dr. Jain knows she writes best in the morning, so she set aside 15-30 minutes each morning to write a paragraph or just a few bullet points. (15:11)Healthcare Expertise. It's common for women leaders to doubt their expertise. Dr. Jain reminds us that you don't need to know everything about healthcare. It's hard to be an expert because healthcare is a complicated industry. Being an expert is a balance between breadth and depth. (22:11)This episode is hosted by Ceci Connolly. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and is President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.Relevant Links:Check out “The New Health Economy: Ground Rules for Leaders”Check out Dr. Jain's website

Meet Megan Ranney, M.D., MPH:Megan Ranney, M.D., MPH is the Academic Dean of the School of Public Health and the founding Director of the Brown-Lifespan Center for Digital Health at Brown University. She is co-founder and Senior Strategic Advisor to the American Foundation for Firearm Injury Reduction in Medicine at the Aspen Institute. Dr. Ranney is also an emergency physician, researcher, and contributor to media outlets including MSNBC, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. She received a Bachelors in the History of Science from Harvard University, and received her medical degree from Columbia University. Key Insights:Megan Ranney, M.D., MPH is a practicing emergency physician, researcher, and advocate for innovative approaches to health.Relationships. Dr. Ranney's network of peers provide practical advice as well as social support. She also has mentors and sponsors who have helped create career opportunities for her. Building relationships and friendships are fundamental to career development and career enjoyment. (6:56)Finding Common Ground. Dr. Ranney works with controversial topics. She points out that generally people agree on goals, but disagree on the strategy. A way to build sustainable, community-based solutions is to take away the judgement, focus on the shared goal, and find paths to solutions that converge across stakeholders. (26:26)Balance. Dr. Ranney describes that during different points in her life she was either more focused on her home and family, or prioritized career goals and leaned on her support system. This is okay. Accept that the flux is part of life, and ensure that over the long-run you feel balanced. (30:12)This episode is hosted by Ceci Connolly. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.Relevant Links:Learn more about Dr. RanneyFollow Dr. Ranney on Twitter

As our public health emergency (hopefully) winds down, federal and state governments are reshaping healthcare policy. To gain clarity we sat down with Ceci Connolly, CEO for the Alliance of Community Health Plans to discuss federal and state healthcare policy trends around Medicaid, mental health, preauthorization and value-based care.

Re-meet the Hosts:This episode showcases the Her Story Advisory Council. Ceci Connolly is the President & CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans. Joanne M. Conroy, M.D., serves as CEO and President of Dartmouth-Hitchcock and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health. Kristi Ebong is the head of Partnerships and Market Development at Define Ventures. Julie L. Gerberding, M.D. is Chief Patient Officer and Executive Vice President at Merck. Sanjula Jain, Ph.D. is a co-founder of Think Medium and is an SVP of Market Strategy and Chief Research Officer at Trilliant Health.Key Insights:For young professionals starting their careers, to established leaders looking to refine their skills, Her Story is the show for you. We tell stories by women, for women, to expand the vision of what is possible in healthcare.Bringing Others Along. Ceci emphasizes that women leaders should play a role in supporting and advancing the next generation of leaders. (1:01)Women Together. Dr. Conroy describes how groups of female leaders can help each other find their purpose, create impact, and make meaningful goals a reality. (2:38)Competitive Advantage. Kristi points out that being a woman can be a competitive advantage in male-dominated fields, by providing an outside perspective on the industry. (5:42)Building Your Toolbox. Dr. Gerberding encourages leaders to think of their career as a toolbox – each experience should add a new tool. The more versatile you are, the more opportunities you will have long-term. (7:39)Navigating Healthcare. Dr. Jain describes how healthcare is a complex industry. Her Story explores the multitude of career paths within and associated with healthcare. (9:52)

Meet Stacy Hurt, MHA, MBA:Stacy Hurt, MHA, MBA is a Patient Engagement Consultant, Senior Healthcare Advisor for OSP, and is a HIMSS "Digital Influencer." Stacy is also a certified personal fitness trainer, member of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association, member of the #TelemedNow Thoughtleader group, and member of the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine. Previously, she was a Strategic Partnership Manager for the Colon Cancer Coalition, and spent her early career in the pharmaceutical industry. She received her MHA and MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. Key Insights:Stacy is a cancer survivor, caregiver, digital influencer, and accomplished executive in healthcare. She is paving a new path for patient advocacy and engagement. Giving Patients a Voice. Stacy brings together her personal experience in industry, as a cancer patient, and as an advocate and caregiver to her son, to represent the patient voice is (2:18)The Power of Social Media. Social media is a powerful tool for sharing information and discussing the issues shaping healthcare. It gives patients a voice access to each other as well as to prominent online providers or other healthcare players. (18:50)Advice for Women Leaders. Don't identify about a problem without at least one potential solution, demonstrate that the solution has value, and stand up for yourself – if you feel something is wrong, it probably is. (26:56)This episode is hosted by Ceci Connolly. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and is the President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.Relevant Links:Learn more about Stacy and her work on her websiteFollow Stacy on TwitterConnect with Stacy on Facebook

Meet Yasmeen Long:Yasmeen Long is the Director of FasterCures, a Center of the Milken Institute. Previously, she served as the co-director of the Health Policy Fellowships and Leadership Programs at the National Academy of Medicine and as a Program Officer at the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. She was also a Research Program Manager at the Institute for Global Tobacco Control at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Yasmeen received a B.Sc. in Health sciences and Health Management from Howard University, and a M.A. in Sociology and Women's Health from Suffolk University. Key Insights:Yasmeen Long has been intentional in her leadership and career. Getting a Foot in the Door. Yasmeen wanted to work at Johns Hopkins. So, after graduating from Howard she moved to Baltimore, became a temp for Johns Hopkins, cultivated relationships with faculty, and ultimately was hired in a full-time position. (5:11)Finding Common Ground. Yasmeen's international travels taught her to think differently about the world. She learned to juggle technical and interpersonal skills, finding common ground while working with diverse groups. (17:19)Believe in Yourself. If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will. There is a self-care component to that, ensuring that you feel good so that you can focus on what matters to you. (21:31)This episode is hosted by Ceci Connolly. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.Relevant Links:Learn more about FasterCures at the Milken InstituteRead Yasmeen's report about “Achieving Health Equity: A Multi-Stakeholder Action Plan to Address Diversity across the Clinical Trials Enterprise and the Biomedical Research Ecosystem”Follow Yasmeen on Twitter

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) dealt a blow to congressional efforts to pass President Joe Biden's domestic agenda bill, forcing Democrats to regroup starting in 2022.Meanwhile, the omicron covid variant spreads rapidly in the U.S., threatening the stability of the nation's health care system.Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Rachel Cohrs of Stat and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN's Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more, plus a look back at the year in health policy.Also this week, Rovner interviews Ceci Connolly, president and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read too:Julie Rovner: KHN's “Crash Course: Injured Patients Who Sign ‘Letters of Protection' May Face Huge Medical Bills and Risks,” by Fred SchulteRachel Cohrs: NBC's “'Get That Money!' Dermatologist Says Patient Care Suffered After Private Equity-Backed Firm Bought Her Practice,” by Gretchen MorgensonJoanne Kenen: ProPublica's “This Scientist Created a Rapid Test Just Weeks Into the Pandemic. Here's Why You Still Can't Get It,” by Lydia DePillisSarah Karlin-Smith: The Atlantic's “I Canceled My Birthday Party Because of Omicron,” by Ed YongClick here for a transcript of the episode. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Leaders from Humana, ProMedica, Health Plan of San Mateo, Alliance of Community Health Plans, and Insignia Health share case studies and best practices for leveraging health data to drive consumer activation, improve health outcomes and reduce costs. Topics include: Using AI, machine learning, and language processing to drive more effective communication and activation Engaging providers in consumer activation and engagement Measuring ROI of data investments Utilizing social needs data to engage consumers in underserved communities This episode of Bright Spots in Healthcare is sponsored by Insignia Health Insignia Health empowers healthcare organizations and health professionals around the world to assess patient activation and develop strategies for the efficient application of healthcare resources. As activation increases and individuals become better managers of their health, utilization costs decline and patient satisfaction improves. The Patient Activation Measure® (PAM®) and over 15 years of health activation research form the cornerstone of a complementary suite of solutions that help clinicians, coaches and population health providers improve health outcomes and lower costs. Today, Insignia Health supports the health activation efforts of more than 250 organizations touching the lives of millions of patients in dozens of countries.

In this episode, host David Smith speaks with Ken Crerar, President & CEO of The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers, and Ceci Connolly, President & CEO of Alliance of Community Health Plans. Ken and Ceci discuss the impacts of the pandemic, the implications for underserved and vulnerable populations, and their viewpoints on Medicaid issues stemming from their unique roles. Learn more about how insurance brokers tie into Medicaid, and how small, community-oriented health plans view provider relationships, social determinants of health, mental health, and more.

On this episode, Ceci Ruth Williams-Brinkley is president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc. In this episode of Her Story hosted by Ceci Connelly, President and CEO of The Alliance of Community Health Plans, we sit down with Ruth Williams-Brinkley, President of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc. Ceci and Ruth discussed how Ruth’s experience growing up in the segregated south and training as a nurse prepared her for an unconventional career path culminating as CEO for several hospital systems prior to her current role at The Alliance of Community Health Plans.

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris will be sworn into office amid the COVID-19 pandemic — a crisis that has shined a light on disparities in healthcare, and has resulted in millions of Americans losing their health insurance. As the pandemic continues, and as political power shifts in DC, what will the Biden-Harris Administration mean for healthcare policy? Ceci Connolly, President and CEO at Alliance of Community Health Plans, host of the Healthy Dialogue podcast, and founding member of Women of Impact for Healthcare, discusses what hospital leaders can expect under the country's new leadership.

Host Rick Conrad chats with Community Health Board Coordinator Elisabeth Bailey about the Community Health Plan--how it's made, how it's used, and why it's relevant to the community!

In this episode of Her Story, we introduce our first host, Ceci Connolly, President and CEO, Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP). We talk about women in healthcare leadership roles and why it’s important for female leaders to share their stories. We also discussed Ceci’s early career in journalism, her transition into healthcare leadership, and her leadership philosophies as a woman in the healthcare industry.

A concentrated focus on prevention, coordinated care and management of chronic disease can go a long way toward improving health outcomes and reducing costs. Many of these steps can be accomplished through smart investments in a robust primary care system. Prioritizing outcome-based primary care is a proactive approach to medicine that's focused on keeping people healthy—and out of the health care system. Guests: https://www.pcpcc.org/profile/ann-greiner (Ann Greiner, President and CEO, )https://www.pcpcc.org/ (Primary Care Collaborative) https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-huth-38105146 (Dr. Mark Huth, President and CEO, )https://ghcscw.com/ (Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin) Virginia Whitman, Alliance of Community Health Plans

This episode features Ceci Connolly, CEO at Alliance of Community Health Plans and Founder of Women of Impact. Here, she discusses the challenges behind provider-aligned health plans, the inspiration behind Women of Impact, and more.

In this episode, Ceci Connolly, President and CEO of Alliance of Community Health Plans discusses the findings of their recent survey on how COVID-19 has shifted consumer behavior towards healthcare and tripled the use of telehealth and other virtual care technologies. Ceci shows concern about the existing health inequities and hopes that we close the […]

In this episode, Ceci Connolly, President and CEO of Alliance of Community Health Plans discusses the findings of their recent survey on how COVID-19 has shifted consumer behavior towards healthcare and tripled the use of telehealth and other virtual care technologies. Ceci shows concern about the existing health inequities and hopes that we close the […]

Ceci Connolly of the Alliance of Community Health Plans talks with HFMA President and CEO Joe Fifer about the slow move to value and why health systems should be watching outside disruptors. Also, HFMA Chair Mike Allen interviews Optum360's Todd Gustin.

Ceci Connolly, president and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans, talks about risk and behavioral economics.

Ceci Connolly worked 25 years as a journalist, including 13 years at the Washington Post, and is the co-author of Landmark: America’s New Health-Care Law and What It Means for Us All. Additionally, she previously worked at the McKinsey Center for Health Reform and PwC’s Health Research Institute and was a former Board member of Whitman-Walker Health; she is also a founding member of Women of Impact. The Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP) represents the nation’s top-performing nonprofit health plans to improve affordability and outcomes in the health care system.

On PopHealth Week, Wednesday, April 17th, 2019  entrepreneur, author and innovator Dave Chase weighs in on community health plans and shared savings. "Dave Chase is the creator of the Health Rosetta and cofounder of the Health Rosetta Institute and Health Rosetta Group. He was also CEO/Co-founder of Avado, a digital health company acquired by & integrated into WebMD & Medscape. The Health Rosetta is the blueprint for purchasing healthcare wisely, sourced from real life experience implementing practical, non-partisan solutions. His work applies the Health Rosetta in two areas. The Health Rosetta Institute creates LEED-like certifications for better purchasing healthcare benefits. It's primary current focus is the U.S. employer healthcare market, but the Health Rosetta isn't inherently employer or U.S. specific. The Health Rosetta Group is a holding company and investment group that drives healthcare's transformation. It uses innovative approaches to build and fund the next generation of healthcare tech and services companies." Join us!  

Sarah Kliff of Vox.com, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the latest version of a “Medicare-for-all” bill by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a presidential hopeful, and Democratic and Republican reactions to it. They also discuss the latest on congressional efforts to rein in drug prices and another state effort to expand Medicaid — but not exactly in the way voters wanted. Also, Rovner interviews Ceci Connolly of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.

The core mission of public health has consistently been to reduce the leading causes of preventable death and disability, with a special emphasis on reducing health disparities in underserved populations. Health departments, however, have varied in the extent to which they have adapted their practices to address the growing incidence of chronic disease, drug abuse, and suicide, now the leading causes of premature death in most rural communities in the United States. As hospitals are increasingly focusing on quality and outcomes, including the health status of their communities, they should seek out opportunities to partner with local, regional and state public health agencies. The core public health functions of informatics and mobilization of community-based partnerships are also critical to hospitals that are seeking to improve the health of their communities. In this session participants will learn: The changing role of public health in the United States; The core elements of Community Health Assessments and Community Health Plans required of accredited public health agencies; Common sources of public health data that can inform hospital population health efforts; and Ways to address the social determinants of health by working in collaboration with public health and other community-based partners.

Republicans' health bill is back, and so is the PULSE CHECK podcast. There’s a lot up in the air as of Thursday — the White House wants a quick vote on the bill before the president’s first 100 days are up, but the House GOP appears to lack the votes. Meanwhile, President Trump is still threatening to stop paying crucial subsidies, which could lead to health insurers pulling out of the Affordable Care Act altogether. First, Ceci Connolly, the former Washington Post health reporter who’s now head of the Alliance of Community Health Plans, joins POLITICO’s Dan Diamond to explain how her health plan members are reacting to the tumult in D.C. Then after the break, Cynthia Cox of the Kaiser Family Foundation goes deeper on the Obamacare subsidies – known as cost-sharing reductions — and the state of the Affordable Care Act exchanges. We’d appreciate your help: Please share PULSE CHECK and rate us on your favorite podcast app! Have questions, suggestions or feedback? Email ddiamond@politico.com.

Dan Styf, director of learning and innovation, Alliance of Community Health Plans, shares his thoughts on health plan quality improvement initiatives. Styf's comments were part of a July 20, 2005 audio conference, Health Plan Quality Improvement: Building and Monitoring an Effective Program, during which Styf provided inside details on health plan quality improvement (QI) programs and results from such initiatives.