2024 Broker and Consultant Forum
CONTACT
AGENDA
SPEAKERS
SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK
Commitment to Collaboration: The Power of Partnership
SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK
POTENTIAL
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Here’s to learning, connecting, and imagining together. Watch this video to relive some of our favorite moments from this year’s Forum.
why attend?
1.
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3.
CONNECT
Join a community of colleagues for breakout sessions, networking moments, and experiences, tailored just for you.
IMAGINE
Discover new and innovative opportunities to elevate your relationships and deliver value to your clients in an ever-changing environment.
Monday, October 7
12:00 P.m.
Arrivals & welcome lunch
2:00 P.m.
Opening remarks Grand Ballroom
Michelle Fatsi
6:30 P.m.
Cocktail reception & dinner
WEDNESDAY, October 9
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DISCOVER
VALUE
SOLUTIONS
INNOVATION
CONNECTIONS
All photography of the Omni Mount Washington Resort is courtesy of Omni Mount Washington Resort.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® Registered Marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
®´ Registered Marks of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc., or Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts HMO Blue, Inc. ®´´ Registered Marks and TM Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2024 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc., or Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts HMO Blue, Inc.
Learn
Hear from industry-leading speakers, and leave equipped with real-world insights to provide the best experience for your clients and their employees.
It was a well put together event, from breakfast through the cocktail hour, with a lot of attention to detail. I think you hit the mark by making it topic-focused, not Blue Cross-product focused.
This was very well thought out, excellent forum, one of the best I have attended. The content was engaging, and the speakers were fantastic! The day was great. Thank you.
— Past attendee
Tuesday, October 8
2:45 P.m.
Panel discussion
Health Care Value: A Look at Current Trend Drivers and the Strategies to Contain Health Care Costs
2:15 P.m.
CEO Outlook & Insights
Sarah Iselin
8:00 A.m.
Breakfast Sun Dining Room
9:00 A.m.
Panel dIscussion
Championing Women‘s Health & Well-being
10:00 A.m.
Breakout sessions
Enhancing an Employer‘s Total Benefits Package
The Future of Product Strategy
Mental Health
1:00 P.M.
Keynote: The Art of Vision
Erik Wahl
6:30 P.m.
Cocktail reception & dinner
11:45 A.m.
Lunch
2:30 P.m.
Networking activities
8:00 A.m.
Breakfast
Sun Dining Room
9:00 A.m.
Learning session
The 2024 Political Landscape
9:50 A.m.
Panel discussion
Pharmacy: The Power of Innovation and Integration
10:45 A.m.
11:30 a.m.
Closing remarks
11:45 a.m.
Farewell lunch
Dinner in the Mountains
Take a scenic ride on the Bretton Woods Skyway Gondola to a destination dinner at the Rosebrook Lodge’s Crystal Hills. Enjoy a unique gourmet dining experience featuring panoramic views of Mount Washington and the breathtaking Presidential Range.
Learning session
The Member Experience: How Blue Cross is Delivering on Our Mission
our KEYNOTE SPEAKER
ErIK WAHL
TED Talk speaker, best-selling author
With over 20 years of experience and more than 2,000 performances, Erik brings a unique blend of artistic expression and entrepreneurial insight to the stage. Erik encourages a systematic embrace of innovation and risk. His core message is clear: in this era of constant disruption, businesses must wholeheartedly adopt creativity or face the risk of falling behind. Attendees will hear how to enhance their agility and use disruption as a competitive advantage.
Erik’s book, “The Spark and the Grind,” activates the essential elements required to translate ideas into action. His innovative thinking has garnered accolades from leading figures in both the art and business realms. Erik’s previous bestseller, “Unthink,” was praised by Forbes Magazine as “the blueprint to actionable creativity” and by Fast Company Magazine as “provocative with a purpose.”
3:45 P.m.
Breakout sessions
Catalyzing Health Equity
The Cancer Journey
Member-Centric AI & Innovation
11:00 a.m.
Learning session
A Path Forward: Blue Cross‘ Refreshed Strategy
SLOPESIDE CLIMBING WALL
Enjoy 624 square feet of indoor rock climbing, including a climbing wall and a bouldering cave. They provide the harnesses and ropes, and knowledgeable, trained staff. The Slopeside Climbing Wall features a variety of routes, ranging from beginner to expert, so everyone can enjoy the climb!
SPA
The Omni Mount Washington Resort‘s 25,000-square-foot mountain spa brings the outdoors inside, with sweeping views of Mount Washington, the Presidential Range, and Crawford Notch. Enjoy the spa‘s signature treatments, visit the fitness center, or discover the heated indoor and outdoor pools.
Mount Washington Golf Course
Enjoy the resort‘s 18-hole course, designed by legendary Scottish architect Donald Ross. With breathtaking mountain range views, this Par 72, 7,004-yard course has hosted four New Hampshire Opens as well as the New England Open Championship. The course has been voted Golfweek‘s “Best Course You Can Play in New Hampshire“ consistently since 2009.
our President and CEO
SARAH ISELIN
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Sarah has a long and successful history with both Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and its Foundation, where she played a key role in the development of the “Roadmap to Coverage.” That multi-year initiative contributed to the passage of Massachusetts’ landmark 2006 health reform law, which resulted in the lowest uninsured rate in the country and later became the model for the Affordable Care Act. Sarah served as the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation’s president from 2010 to 2012 and later served as the company’s chief strategy officer and senior vice president of strategy, policy, and community partnerships. Before returning to Blue Cross, Sarah served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Blue Shield of California, where she was accountable for the day-to-day operations, growth, and financial performance of all business segments of the nonprofit health plan, which serves nearly five million members and generates $23 billion in annual revenue. Before that, she served in a variety of executive leadership roles at GuideWell/Florida Blue and Optum. From 2007 to 2009, she served as commissioner of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy for the governor of Massachusetts. Sarah sits on the boards of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Boston Green Ribbon Commission, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and Blue Health Intelligence. Sarah received her Master of Science degree in health policy and management from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
OCTOBER 7–9
Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods, NH
SANDHYA RAO, MD
Chief Medical Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Mark Friedberg, MD, MPP
Senior Vice President, Performance Measurement and Improvement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Mike Guerriere, FSA, MAAA Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Karl Laskowski, MD, MBA
Vice President, Clinical Programs and Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
SHEILA GORDON, RPH
Senior Director, Clinical Pharmacy Market Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
DANIELLE DANG, MD, MPH
Senior Medical Director, Maven Clinic
Ashley Yeats, MD, FACEP, FCFPC(EM), CHIE
Vice President, Medical Operations, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
DAVID CORKUM
Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
JESSICA CHAPUT Senior Director, Pharmacy Sales, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Crystal Holmes
Senior Director, Specialty Benefits, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Angela Burnham, Pharm.D.
Director, Provider Partnerships and Care Management in Pharmacy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Diane Fuller
Senior Director, Payment Strategy and Integrity Network Payment Innovation and Contract Management, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Kate Watson, MSN, NP-C
Associate Director, Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
RACHEL VOROBYEV, MSHA Vice President, Product Management and Innovation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
MATT DAY, FSA, MAAA
Senior Advisor, Provider Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Mike Guerriere, FSA, MAAA Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Mike leads the actuarial services, business, and account analytic functions for the organization. He is responsible for pricing, reserving, and financial planning as well as the design, development, and implementation of medical cost and trend analytics. His role is in support of our goal of promoting high quality and affordable health care while improving competitiveness and profitability.
He rejoined our company in 2019 as vice president of business and account analytics. Before that, Mike served as chief financial officer and chief actuary at Boston Medical Center Health Plan, where he managed the actuarial, analytics, and accounting functions. He first joined our company in 2005 and had critical roles in commercial pricing, financial planning, and provider financial management. He began his career at Aetna.
Mike is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and economics from College of the Holy Cross, as well as an MBA in finance and information systems management from the University of Connecticut.
Mark Friedberg, MD, MPP Senior Vice President, Performance Measurement & Improvement Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Dr. Friedberg is responsible for activities related to measuring and improving the quality and equity performance of our provider network, including metrics used in value-based contracts, such as our Alternative Quality Contract. He led the design of our pay-forequity program, which is an accountable care contract that applies financial incentives directly to measures of health equity. Before joining Blue Cross in 2019, Dr. Friedberg was a health services researcher at RAND, where he led multiple projects to measure, evaluate, and improve health system performance. He is a general internist who provides primary care at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where he completed his residency and fellowship. Dr. Friedberg has an M.D. from Harvard Medical School, M.P.P. from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and B.A. from Swarthmore College.
SANDHYA RAO, MD Chief Medical Officer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Dr. Sandhya Rao is responsible for the strategic direction and ongoing operation of the company’s health and medical management and pharmacy division—focusing on improving the quality, outcomes, and affordability of health care provided to our members. Sandhya joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts in December 2020, with extensive experience in population health management. Previously, Sandhya served as vice president of clinical strategy at Haven, a health care organization formed by Amazon; JPMorgan Chase, and Berkshire Hathaway. Before that, Sandhya was the senior medical director for population health management at Partners HealthCare, now Mass General Brigham. Sandhya also served as associate medical director of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization and as a business analyst at McKinsey & Company.
Sandhya’s clinical experience includes practice as a primary care provider at Massachusetts General Hospital and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Sandhya earned her bachelor of arts degree in public health at Brown University and her medical degree at New York University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
MATT DAY, FSA, MAAA Senior Advisor, Provider Strategy Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Matt Day joined the company in 2009. He contributes to the design and implementation of the company’s provider network strategy. Under Matt’s guidance, Blue Cross has become a leader in the development of value-based care models, such as the Alternative Quality Contract (AQC).
In previous roles at Blue Cross, Matt served as senior vice president for the Provider Network division, where his responsibilities included contracting, network management, payment integrity, network financial analytics, and the settlement of incentive arrangements.
Matt is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics at Fairfield University.
Karl Laskowski, MD, MBA Vice President, Clinical Programs and Strategy Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Dr. Laskowski leads the enterprise clinical strategy and teams focused on trend, quality, compliance, and client engagement. Prior to joining Blue Cross, Dr. Laskowski was associate chief medical officer at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where he held several prior leadership roles. He also held roles at Brigham and Women's Physician Organization, focused on population health, care redesign and innovation, and clinical operations. Dr. Laskowski is a graduate of Yale School of Medicine and Harvard Business School, and maintains an active clinical practice in general internal medicine.
JESSICA CHAPUT Senior Director, Pharmacy Sales Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Jessica Chaput is responsible for new pharmacy sales, retention, growth, and account management strategies for all market segments. She also works closely with the Pharmacy Product Solutions team to develop pharmacy programs and bring them to market, to help control spend and drive value. Jessica and her team of senior pharmacy account executives work closely with clients as they navigate the complexities of the pharmacy landscape and help design programs that align with the clients’ benefits philosophy and budget.
Before joining Blue Cross, Jessica had an extensive tenure at Willis Towers Watson in health and benefits, where she held several roles in consulting, leadership, and cross-functional operations. Jessica is an alumna of Providence College, where she earned her Bachelor of arts degree in economics.
Ashley Yeats, MD, FACEP, FCFPC(EM), CHIE Vice President, Medical Operations Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Dr. Yeats joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts in 2019. His areas of responsibility include clinical partnership innovation; reproductive health, mental health, and gender-affirming services strategy; physician, psychologist and dental utilization review; medical policy administration; Care Management consultation; clinical appeals; and corporate peer review and credentialing. Dr. Yeats has practiced in the Boston area for 20 years. He has held executive and medical leadership positions within system hospitals and the liability captive insurance carrier of the Harvard teaching hospital community. He previously served as chief medical officer and vice president of health care quality and clinical integration within the Beth Israel Lahey health system. He completed a dual residency in family medicine and emergency medicine at the University of Ottawa, receiving certification as a patient safety officer from Intermountain in Salt Lake City, Utah and a medical degree from the University of Western Ontario, Canada. In addition to his current role at Blue Cross, Dr. Yeats is an assistant professor at the Boston University School of Medicine, also lecturing in the Northeastern University Physician Assistant Program. He sits on the board of directors of the Massachusetts Alliance for communication & Resolution after Medical Injury and the Health Care Transformation Task Force in Washington, DC.
Angela Burnham, Pharm.D. Director, Provider Partnerships and Care Management in Pharmacy Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Angela‘s areas of responsibility include commercial formulary optimization efforts, AQC pharmacy support, commercial HEDIS quality measure support, academic detailing oversight, clinical fraud oversight, and pharmacist Care Management. Her team is responsible for provider communications and reporting in all these areas, as well as member outreach for case management. Angela began her career at Blue Cross in 2018, creating this new role and building her team. She began oversight of the academic detailing team in 2019, and built the pharmacist Care Management program in 2022.
Angela received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Northeastern University in Boston. She holds pharmacist licensure in Massachusetts. Prior to coming to Blue Cross, she worked as a clinical pharmacist at a major teaching hospital in Boston, in home-infusion settings and at a large physician organization.
DAVID CORKUM Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
David Corkum joined the company in 2023 and is responsible for the strategic direction of our commercial business. He leads all commercial market-facing functions, including sales and product, brand management and marketing, as well as the development of medical, specialty, and health engagement products.
Before joining Blue Cross, David served as the executive vice president of commercial markets and chief growth officer at CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. CareFirst provides health and specialty insurance coverage and administrative services to 3.5 million members in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Previously, he was senior vice president of commercial markets for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota.
David also held a variety of sales leadership roles at Aetna. David received his Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Fairfield University.
SHEILA GORDON, RPH Senior Director, Clinical Pharmacy Market Strategy Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
With over 20 years of experience in the health care industry, Sheila Gordon is an experienced leader who combines industry and clinical knowledge to provide unique insights into pharmacy benefit management. Her experience working in clinical, consulting, and managed care settings allows for a broad industry perspective.
At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Sheila is responsible for strategic planning in relation to the market competitiveness of the Blue Cross pharmacy benefit. Sheila and her team also support the sales team with pharmacy-related initiatives. They provide analysis of account-specific utilization trends, consulting on recommendations to mitigate spend and/or improve population health. Sheila is a Massachusetts-licensed pharmacist.
DANIELLE DANG, MD, MPH Senior Medical Director Maven Clinic
Dr. Dang is a family medicine physician and fierce advocate for social justice in health care, who has dedicated her career to effecting systematic change in vulnerable and underserved communities. She is currently the senior medical director at Maven Clinic, the largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health, offering continuous, holistic care for fertility and family building through maternity, parenting, pediatrics, and menopause. Prior to joining Maven, she was the market medical director of new markets and implementation at Cityblock, where she was directly accountable for the design, build, and application of Cityblock’s value-based care model that served Medicaid and low-income dual beneficiaries. Previously, Dr. Dang worked to improve the health care outcomes of Philadelphians on Medicaid, managed a research portfolio that included interventional and observational studies for those living with HIV/AIDS in Boston, and expanded access to HIV testing and counseling services in Zambia and Rwanda. Dr. Dang completed her master’s degree in Public Health at Boston University, and obtained her medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University.
RACHEL VOROBYEV, MSHA Vice President, Product Management & Innovation Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Rachel leads product development, management, and innovation of medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, life and disability, wellness and engagement, and stop loss. Prior to joining Blue Cross in 2024, Rachel held various leadership roles with increasing responsibilities and success at Elevance Health/Anthem Inc., Aetna/CVS, and Cigna. Her major achievements including developing consumer-driven, high deductible plan options; market initiatives resulting in nine-figure revenue growth, and strategy and innovation with value-based care. Rachel’s achievements also included high-performance networks, virtual-first care plans, as well as product, network, and cost-of-care solutions for commercial and Medicare. Rachel received her master’s degree in medical science and health administration from Medical College of Virginia. She attended an executive program in driving health care strategy inside the health ecosystem at Harvard Medical School, a national executive program in managed care at University of Missouri-Kansas, Henry M. Block School of Business. She is an awardee of Top 50 Outstanding Asian Americans in Business Award from the Asian American Business Development Council, and a recipient of a Chairman’s Leadership Excellence Award from a top Fortune health plan.
Kate Watson, MSN, NP-C Associate Director, Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Kate returned to Blue Cross after working as nurse practitioner in family practice and in women’s health at an OB/GYN clinic. Kate previously worked as a high-risk pregnancy case manager, a trainer on the health and medical management training team, as well as a manager in utilization management for medical policy. Her vast experience in reproductive health and her deep knowledge of Blue Cross, positioned her to lead the new reproductive health and Gender-Affirming program. Kate is responsible for facilitating both the member and account experience related to Reproductive Health milestones, with a focus on fertility, maternity, NICU care, women’s health, and gender-affirming health needs.
Kate completed her undergraduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and her Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University.
Diane Fuller Senior Director, Payment Strategy and Integrity Network Payment Innovation and Contract Management Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Diane is accountable for the strategic leadership of Blue Cross' professional and facility provider reimbursement methodology, payment policies, and enterprise coding. Additionally, she‘s responsible for establishing sound payment integrity controls along the claim payment continuum, including pre- and post-payment claims editing and provider audit. The focus of Diane’s work continues to be developing an aligned approach to provider payments, resulting in a consistent, predictable outcome for our customers.
Diane holds a bachelor’s in business administration from Babson College and a master’s in finance and organizational change from Boston College.
Katy Johnson Senior Counsel, Health Policy, American Benefits Council
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Katy assists Council members on a wide range of health policy and issues and directs the Council’s activities with respect to health care reform, ERISA, and other federal regulations impacting employer-sponsored health benefits. Prior to joining the Council in 2019, Katy was an attorney advisor in the Office of Benefits Tax Counsel at the U.S. Department of Treasury. Before that, she served as an attorney in the health and welfare branch of the Office of Chief Counsel at the Internal Revenue Service. In these positions, Katy was responsible for crafting guidance related to several employer plan sponsor provisions of the ACA. She also played a key role representing Treasury in coordinating health care guidance with the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other executive branch entities. She also provided technical assistance to members of Congress in the development of health care legislation, including measures related to health savings accounts.
Katy is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Middlebury College and graduated Stanford Law School, where she served on the managing board of the Stanford Law Review. Earlier in her career, she worked at the U.S. Department of Justice, was a judicial clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and was in private law practice where she advised clients on health, retirement, and executive compensation matters.
4:30 P.m.
Day one concludes
Your dedicated hospitality suite An exclusive space for attendees to stop in and ask questions, take a call, send an email, relax, or network.
Room name: The Conservatory
On-site contact: Sawyer Treffinger, 973-907-6888, sawyer.treffinger@bcbsma.com
Parking
VENUE DETAILS
HOTEL MAP
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Catalyzing Health Equity: Addressing Disparities and Eliminating Barriers to Improve Outcomes Madison Room Mark Friedberg, MD, MPP, SVP, Performance Measurement & Improvement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Blue Cross is driving meaningful, measurable change regarding equity in health care. In partnership with businesses, providers, customers, members, and community organizations, we’re innovating to create a better health care system for everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live.
The Cancer Journey: Innovative Solutions, Cutting-Edge Treatments, and Care That Improve Outcomes and Address Cost Monroe Room Karl Laskowski, MD, MBA, Vice President, Clinical Programs and Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts The science and services focused on cancer diagnosis and treatment continue to break new ground, but so do cost and complexity. Hear about new approaches to help clients and members reap health benefits and navigate a maze of options, all while managing costs.
Member-Centric AI & Innovation
Adams Room Sri Narasimhan, Senior Director, Engineering and Tech Delivery, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts New technology can benefit health care in new and meaningful ways. Find out how we can use AI and predictive modeling to elevate our clinical capabilities, enhance member experience, and achieve new efficiencies in a health care system known for its complexity.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Championing Women’s Health & Well-being: A Workplace Imperative
Grand Ballroom Sandhya Rao, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Senior Vice President, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (moderator) Kate Watson, MSN, NP-C, Associate Director of Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Danielle Dang, MD, MPH, Senior Medical Director, Maven Clinic, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
The full spectrum of women’s health, from fertility and family building to maternity, parenting, pediatrics, and menopause, is coming to the forefront. Learn how our partners are taking a comprehensive approach to women’s health and making the space to address their unique needs, supporting women at every life stage.
LEARNING SESSION
The 2024 Political Landscape
Grand Ballroom Katy Johnson, Senior Counsel, Health Policy, American Benefits Council The 2024 presidential election, as well as key races in the Senate and House, will have significant implications for health care policy. Issues ranging from threats to the ACA, soaring medication costs, reproductive health, and affordability are all on the table and will have vastly different outcomes depending on how the races land. Hear from Katy Johnson, who will share her views on the expectations and implications of this pivotal election.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Pharmacy: The Power of Innovation & Integration
Grand Ballroom
Jessica Chaput, Senior Director, Pharmacy Sales, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (moderator) Sheila Gordon, RPh, Senior Director, Clinical Pharmacy Market Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Angela Burnham, PharmD, Director, Provider Partnerships and Care Management in Pharmacy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Pharmacy continues to be the number-one driver of health care cost growth. Through our investment in companies like Evio, we’re pursuing exciting strategies to help manage the lowest total cost of care. Industry experts share insights into these strategies, as well as examples of how we're tackling costs and supporting members through medical and pharmacy integration.
LEARNING SESSION
The Member Experience: How Blue Cross is Delivering on Our Mission Grand Ballroom
Kate Tracy, Vice President, Centers of Excellence, Service Support & Experience, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Julia Johnston-Ketterer, Director, Customer Experience Analytics & Measurement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts An exceptional customer experience is one that makes individuals feel heard, appreciated, and valued. It minimizes friction, maximizes efficiency, and elevates the human element of health care. Hear new insights and emerging plans for creating a best-in-class experience for members and customers.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Enhancing an Employer’s Total Benefits Package
Madison Room
Crystal Holmes, Senior Director, Specialty Benefits, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Patrick Robinson, Director, Commercial Markets 100+, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Grant Van Der Beken, Regional Sales Director – New England Region, The Hartford, Group Benefits Employers today are looking for strategies that will help them attract and retain top talent, while keeping health care costs low. Learn about the products and services employers can pair with medical plans to provide the most comprehensive coverage possible and save in the long term.
The Future of Product Strategy: National Engagement & Navigation
Monroe Room Rachel Vorobyev, MSHA, Vice President, Product Management & Innovation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Ann York, MBA, Director, Network Product Development, Commercial Market Solutions, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Underlying market forces and shifts toward a more mobile, dispersed workforce are changing employer and member expectations, driving the need for more creative, affordable consumer engagement and product solutions on a national scale. Learn about Blue Cross’ product strategy for 2025 and beyond, including increased engagement for members in the Blue High Performance Network. Plus, hear how we’re leveraging national health care data through the Blue Physician Performance National Dataset, to offer solutions that will deliver better transparency and navigation, and more equitable outcomes.
Mental Health: Guiding Members to the Care They Need
Adams Room Ashley Yeats, MD, FACEP, FCFPC(EM), CHIE, Vice President, Medical Operations, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts We continue to face a mental health crisis in this country, which demands us to ensure that employers and employees have access to the mental health care they need, when they need it, and in a setting they prefer. Blue Cross partners with a range of mental health providers, who are positioned to meet members and their families wherever they are, to navigate their unique paths.
LEARNING SESSION
A Path Forward: Blue Cross’ Refreshed Strategy
Grand Ballroom Dave Corkum, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Blue Cross’ new mission is to show up for everyone like they’re the only one. Our new strategic plan prioritizes better anticipating market needs and meeting those needs with greater agility and innovation. Hear how we're using data and tools to deliver solutions that accelerate delivery and exceed expectations.
CEO Outlook & Insights
Grand Ballroom
Sarah Iselin, President and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Sarah Iselin will share her insights on this unique moment in health care—where change is accelerating and challenges are mounting for all industry stakeholders—payers, providers, partners, and health care consumers. Sarah will share what Blue Cross is doing to meet the moment.
Hospitality Suite
GOLD Sponsors
Explore the resort area map here for lodging, activities, dining, shopping, and more.
Sri Narasimhan
Senior Director, Engineering and Tech Delivery, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Crystal Holmes Senior Director, Specialty Benefits Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Crystal Holmes is the Senior Director of Specialty Benefits at Blue Cross and the Managing Director of Indigo Insurance Services. She has been at Blue Cross for 16 years and is one of the original employees of Indigo Insurance when it was created in 2008. She's responsible for sales, service, and operations for our Indigo suite of products, as well as for managing sales strategy for Dental Blue, Blue 20/20 vision, and GeoBlue travel products. Before joining Blue Cross, Crystal was an account manager at a broker agency for eight years. She started with the smaller accounts and then moved to managing the agency’s largest accounts, as well as supporting operations. Crystal sits on the ancillary advisory board for NABIP.
Ann York, mBA Director of Network Products, Product Management and Innovation Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Ann is a proven health care leader, with a successful track record in product development, network optimization, business growth, and retention. She began her career in sales guiding national clients toward innovative solutions, earning multiple awards and a place in our President’s Club. Ann’s focus on innovation and delivering a superior consumer experience has propelled her to leadership positions in strategic product development. Beginning with dental products, Ann introduced the Total Health Solution, which lead to explosive growth of Blue Cross’ dental business. In her current role as director of Network Product Development, she leads strategic development and management for some of our most complex medical product offerings. Ann ushers in solutions such as our high performance plans, Centers of Excellence, tiered offerings, and most recently, steerage solutions with the National Physician Performance Dataset. Ann received her Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University's D’Amore McKim School of Business.
Complimentary valet parking is available upon arrival.
Katy Johnson Senior Counsel, Health Policy, American Benefits Council
Sri Narasimhan Senior Director, Engineering and Tech Delivery
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Sri is an accomplished IT director with over 20 years of experience leveraging technology is drive strategic business outcomes. He’s been with Blue Cross since 2008 and is passionate about AI and its potential to revolutionize the health insurance industry. Sri has a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions and building high-performing teams. He's a strategic thinker with a strong ability to align technology initiatives with business objectives. Sri is currently responsible for leading multiple functions of IT, including AI, automation, integration, API, interoperability, EDI, and service centers. Before joining Blue Cross, he had over 10 years of multi-industry experience in IT management. Sri was a consultant for various companies, including Hartford Life, Ameriprise Financial, JP Morgan, and Cabela’s. He completed the health care management graduate program (magna cum laude) at Northeastern University. Sri holds a Honour’s egree and a Master of Engineering in Computer Science from the University of Wollongong in Australia. He also has a Bachelor's in Electronics and Communication from the University of Chennai in India.
CONTACT US
For any questions, please contact: Sawyer Treffinger, 973-907-6888, sawyer.treffinger@bcbsma.com
Platinum Sponsors
Signature Sponsors
Patrick Robinson Director of Commercial Markets 100+
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Patrick joined Blue Cross in 2017 and is an accomplished professional with more than 20 years of experience in the employee benefits industry. He’s known for his exceptional ability to build strong, long-lasting relationships with his clients, always going above and beyond to ensure their satisfaction. Patrick oversees new sales distribution and retention for clients with up to 1,000 enrolled subscribers. He’s an active member of the Consumer-Directed Health Plan Steering Committee at Blue Cross. Patrick began his career with MetLife in 1999, shortly after graduating from Fairfield University. Prior to joining Blue Cross, he worked at Tufts Health Plan, where he served as a senior sales representative.
Kate Tracy Vice President, Centers of Excellence, Service Support and Experience
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Kate is a customer advocacy and operations leader with over 23 years of experience at Blue Cross. In her current role, Kate is responsible for continuous modernization of our service centers and optimizing performance. She works cross-functionally to develop the processes and technology needed to create a seamless and empathetic experience for our members and other stakeholders.
Kate has advanced our omni-channel growth strategy with the implementation of Live Chat, an emerging platform that’s critical to providing members with a new way to get their issues resolved. She has provided leadership as our company transitions from first-call resolution to “first-contact resolution”, a new member satisfaction metric to ensure every channel a member uses is simple and seamless. Kate earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from James Madison University and a Master’s in Business Administration from UMASS Boston.
Julia Johnston-Ketterer Director, Customer Experience Analytics and Measurement
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Julia is responsible for developing and executing the customer experience measurement strategy, which includes ongoing evaluation of the state of our customer relationships and journeys, quantifying pain points in experience, and recommending where to prioritize efforts, and assessing the impact of reimagined journeys.
Julia joined our company in 2019 and has more than 25 years of experience as a research and analytics leader in the health care and financial services industries. Before her current role at Blue Cross, Julia spent five years as a senior director at Cogent Reports, now part of Escalent, a data and analytics advisor firm. Before that, she held research and analysis roles at research consultancies and Fidelity Investments, where she build and developed a research and analysis unit.
Julia received her MBA in finance and communications from Simmons University and her Bachelor of Arts in French and International Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Grant Van Der Beken New England Region Sales Director
The Hartford - Group Benefits Grant has spent the last 19 years in various sales and service roles at The Hartford’s group benefits division. Since 2017, he's managed the New England region with offices in Boston, Hartford, Connecticut, and Portland, Maine. He served as the national sales lead for The Hartford's public and education vertical from 2015 to 2023. He currently supports sales for The Hartford’s Paid Family Medical Leave product organization as a country-wide sales lead. His team recently won the Vermont Family Medical Leave insurance bid, which brought a new customizable product to market.
Patrick Robinson
Director of Commercial Markets 100+, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Kate Tracy
Vice President, Centers of Excellence, Service Support and Experience, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Grant Van Der Beken
New England Region Sales Director, The Hartford - Group Benefits
Julia Johnston-Ketterer
Director, Customer Experience Analytics and Measurement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Paul Sweeney Senior Vice President, Municipal/Labor and Diversified Sales
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Paul Sweeney is responsible for the municipal and labor segments, as well as Medicare Advantage group sales. He oversees the merged market segment, which includes individual and small to mid-sized employers. He’s also responsible for specialty benefit sales, which includes our dental, life and disability, stop-loss, and vision products. Paul has more than three decades of experience as a senior sales leader at local and national companies including Blue Cross, Cigna Healthcare, Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)/Multiplan, and Delta Dental of Rhode Island. He has extensive experience working with public-sector employers, particularly state and municipal organizations and organized labor. Paul earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Providence College, and an MBA from UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management.
PAUL SWEENEY Senior Vice President, Municipal/Labor and Diversified Sales, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
MICHELLE FATSI Vice President, National & Major Accounts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Michelle Fatsi is Vice President of National & Major Accounts for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the largest private health insurer in Massachusetts and one of the largest independent, not-for-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in the country. The company serves 3 million medical members and is rated among the nation’s best health plans for overall member satisfaction and quality. In her current role, Michelle oversees 20 account executives who are responsible for our largest customers across industries that include hospitals and providers, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and more. Michelle joined Blue Cross in 2018 as Senior Client Director, to lead the hospital and higher education business markets. Before that, Michelle had already amassed more than 20 years in the health care industry—most of that time she served in sales leadership positions at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. She also worked as a managing consultant for Strategic Benefit Advisors (now called Brown & Brown).
Over her career, Michelle has developed extensive expertise on benefit strategies for hospital and provider clients and on business process redesign, employee benefit offerings, and development of custom networks. Michelle earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a health insurance executive certification from America’s Health Insurance Plans.
Michelle Fatsi
Vice President, National and Major Accounts, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
VENUE DETAILS
SPONSORS
Thank you to our 2024 Broker and Consultant Forum sponsors
Panel Discussion
Health Care Value: A Look at Current Trend Drivers and the Strategies to Contain Health Care Costs
Grand Ballroom
Matt Day, FSA, MAAA Senior Advisor, Provider Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (moderator) Diane Fuller, Senior Director, Payment Strategy and Integrity, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Karl Laskowski, MD, MBA, Vice President, Clinical Programs and Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Mike Guerriere, Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Rising health care costs affect everyone, and as they consume a greater portion of stakeholder budgets, they crowd out other important priorities. Dive into the major factors driving current trend, and learn what Blue Cross is doing to shift the paradigm and deliver more affordable care.
OUR INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Scott Meehan
Vice President, Commercial Market Sales, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Scott Meehan Vice President, Commercial Market Sales Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts A 24-year veteran of the organization, Scott has held a number of sales leadership roles in the commercial markets, most recently driving the strategic direction for the commercial accounts team.
Before joining Blue Cross, Scott played for the Providence Bruins and Charlotte Checkers as a professional hockey player, managed personal financial planning business with American Express Financial Advisors in Charlotte, North Carolina, and sold and renewed diversified product lines for Great-West Life (Cigna) in Boston. Scott received his B.A. in business administration from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Bill Wood Senior Sales Director, National and Major
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Bill and his team manage relationships with Blue Cross’s broker and consultant partners and lead all new sales opportunities with groups that have 500+ employees enrolled.
Bill joined our company in 2017 with over ten years of experience in national and international diversified health benefits. Prior to joining Blue Cross, Bill served as a sales director for global insurance products at both UnitedHealthcare and Aetna.
Bill earned his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut, majoring in finance, real estate, and urban economics. After graduating, Bill was accepted into Aetna’s E.E. Cammack Group School/Sales training program.
Ann York, MBA
Director of Network Products, Product Management and Innovation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Bill Wood
Senior Sales Director, National and Major Accounts, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
THANK you
We’re so glad you joined us. Let us know what you thought of this year’s Forum, and check out the event highlights on the page below.
SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK
All photography of the Omni Mount Washington Resort is courtesy of Omni Mount Washington Resort.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® Registered Marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
®´ Registered Marks of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc., or Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts HMO Blue, Inc. ®´´ Registered Marks and TM Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2024 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc., or Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts HMO Blue, Inc.
Thank you to our 2024 Broker and Consultant Forum sponsors
GOLD Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Signature Sponsors
It was a well put together event, from breakfast through the cocktail hour, with a lot of attention to detail. I think you hit the mark by making it topic-focused, not Blue Cross-product focused.
This was very well thought out, excellent forum, one of the best I have attended. The content was engaging, and the speakers were fantastic! The day was great. Thank you.
“
— Past attendee
CONTACT US
For any questions, please contact: Sawyer Treffinger, 973-907-6888, sawyer.treffinger@bcbsma.com
our KEYNOTE SPEAKER
ErIK WAHL
TED Talk speaker, best-selling author
With over 20 years of experience and more than 2,000 performances, Erik brings a unique blend of artistic expression and entrepreneurial insight to the stage. Erik encourages a systematic embrace of innovation and risk. His core message is clear: in this era of constant disruption, businesses must wholeheartedly adopt creativity or face the risk of falling behind. Attendees will hear how to enhance their agility and use disruption as a competitive advantage.
Erik’s book, “The Spark and the Grind,” activates the essential elements required to translate ideas into action. His innovative thinking has garnered accolades from leading figures in both the art and business realms. Erik’s previous bestseller, “Unthink,” was praised by Forbes Magazine as “the blueprint to actionable creativity” and by Fast Company Magazine as “provocative with a purpose.”
our President and CEO
SARAH ISELIN
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Sarah has a long and successful history with both Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and its Foundation, where she played a key role in the development of the “Roadmap to Coverage.” That multi-year initiative contributed to the passage of Massachusetts’ landmark 2006 health reform law, which resulted in the lowest uninsured rate in the country and later became the model for the Affordable Care Act. Sarah served as the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation’s president from 2010 to 2012 and later served as the company’s chief strategy officer and senior vice president of strategy, policy, and community partnerships. Before returning to Blue Cross, Sarah served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Blue Shield of California, where she was accountable for the day-to-day operations, growth, and financial performance of all business segments of the nonprofit health plan, which serves nearly five million members and generates $23 billion in annual revenue. Before that, she served in a variety of executive leadership roles at GuideWell/Florida Blue and Optum. From 2007 to 2009, she served as commissioner of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy for the governor of Massachusetts. Sarah sits on the boards of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Boston Green Ribbon Commission, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and Blue Health Intelligence. Sarah received her Master of Science degree in health policy and management from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thanks for joining us! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
WEDNESDAY, October 9
8:00 A.m.
Breakfast
Sun Dining Room
9:00 A.m.
Learning session
The 2024 Political Landscape
9:50 A.m.
Panel discussion
Pharmacy: The Power of Innovation and Integration
Learning session
The Member Experience: How Blue Cross is Delivering on Our Mission
10:45 A.m.
11:30 a.m.
Closing remarks
11:45 a.m.
Farewell lunch
Tuesday, October 8
8:00 A.m.
Breakfast Sun Dining Room
9:00 A.m.
Panel dIscussion
Championing Women‘s Health & Well-being
11:00 a.m.
Learning session
A Path Forward: Blue Cross‘ Refreshed Strategy
10:00 A.m.
Breakout sessions
Enhancing an Employer‘s Total Benefits Package
The Future of Product Strategy
Mental Health
1:00 P.M.
Keynote: The Art of Vision
Erik Wahl
11:45 A.m.
Lunch
2:30 P.m.
Networking activities
6:30 P.m.
Cocktail reception & dinner
Monday, October 7
12:00 P.m.
Arrivals & welcome lunch
2:00 P.m.
Opening remarks Grand Ballroom
Michelle Fatsi
2:45 P.m.
Panel discussion
Health Care Value: A Look at Current Trend Drivers and the Strategies to Contain Health Care Costs
3:45 P.m.
Breakout sessions
Catalyzing Health Equity
The Cancer Journey
Member-Centric AI & Innovation
2:15 P.m.
CEO Outlook & Insights
Sarah Iselin
6:30 P.m.
Cocktail reception & dinner
4:30 P.m.
Day one concludes
IMAGINE
Discover new and innovative opportunities to elevate your relationships and deliver value to your clients in an ever-changing environment.
CONNECT
Join a community of colleagues for breakout sessions, networking moments, and experiences, tailored just for you.
Learn
Hear from industry-leading speakers, and leave equipped with real-world insights to provide the best experience for your clients and their employees.
why attend?
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EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Here’s to learning, connecting, and imagining together. Watch this video to relive some of our favorite moments from this year’s Forum.
SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK
Commitment to Collaboration: The Power of Partnership
DISCOVER
OCTOBER 7–9
Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods, NH
POTENTIAL
CONNECTIONS
INNOVATION
SOLUTIONS
VALUE
Ann York, MBA
Director of Network Products, Product Management and Innovation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Grant Van Der Beken
New England Region Sales Director, The Hartford - Group Benefits
RACHEL VOROBYEV, MSHA Vice President, Product Management and Innovation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Kate Watson, MSN, NP-C
Associate Director, Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Ashley Yeats, MD, FACEP, FCFPC(EM), CHIE
Vice President, Medical Operations, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Bill Wood
Senior Sales Director, National and Major Accounts, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Kate Tracy
Vice President, Centers of Excellence, Service Support and Experience, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Patrick Robinson
Director of Commercial Markets 100+, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Sri Narasimhan
Senior Director, Engineering and Tech Delivery, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
SANDHYA RAO, MD
Chief Medical Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
PAUL SWEENEY Senior Vice President, Municipal/Labor and Diversified Sales, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Karl Laskowski, MD, MBA
Vice President, Clinical Programs and Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Scott Meehan
Vice President, Commercial Market Sales, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Crystal Holmes
Senior Director, Specialty Benefits, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Katy Johnson Senior Counsel, Health Policy, American Benefits Council
Julia Johnston-Ketterer
Director, Customer Experience Analytics and Measurement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Mike Guerriere, FSA, MAAA Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
SHEILA GORDON, RPH
Senior Director, Clinical Pharmacy Market Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Diane Fuller
Senior Director, Payment Strategy and Integrity Network Payment Innovation and Contract Management, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Mark Friedberg, MD, MPP
Senior Vice President, Performance Measurement and Improvement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Michelle Fatsi
Vice President, National and Major Accounts, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
DANIELLE DANG, MD, MPH
Senior Medical Director, Maven Clinic
DAVID CORKUM
Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
JESSICA CHAPUT Senior Director, Pharmacy Sales, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
MATT DAY, FSA, MAAA
Senior Advisor, Provider Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Angela Burnham, Pharm.D.
Director, Provider Partnerships and Care Management in Pharmacy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
our INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Hospitality Suite
VENUE DETAILS
Parking
HOTEL MAP
Explore the resort area map here for lodging, activities, dining, shopping, and more.
Complimentary valet parking is available upon arrival.
Your dedicated hospitality suite An exclusive space for attendees to stop in and ask questions, take a call, send an email, relax, or network.
Room name: The Conservatory
On-site contact: Sawyer Treffinger, 973-907-6888, sawyer.treffinger@bcbsma.com
Dinner in the Mountains
Take a scenic ride on the Bretton Woods Skyway Gondola to a destination dinner at the Rosebrook Lodge’s Crystal Hills. Enjoy a unique gourmet dining experience featuring panoramic views of Mount Washington and the breathtaking Presidential Range.
SLOPESIDE CLIMBING WALL
Enjoy 624 square feet of indoor rock climbing, including a climbing wall and a bouldering cave. They provide the harnesses and ropes, and knowledgeable, trained staff. The Slopeside Climbing Wall features a variety of routes, ranging from beginner to expert, so everyone can enjoy the climb!
SPA
The Omni Mount Washington Resort‘s 25,000-square-foot mountain spa brings the outdoors inside, with sweeping views of Mount Washington, the Presidential Range, and Crawford Notch. Enjoy the spa‘s signature treatments, visit the fitness center, or discover the heated indoor and outdoor pools.
Mount Washington Golf Course
Enjoy the resort‘s 18-hole course, designed by legendary Scottish architect Donald Ross. With breathtaking mountain range views, this Par 72, 7,004-yard course has hosted four New Hampshire Opens as well as the New England Open Championship. The course has been voted Golfweek‘s “Best Course You Can Play in New Hampshire“ consistently since 2009.
LEARNING SESSION
The Member Experience: How Blue Cross is Delivering on Our Mission Grand Ballroom
Kate Tracy, Vice President, Centers of Excellence, Service Support & Experience, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Julia Johnston-Ketterer, Director, Customer Experience Analytics & Measurement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts An exceptional customer experience is one that makes individuals feel heard, appreciated, and valued. It minimizes friction, maximizes efficiency, and elevates the human element of health care. Hear new insights and emerging plans for creating a best-in-class experience for members and customers.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Pharmacy: The Power of Innovation & Integration
Grand Ballroom
Jessica Chaput, Senior Director, Pharmacy Sales, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (moderator) Sheila Gordon, RPh, Senior Director, Clinical Pharmacy Market Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Angela Burnham, PharmD, Director, Provider Partnerships and Care Management in Pharmacy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Pharmacy continues to be the number-one driver of health care cost growth. Through our investment in companies like Evio, we’re pursuing exciting strategies to help manage the lowest total cost of care. Industry experts share insights into these strategies, as well as examples of how we're tackling costs and supporting members through medical and pharmacy integration.
LEARNING SESSION
The 2024 Political Landscape
Grand Ballroom Katy Johnson, Senior Counsel, Health Policy, American Benefits Council The 2024 presidential election, as well as key races in the Senate and House, will have significant implications for health care policy. Issues ranging from threats to the ACA, soaring medication costs, reproductive health, and affordability are all on the table and will have vastly different outcomes depending on how the races land. Hear from Katy Johnson, who will share her views on the expectations and implications of this pivotal election.
LEARNING SESSION
A Path Forward: Blue Cross’ Refreshed Strategy
Grand Ballroom Dave Corkum, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Blue Cross’ new mission is to show up for everyone like they’re the only one. Our new strategic plan prioritizes better anticipating market needs and meeting those needs with greater agility and innovation. Hear how we're using data and tools to deliver solutions that accelerate delivery and exceed expectations.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Enhancing an Employer’s Total Benefits Package
Madison Room
Crystal Holmes, Senior Director, Specialty Benefits, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Patrick Robinson, Director, Commercial Markets 100+, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Grant Van Der Beken, Regional Sales Director – New England Region, The Hartford, Group Benefits Employers today are looking for strategies that will help them attract and retain top talent, while keeping health care costs low. Learn about the products and services employers can pair with medical plans to provide the most comprehensive coverage possible and save in the long term.
The Future of Product Strategy: National Engagement & Navigation
Monroe Room Rachel Vorobyev, MSHA, Vice President, Product Management & Innovation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Ann York, MBA, Director, Network Product Development, Commercial Market Solutions, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Underlying market forces and shifts toward a more mobile, dispersed workforce are changing employer and member expectations, driving the need for more creative, affordable consumer engagement and product solutions on a national scale. Learn about Blue Cross’ product strategy for 2025 and beyond, including increased engagement for members in the Blue High Performance Network. Plus, hear how we’re leveraging national health care data through the Blue Physician Performance National Dataset, to offer solutions that will deliver better transparency and navigation, and more equitable outcomes.
Mental Health: Guiding Members to the Care They Need
Adams Room Ashley Yeats, MD, FACEP, FCFPC(EM), CHIE, Vice President, Medical Operations, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts We continue to face a mental health crisis in this country, which demands us to ensure that employers and employees have access to the mental health care they need, when they need it, and in a setting they prefer. Blue Cross partners with a range of mental health providers, who are positioned to meet members and their families wherever they are, to navigate their unique paths.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Championing Women’s Health & Well-being: A Workplace Imperative
Grand Ballroom Sandhya Rao, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Senior Vice President, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (moderator) Kate Watson, MSN, NP-C, Associate Director of Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Danielle Dang, MD, MPH, Senior Medical Director, Maven Clinic, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
The full spectrum of women’s health, from fertility and family building to maternity, parenting, pediatrics, and menopause, is coming to the forefront. Learn how our partners are taking a comprehensive approach to women’s health and making the space to address their unique needs, supporting women at every life stage.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Catalyzing Health Equity: Addressing Disparities and Eliminating Barriers to Improve Outcomes Madison Room Mark Friedberg, MD, MPP, SVP, Performance Measurement & Improvement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Blue Cross is driving meaningful, measurable change regarding equity in health care. In partnership with businesses, providers, customers, members, and community organizations, we’re innovating to create a better health care system for everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live.
The Cancer Journey: Innovative Solutions, Cutting-Edge Treatments, and Care That Improve Outcomes and Address Cost Monroe Room Karl Laskowski, MD, MBA, Vice President, Clinical Programs and Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts The science and services focused on cancer diagnosis and treatment continue to break new ground, but so do cost and complexity. Hear about new approaches to help clients and members reap health benefits and navigate a maze of options, all while managing costs.
Member-Centric AI & Innovation
Adams Room Sri Narasimhan, Senior Director, Engineering and Tech Delivery, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts New technology can benefit health care in new and meaningful ways. Find out how we can use AI and predictive modeling to elevate our clinical capabilities, enhance member experience, and achieve new efficiencies in a health care system known for its complexity.
Panel Discussion
Health Care Value: A Look at Current Trend Drivers and the Strategies to Contain Health Care Costs
Grand Ballroom
Matt Day, FSA, MAAA Senior Advisor, Provider Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (moderator) Diane Fuller, Senior Director, Payment Strategy and Integrity, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Karl Laskowski, MD, MBA, Vice President, Clinical Programs and Strategy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Mike Guerriere, Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Rising health care costs affect everyone, and as they consume a greater portion of stakeholder budgets, they crowd out other important priorities. Dive into the major factors driving current trend, and learn what Blue Cross is doing to shift the paradigm and deliver more affordable care.
CEO Outlook & Insights
Grand Ballroom
Sarah Iselin, President and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Sarah Iselin will share her insights on this unique moment in health care—where change is accelerating and challenges are mounting for all industry stakeholders—payers, providers, partners, and health care consumers. Sarah will share what Blue Cross is doing to meet the moment.
Katy Johnson Senior Counsel, Health Policy, American Benefits Council
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Katy assists Council members on a wide range of health policy and issues and directs the Council’s activities with respect to health care reform, ERISA, and other federal regulations impacting employer-sponsored health benefits. Prior to joining the Council in 2019, Katy was an attorney advisor in the Office of Benefits Tax Counsel at the U.S. Department of Treasury. Before that, she served as an attorney in the health and welfare branch of the Office of Chief Counsel at the Internal Revenue Service. In these positions, Katy was responsible for crafting guidance related to several employer plan sponsor provisions of the ACA. She also played a key role representing Treasury in coordinating health care guidance with the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other executive branch entities. She also provided technical assistance to members of Congress in the development of health care legislation, including measures related to health savings accounts.
Katy is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Middlebury College and graduated Stanford Law School, where she served on the managing board of the Stanford Law Review. Earlier in her career, she worked at the U.S. Department of Justice, was a judicial clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and was in private law practice where she advised clients on health, retirement, and executive compensation matters.
Bill Wood Senior Sales Director, National and Major
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Bill and his team manage relationships with Blue Cross’s broker and consultant partners and lead all new sales opportunities with groups that have 500+ employees enrolled.
Bill joined our company in 2017 with over ten years of experience in national and international diversified health benefits. Prior to joining Blue Cross, Bill served as a sales director for global insurance products at both UnitedHealthcare and Aetna.
Bill earned his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut, majoring in finance, real estate, and urban economics. After graduating, Bill was accepted into Aetna’s E.E. Cammack Group School/Sales training program.
Scott Meehan Vice President, Commercial Market Sales Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts A 24-year veteran of the organization, Scott has held a number of sales leadership roles in the commercial markets, most recently driving the strategic direction for the commercial accounts team.
Before joining Blue Cross, Scott played for the Providence Bruins and Charlotte Checkers as a professional hockey player, managed personal financial planning business with American Express Financial Advisors in Charlotte, North Carolina, and sold and renewed diversified product lines for Great-West Life (Cigna) in Boston. Scott received his B.A. in business administration from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.
MICHELLE FATSI Vice President, National & Major Accounts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Michelle Fatsi is Vice President of National & Major Accounts for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the largest private health insurer in Massachusetts and one of the largest independent, not-for-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in the country. The company serves 3 million medical members and is rated among the nation’s best health plans for overall member satisfaction and quality. In her current role, Michelle oversees 20 account executives who are responsible for our largest customers across industries that include hospitals and providers, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and more. Michelle joined Blue Cross in 2018 as Senior Client Director, to lead the hospital and higher education business markets. Before that, Michelle had already amassed more than 20 years in the health care industry—most of that time she served in sales leadership positions at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. She also worked as a managing consultant for Strategic Benefit Advisors (now called Brown & Brown).
Over her career, Michelle has developed extensive expertise on benefit strategies for hospital and provider clients and on business process redesign, employee benefit offerings, and development of custom networks. Michelle earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a health insurance executive certification from America’s Health Insurance Plans.
Paul Sweeney Senior Vice President, Municipal/Labor and Diversified Sales
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Paul Sweeney is responsible for the municipal and labor segments, as well as Medicare Advantage group sales. He oversees the merged market segment, which includes individual and small to mid-sized employers. He’s also responsible for specialty benefit sales, which includes our dental, life and disability, stop-loss, and vision products. Paul has more than three decades of experience as a senior sales leader at local and national companies including Blue Cross, Cigna Healthcare, Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)/Multiplan, and Delta Dental of Rhode Island. He has extensive experience working with public-sector employers, particularly state and municipal organizations and organized labor. Paul earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Providence College, and an MBA from UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management.
Grant Van Der Beken New England Region Sales Director
The Hartford - Group Benefits Grant has spent the last 19 years in various sales and service roles at The Hartford’s group benefits division. Since 2017, he's managed the New England region with offices in Boston, Hartford, Connecticut, and Portland, Maine. He served as the national sales lead for The Hartford's public and education vertical from 2015 to 2023. He currently supports sales for The Hartford’s Paid Family Medical Leave product organization as a country-wide sales lead. His team recently won the Vermont Family Medical Leave insurance bid, which brought a new customizable product to market.
Julia Johnston-Ketterer Director, Customer Experience Analytics and Measurement
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Julia is responsible for developing and executing the customer experience measurement strategy, which includes ongoing evaluation of the state of our customer relationships and journeys, quantifying pain points in experience, and recommending where to prioritize efforts, and assessing the impact of reimagined journeys.
Julia joined our company in 2019 and has more than 25 years of experience as a research and analytics leader in the health care and financial services industries. Before her current role at Blue Cross, Julia spent five years as a senior director at Cogent Reports, now part of Escalent, a data and analytics advisor firm. Before that, she held research and analysis roles at research consultancies and Fidelity Investments, where she build and developed a research and analysis unit.
Julia received her MBA in finance and communications from Simmons University and her Bachelor of Arts in French and International Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Kate Tracy Vice President, Centers of Excellence, Service Support and Experience
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Kate is a customer advocacy and operations leader with over 23 years of experience at Blue Cross. In her current role, Kate is responsible for continuous modernization of our service centers and optimizing performance. She works cross-functionally to develop the processes and technology needed to create a seamless and empathetic experience for our members and other stakeholders.
Kate has advanced our omni-channel growth strategy with the implementation of Live Chat, an emerging platform that’s critical to providing members with a new way to get their issues resolved. She has provided leadership as our company transitions from first-call resolution to “first-contact resolution”, a new member satisfaction metric to ensure every channel a member uses is simple and seamless. Kate earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from James Madison University and a Master’s in Business Administration from UMASS Boston.
Patrick Robinson Director of Commercial Markets 100+
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Patrick joined Blue Cross in 2017 and is an accomplished professional with more than 20 years of experience in the employee benefits industry. He’s known for his exceptional ability to build strong, long-lasting relationships with his clients, always going above and beyond to ensure their satisfaction. Patrick oversees new sales distribution and retention for clients with up to 1,000 enrolled subscribers. He’s an active member of the Consumer-Directed Health Plan Steering Committee at Blue Cross. Patrick began his career with MetLife in 1999, shortly after graduating from Fairfield University. Prior to joining Blue Cross, he worked at Tufts Health Plan, where he served as a senior sales representative.
Sri Narasimhan Senior Director, Engineering and Tech Delivery
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Sri is an accomplished IT director with over 20 years of experience leveraging technology is drive strategic business outcomes. He’s been with Blue Cross since 2008 and is passionate about AI and its potential to revolutionize the health insurance industry. Sri has a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions and building high-performing teams. He's a strategic thinker with a strong ability to align technology initiatives with business objectives. Sri is currently responsible for leading multiple functions of IT, including AI, automation, integration, API, interoperability, EDI, and service centers. Before joining Blue Cross, he had over 10 years of multi-industry experience in IT management. Sri was a consultant for various companies, including Hartford Life, Ameriprise Financial, JP Morgan, and Cabela’s. He completed the health care management graduate program (magna cum laude) at Northeastern University. Sri holds a Honour’s egree and a Master of Engineering in Computer Science from the University of Wollongong in Australia. He also has a Bachelor's in Electronics and Communication from the University of Chennai in India.
Ann York, mBA Director of Network Products, Product Management and Innovation Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Ann is a proven health care leader, with a successful track record in product development, network optimization, business growth, and retention. She began her career in sales guiding national clients toward innovative solutions, earning multiple awards and a place in our President’s Club. Ann’s focus on innovation and delivering a superior consumer experience has propelled her to leadership positions in strategic product development. Beginning with dental products, Ann introduced the Total Health Solution, which lead to explosive growth of Blue Cross’ dental business. In her current role as director of Network Product Development, she leads strategic development and management for some of our most complex medical product offerings. Ann ushers in solutions such as our high performance plans, Centers of Excellence, tiered offerings, and most recently, steerage solutions with the National Physician Performance Dataset. Ann received her Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University's D’Amore McKim School of Business.
Crystal Holmes Senior Director, Specialty Benefits Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Crystal Holmes is the Senior Director of Specialty Benefits at Blue Cross and the Managing Director of Indigo Insurance Services. She has been at Blue Cross for 16 years and is one of the original employees of Indigo Insurance when it was created in 2008. She's responsible for sales, service, and operations for our Indigo suite of products, as well as for managing sales strategy for Dental Blue, Blue 20/20 vision, and GeoBlue travel products. Before joining Blue Cross, Crystal was an account manager at a broker agency for eight years. She started with the smaller accounts and then moved to managing the agency’s largest accounts, as well as supporting operations. Crystal sits on the ancillary advisory board for NABIP.
Ashley Yeats, MD, FACEP, FCFPC(EM), CHIE Vice President, Medical Operations Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Dr. Yeats joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts in 2019. His areas of responsibility include clinical partnership innovation; reproductive health, mental health, and gender-affirming services strategy; physician, psychologist and dental utilization review; medical policy administration; Care Management consultation; clinical appeals; and corporate peer review and credentialing. Dr. Yeats has practiced in the Boston area for 20 years. He has held executive and medical leadership positions within system hospitals and the liability captive insurance carrier of the Harvard teaching hospital community. He previously served as chief medical officer and vice president of health care quality and clinical integration within the Beth Israel Lahey health system. He completed a dual residency in family medicine and emergency medicine at the University of Ottawa, receiving certification as a patient safety officer from Intermountain in Salt Lake City, Utah and a medical degree from the University of Western Ontario, Canada. In addition to his current role at Blue Cross, Dr. Yeats is an assistant professor at the Boston University School of Medicine, also lecturing in the Northeastern University Physician Assistant Program. He sits on the board of directors of the Massachusetts Alliance for communication & Resolution after Medical Injury and the Health Care Transformation Task Force in Washington, DC.
Kate Watson, MSN, NP-C Associate Director, Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Kate returned to Blue Cross after working as nurse practitioner in family practice and in women’s health at an OB/GYN clinic. Kate previously worked as a high-risk pregnancy case manager, a trainer on the health and medical management training team, as well as a manager in utilization management for medical policy. Her vast experience in reproductive health and her deep knowledge of Blue Cross, positioned her to lead the new reproductive health and Gender-Affirming program. Kate is responsible for facilitating both the member and account experience related to Reproductive Health milestones, with a focus on fertility, maternity, NICU care, women’s health, and gender-affirming health needs.
Kate completed her undergraduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and her Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University.
RACHEL VOROBYEV, MSHA Vice President, Product Management & Innovation Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Rachel leads product development, management, and innovation of medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, life and disability, wellness and engagement, and stop loss. Prior to joining Blue Cross in 2024, Rachel held various leadership roles with increasing responsibilities and success at Elevance Health/Anthem Inc., Aetna/CVS, and Cigna. Her major achievements including developing consumer-driven, high deductible plan options; market initiatives resulting in nine-figure revenue growth, and strategy and innovation with value-based care. Rachel’s achievements also included high-performance networks, virtual-first care plans, as well as product, network, and cost-of-care solutions for commercial and Medicare. Rachel received her master’s degree in medical science and health administration from Medical College of Virginia. She attended an executive program in driving health care strategy inside the health ecosystem at Harvard Medical School, a national executive program in managed care at University of Missouri-Kansas, Henry M. Block School of Business. She is an awardee of Top 50 Outstanding Asian Americans in Business Award from the Asian American Business Development Council, and a recipient of a Chairman’s Leadership Excellence Award from a top Fortune health plan.
SANDHYA RAO, MD Chief Medical Officer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Dr. Sandhya Rao is responsible for the strategic direction and ongoing operation of the company’s health and medical management and pharmacy division—focusing on improving the quality, outcomes, and affordability of health care provided to our members. Sandhya joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts in December 2020, with extensive experience in population health management. Previously, Sandhya served as vice president of clinical strategy at Haven, a health care organization formed by Amazon; JPMorgan Chase, and Berkshire Hathaway. Before that, Sandhya was the senior medical director for population health management at Partners HealthCare, now Mass General Brigham. Sandhya also served as associate medical director of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization and as a business analyst at McKinsey & Company.
Sandhya’s clinical experience includes practice as a primary care provider at Massachusetts General Hospital and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Sandhya earned her bachelor of arts degree in public health at Brown University and her medical degree at New York University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Karl Laskowski, MD, MBA Vice President, Clinical Programs and Strategy Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Dr. Laskowski leads the enterprise clinical strategy and teams focused on trend, quality, compliance, and client engagement. Prior to joining Blue Cross, Dr. Laskowski was associate chief medical officer at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where he held several prior leadership roles. He also held roles at Brigham and Women's Physician Organization, focused on population health, care redesign and innovation, and clinical operations. Dr. Laskowski is a graduate of Yale School of Medicine and Harvard Business School, and maintains an active clinical practice in general internal medicine.
Mike Guerriere, FSA, MAAA Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Mike leads the actuarial services, business, and account analytic functions for the organization. He is responsible for pricing, reserving, and financial planning as well as the design, development, and implementation of medical cost and trend analytics. His role is in support of our goal of promoting high quality and affordable health care while improving competitiveness and profitability.
He rejoined our company in 2019 as vice president of business and account analytics. Before that, Mike served as chief financial officer and chief actuary at Boston Medical Center Health Plan, where he managed the actuarial, analytics, and accounting functions. He first joined our company in 2005 and had critical roles in commercial pricing, financial planning, and provider financial management. He began his career at Aetna.
Mike is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and economics from College of the Holy Cross, as well as an MBA in finance and information systems management from the University of Connecticut.
SHEILA GORDON, RPH Senior Director, Clinical Pharmacy Market Strategy Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
With over 20 years of experience in the health care industry, Sheila Gordon is an experienced leader who combines industry and clinical knowledge to provide unique insights into pharmacy benefit management. Her experience working in clinical, consulting, and managed care settings allows for a broad industry perspective.
At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Sheila is responsible for strategic planning in relation to the market competitiveness of the Blue Cross pharmacy benefit. Sheila and her team also support the sales team with pharmacy-related initiatives. They provide analysis of account-specific utilization trends, consulting on recommendations to mitigate spend and/or improve population health. Sheila is a Massachusetts-licensed pharmacist.
Diane Fuller Senior Director, Payment Strategy and Integrity Network Payment Innovation and Contract Management Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Diane is accountable for the strategic leadership of Blue Cross' professional and facility provider reimbursement methodology, payment policies, and enterprise coding. Additionally, she‘s responsible for establishing sound payment integrity controls along the claim payment continuum, including pre- and post-payment claims editing and provider audit. The focus of Diane’s work continues to be developing an aligned approach to provider payments, resulting in a consistent, predictable outcome for our customers.
Diane holds a bachelor’s in business administration from Babson College and a master’s in finance and organizational change from Boston College.
Mark Friedberg, MD, MPP Senior Vice President, Performance Measurement & Improvement Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Dr. Friedberg is responsible for activities related to measuring and improving the quality and equity performance of our provider network, including metrics used in value-based contracts, such as our Alternative Quality Contract. He led the design of our pay-forequity program, which is an accountable care contract that applies financial incentives directly to measures of health equity. Before joining Blue Cross in 2019, Dr. Friedberg was a health services researcher at RAND, where he led multiple projects to measure, evaluate, and improve health system performance. He is a general internist who provides primary care at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where he completed his residency and fellowship. Dr. Friedberg has an M.D. from Harvard Medical School, M.P.P. from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and B.A. from Swarthmore College.
MATT DAY, FSA, MAAA Senior Advisor, Provider Strategy Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Matt Day joined the company in 2009. He contributes to the design and implementation of the company’s provider network strategy. Under Matt’s guidance, Blue Cross has become a leader in the development of value-based care models, such as the Alternative Quality Contract (AQC).
In previous roles at Blue Cross, Matt served as senior vice president for the Provider Network division, where his responsibilities included contracting, network management, payment integrity, network financial analytics, and the settlement of incentive arrangements.
Matt is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics at Fairfield University.
DANIELLE DANG, MD, MPH Senior Medical Director Maven Clinic
Dr. Dang is a family medicine physician and fierce advocate for social justice in health care, who has dedicated her career to effecting systematic change in vulnerable and underserved communities. She is currently the senior medical director at Maven Clinic, the largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health, offering continuous, holistic care for fertility and family building through maternity, parenting, pediatrics, and menopause. Prior to joining Maven, she was the market medical director of new markets and implementation at Cityblock, where she was directly accountable for the design, build, and application of Cityblock’s value-based care model that served Medicaid and low-income dual beneficiaries. Previously, Dr. Dang worked to improve the health care outcomes of Philadelphians on Medicaid, managed a research portfolio that included interventional and observational studies for those living with HIV/AIDS in Boston, and expanded access to HIV testing and counseling services in Zambia and Rwanda. Dr. Dang completed her master’s degree in Public Health at Boston University, and obtained her medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University.
DAVID CORKUM Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
David Corkum joined the company in 2023 and is responsible for the strategic direction of our commercial business. He leads all commercial market-facing functions, including sales and product, brand management and marketing, as well as the development of medical, specialty, and health engagement products.
Before joining Blue Cross, David served as the executive vice president of commercial markets and chief growth officer at CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. CareFirst provides health and specialty insurance coverage and administrative services to 3.5 million members in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Previously, he was senior vice president of commercial markets for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota.
David also held a variety of sales leadership roles at Aetna. David received his Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Fairfield University.
JESSICA CHAPUT Senior Director, Pharmacy Sales Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Jessica Chaput is responsible for new pharmacy sales, retention, growth, and account management strategies for all market segments. She also works closely with the Pharmacy Product Solutions team to develop pharmacy programs and bring them to market, to help control spend and drive value. Jessica and her team of senior pharmacy account executives work closely with clients as they navigate the complexities of the pharmacy landscape and help design programs that align with the clients’ benefits philosophy and budget.
Before joining Blue Cross, Jessica had an extensive tenure at Willis Towers Watson in health and benefits, where she held several roles in consulting, leadership, and cross-functional operations. Jessica is an alumna of Providence College, where she earned her Bachelor of arts degree in economics.
Angela Burnham, Pharm.D. Director, Provider Partnerships and Care Management in Pharmacy Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Angela‘s areas of responsibility include commercial formulary optimization efforts, AQC pharmacy support, commercial HEDIS quality measure support, academic detailing oversight, clinical fraud oversight, and pharmacist Care Management. Her team is responsible for provider communications and reporting in all these areas, as well as member outreach for case management. Angela began her career at Blue Cross in 2018, creating this new role and building her team. She began oversight of the academic detailing team in 2019, and built the pharmacist Care Management program in 2022.
Angela received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Northeastern University in Boston. She holds pharmacist licensure in Massachusetts. Prior to coming to Blue Cross, she worked as a clinical pharmacist at a major teaching hospital in Boston, in home-infusion settings and at a large physician organization.
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