The Hospital Council Board of Directors held its first in-person meeting of the year last week, setting the stage for the coming months of critically important advocacy efforts.
The board was joined by managed care health plan leaders Sonja Bjork of Partnership HealthPlan of California, Lizeth Granados of Health Plan of San Joaquin and Mountain Valley Health Plan, and Michael Schrader of Central California Alliance for Health. Discussion highlighted opportunities to collaborate on patient enrollment and advocacy for county-specific coverage program options. Speakers also shared their outlooks on the preserving care options, patient outreach opportunities, and the urgency of physician enrollment in California’s PAVE system.
Ben Johnson, the California Hospital Association’s (CHA’s) group vice president, financial policy, and Travis Lakey, chief financial officer of Mayers Memorial Hospital District, shared with the board their experiences advocating for hospitals and health systems in front of the Office of Health Care Affordability. With critical decisions — particularly around enforcement process and penalties — facing the board in the next few months, members should make sure they not only weigh in with the board directly, but also take opportunities to discuss concerns with local elected leaders and community stakeholders whenever possible. More information is available on CHA’s dedicated webpage.
The board also recognized the fundamentals necessary to developing strong relationships with local elected leaders – chief among them support of the California Hospital Association Political Action Committee (CHPAC). The board has committed to 100% participation in CHPAC and encourages members to do the same — because hospitals’ voices are stronger together.
This meeting wouldn’t have been possible without the support of two business partners who took the opportunity to sponsor our board event: PointClickCare & Medical Solutions. More information about these, and Hospital Council’s other associate members, is available on the Hospital Council Business Partners webpage.
Lastly, the board extended a warm welcome to incoming Chair Rachael McKinney, Sutter Health’s President, Sacramento Division. McKinney will take over board leadership from Murali Naidu, MD, who has taken on a new opportunity outside of the hospital field. She brings deep leadership experience, a strong commitment to California hospitals and communities, and a collaborative approach that reflects the values of the Hospital Council and its member organizations.
With our board’s leadership, Hospital Council will continue advocating for member hospitals every step of the way.