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The Executive Board of the DC Health Benefit Exchange (DC HBX) has appointed nine DC residents to its Standing Advisory Board. The group fulfills the range and depth of expertise and professional experiences in health, insurance and consumer interests needed to assist the HBX Authority in executing its responsibilities. The HBX Establishment Act required the Advisory Board members to have expertise related to at least one of the following categories: health professionals; health insurance consumers; disease and demographic-specific advocacy groups, commercial sector health plans, public sector health plans, health insurance brokers, health care consumer interest advocacy, health care foundations, and Exchange consumers.
The following were appointed as members of the Standing Advisory Board:
Karen Johnson – Ms. Johnson has been with United Healthcare since 2007 and is currently Executive Director of the United Healthcare Community Plan. A registered nurse and attorney, she was appointed to a 2-year term.
Barry Lewis – Dr. Lewis has been an anesthesiologist at Washington Hospital Center since 2003. He serves as Medical Board Executive for the DC Medical Society and as a member of the DC Health Information Exchange Board. He was appointed to a 2-year term.
Dania Palanker – Ms. Palanker has been the Senior Health Policy Advisor for the National Women’s Law Center since 2011. She has been tracking the implementation of the ACA since passage of the legislation. She was appointed to a 2-year term.
Billy MacCartee – Mr. MacCartee has been President of MacCartee Medical Management, Inc. since 1996. An insurance broker with over 200 corporate clients in the area, he was appointed for a 3-year term.
Jill Thorpe – Ms. Thorpe is the general counsel for AFrame Digital, a health IT company and has gained familiarity with efforts to promote innovative models of care and payment. Ms. Thorpe was appointed to a 3-year term.
Kevin Dougherty – Mr. Dougherty has been an employee at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Capital Chapter for over 19 years and currently serves as Vice President of Programs and Services. He was appointed to a 3-year term.
Stephen Jefferson – Mr. Jefferson is a Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor, an active member and volunteer of the DC Cancer Consortium, and active member of the Ward 8 Health Council. He was appointed to a 4-year term.
Claire McAndrew – Ms. McAndrew is a Senior Health Policy Analyst at Families USA where she tracks exchange establishment efforts nationwide and manages advocacy work on exchanges. She was appointed to a 4-year term.
Chris Gardiner – Mr. Gardiner is founder of GKA, PC, a minority-owned certified public accounting and management firm. In addition to serving as chairman of GKA, he serves on the board of directors of United Medical Center and previously served on the board of Howard University Hospital. He was appointed to a 4-year term and will serve as chairman of the Standing Advisory Board.
The HBX authorizing legislation also allows for the creation of additional advisory boards to advise the HBX Executive Board on a range of topics concerning the Exchange. Additional advisory boards were proposed at the November 28 Board meeting to provide input on specific areas of Exchange implementation. If approved, these advisory boards will largely replace the Health Reform Implementation Committee in advising the Exchange. The following additional advisory boards have been proposed.
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Plan Management – Would focus on qualified health plan (QHP) requirements, dental plan requirements, certification processes and QHP enrollment. Board members would come primarily from the major medical and dental carriers and consumer advocates.
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Consumer Assistance and Outreach – Would focus on the design and implementation of the Navigator and In-Person Consumer Assistance Programs, as well as consumer outreach efforts. Consumer advocates, community organizations, and consumer members would comprise this advisory board.
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Producers (Brokers and Agents) – Would focus on all aspects of producer engagement in the DC HBX insurance marketplace including compensation and appointment. Brokers and agents, small business owners, consumers and consumer advocates would comprise this board.
Stakeholders who are interested in serving on these advisory boards, if approved, should send a letter of interest and resume to Bonnie Norton. DC residency is not required.
The new HBX Authority website www.dchbx.com is live. The website currently is populated with a wealth of information about the DC Health Benefit Exchange, including overview information, stakeholder-specific Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), information on meetings, press releases, For Your Benefit Newsletters, Executive Board member pictures and bios, and committees. In addition, the website will be a central place to learn about future HBX job opportunities, contracts and grants. You can also use the website to submit a request for a speaker for your organization or event. You will also see the new HBX Authority logo on the website.
Bookmark www.dchbx.com to stay current on news and activities of the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority.
The Health Benefit Exchange Authority Executive Board met on November 14 and November 28. At the November 28 meeting, the Board voted to approve the recommendations on the structure of the Navigator Program. The Board heard a staff presentation and public comments on Employer Plan Selection options and requested that the Insurance Subcommittee conduct additional stakeholder outreach with small business owners on the options. If you are a small business owner and are willing to participate or want to learn more about the DC HBX, contact Brendan Rose.
The next public meeting of the Health Benefit Exchange Authority Executive Board will be on December 12 at 5:30 PM at 899 N. Capitol Street NE in Room 407.
Individual premium aggregation is the process of collecting premiums owed in one month by individuals or families and paying an aggregated sum to Qualified Health Plans operating in the HBX. US Health and Human Services rules require the SHOP exchange to aggregate premiums, but allow states the option to aggregate premiums in the individual exchange. The DC HBX is considering two options for handling the payment of individual health care premiums to issuers and is seeking stakeholder feedback on the options by Friday, December 14.
A report, which provides background on the requirements and options related to aggregation, explains the advantages and disadvantages of the options, and outlines next steps, can be accessed here.
Email Rekha Ayalur if you have any questions or wish to submit comments. After the feedback is received, a summary report along with a proposed recommendation will be provided to the HBX Authority Executive Board for further review and approval.
The HBX Authority will soon be recruiting for senior level positions to help implement the DC Health Benefit Exchange. Watch the new HBX website for future information about available positions and the process for applying for them.
The DC HBX Authority has undertaken a media tour and stakeholder engagement meetings to increase District residents’ and stakeholders' awareness of the DC Health Benefit Exchange, the work of the Exchange Authority and the benefits that will be available once the Exchange is Operational in 2014.
In November, the HBX Executive Board chair and other board members met with the editorial boards of the Washington Post, Washington Times, Washington Examiner, and Washington Business Journal. They also appeared on television interview shows NBC4 Viewpoint with host Jim Handy and WJLA NewsTalk with host Bruce DePuyt, as well as on WOL Radio Speak Out with hostess Maria Bennett Byrd.
On December 10, the HBX Authority will participate in an educational forum for consumer advocate groups and special health coalitions which will be hosted by the DC Fiscal Policy Institute and AARP. On December 17, the HBX Authority will participate in the first of a series of Small Business Community stakeholder meetings hosted by the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development. See the newsletter calendar for more information about these events.
Check out the Frequently Asked Questions here. If you don’t see your question, send it to healthreform@dc.gov. We will try to address it in future newsletters.
Monday, December 10, 12:00 PM
HRIC Insurance Subcommittee Plan HBX Market Working Group
Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking, 810 First Street NE, 7th Floor
Wednesday, December 12, 5:30 PM
Health Benefit Exchange (HBX) Executive Board Public Meeting
Department of Health, 899 North Capitol Street NE, Room 407
Thursday, December 13, 10:00 AM
HRIC Medicaid Expansion and Eligibility Subcommittee Meeting
Department of Human Services, 64 New York Avenue NE, 5th Floor Conference Room
Thursday, December 13, 2:00 PM
HRIC Health Delivery System Subcommittee Meeting
Department of Health, 899 North Capitol Street NE, Room 535
Monday, December 17, 10:00 AM
Small Business Community Stakeholder Meeting
Hosted by the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development
One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street NW, 11th Floor
Produced by The Crider Group
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