Florida Health Choices Names Key Health Care and Insurance Leaders to Vendor Steering Committee

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Health Choices recently announced the members of its newly formed Vendor Steering Committee. Created by the Legislature to help small business owners in Florida make sense of the complex health insurance system, Health Choices is scheduled to launch Florida’s Insurance Marketplace this summer. When launched, the Marketplace will serve as a central web portal where small businesses can help their employees choose from a variety of health plans and services.

The Steering Committee is comprised of vendors who may elect in the future to offer their products and services in the Marketplace. These organizations have been selected to assist in the development of the Marketplace and provide guidance in the areas of vendor certification processes, terms and conditions of vendor participation, reporting requirements and effective data collection, proven marketing and outreach efforts for small employers, and development of effective consumer education materials.

Members of the Vendor Steering Committee are:

• Aetna, Inc. represented by Sherry R. Baker
• America’s Health Insurance Plans represented by Joy Ryan
• AvMed Health Plans represented by Javier Mendoza
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida represented by V. Sheffield “Chip” Kenyon
• Broward Health represented by Joseph Rogers
• Capital Health Plan represented by Tom Glennon
• Centene Corporation and Sunshine State Health Plans represented by Holly Benson
• Consumer Health Alliance and Coverdell represented by Vincent DiBenedetto
• Coventry Health Care of Florida, Inc. represented by Darcey A. Gartner
• DentaQuest, Inc. represented by Lourdes T. Rivas
• Florida Association of Health Plans represented by Michael W. Garner, Ph.D.
• Florida Health Care Plans represented by David C. Schandel
• Florida State University School of Medicine represented by Leslie M. Beitsch, MD, JD
• MCNA Dental Plan represented by Carlos Lacasa and Glen Feingold
• United Healthcare of Florida, Inc. represented by Glenn Baker

“Florida Health Choices is pleased to work in partnership with a very strong caliber of representatives from the commercial insurance market,” said Aaron Bean, board chairman of Florida Health Choices. “We are seeking their input to ensure the services and products offered in Florida’s Insurance Marketplace best meet our consumers’ needs.”

Vendors eligible to participate in the Marketplace include, but are not limited to insurers, health maintenance organizations, prepaid health clinics, health care providers, and provider organizations. Additional appointments to the Vendor Steering Committee are anticipated in the coming months.

For more information about Florida Health Choices, visit www.fhc.changem.com.