February 27-March 1 2013
Dallas, TX
Public and Private Insurance Exchanges: A Framework for the Future
Tanya Alteras, MPP
Deputy Director, Consumer-Purchaser Disclosure Project
National Partnership for Women & Families
Tanya Alteras joined the National Partnership for Women & Families in May, 2008 to work on the Consumer-Purchaser
Disclosure Project. The Disclosure Project supports leading consumer, employer, and labor organizations who are
working to improve access for all Americans to publicly reported health care performance information. The goal is that
with this information, Americans will be better able to select hospitals, physicians, and treatments based on nationally
standardized, publicly reported, measures for clinical quality, consumer experience, equity, and efficiency. In her work
on the Disclosure Project, Tanya’s primary focus is on hospital-level measurement where she tracks developments
related to both public and private sector measurement, public reporting and payment policy for the purposes of
advocacy activity as well as educating project membership. Prior to joining the National Partnership, Ms. Alteras was a
Senior Consultant at Health Management Associates, where she specialized in researching health system reforms at the
community, state, and national levels; hospital strategies for improving quality and patient-centered care; public-private
collaboratives to increase opportunities for consumers and purchasers to make value-based decisions; and efforts to
expand coverage for uninsured populations. Tanya has a B.A from the State University of New York at Binghamton, and
a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University.
Vincent C. Ashton
President & CEO
HealthPass
HealthPass is a non-profit initiative launched in 1999 by the Northeast Business Group on Health, the City of New York,
and the insurance industry. Its mission is to foster greater access to quality healthcare for small businesses and to help
stem the tide of the working uninsured. In his role as President & CEO, Vince Ashton oversees the sales, member
services, operations, strategic, and policy components of the small business commercial health insurance exchange.
Mr. Ashton has been member of the organization since its inception in 1999. He has been in the leadership role upon
promotion to Executive Director in 2004, and was later elevated to President & CEO in 2011. A nationally recognized
expert on health insurance exchanges, his noteworthy career has been characterized by his strong leadership and
forward-thinking advice and insight. By employing a dedication to maximizing organizational efficiency and production,
while incorporating the highest servicing standards, the HealthPass New York small business exchange has met its
missions of expanding access to health care for small businesses and the working uninsured. Mr. Ashton holds a
Bachelor of Arts from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA and resides in Tinton Falls, NJ with his wife and 2
sons.
Christopher E. Condeluci
Of Counsel
Venable LLP
Christopher E. Condeluci is Of Counsel at the law firm, Venable LLP in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Venable, Chris
served as Tax and Benefits Counsel to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. During his time on the Finance Committee,
Chris participated in the development of portions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Car Act, including the new
health insurance Exchanges, the State insurance reforms, and the new taxes enacted under the law. He is one of the
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few senior Congressional staffers who actively participated in the health reform debate to join the private sector since
the law’s enactment, and as a result, he possesses a unique level of expertise on matters relating to tax law, ERISA, and
the ACA.
Cyndie Ewert, SPHR
Director, Benefits & HR
Energy Future Holding, Inc.
Cyndie Ewert is a seasoned HR and Benefits professional who has been involved in the management and
administration of Benefits and HR Shared Services since 1997. Cyndie joined Energy Future Holdings – a member of the
Dallas-Fort Worth Business Group on Health - in October of 2009. She is currently responsible for the strategic
planning and administration of compensation, benefits, payroll and HR shared services for EFH and its subsidiary
employees and retirees (about 30,000 lives including dependents). Prior to joining EFH, Cyndie worked for Centex
Homes as VP of Benefits and HR Services until such time they were acquired by Pulte Homes and moved their
headquarters to Detroit, MI. Cyndie received a BBA and MBA from Amber University. She and her husband live in
Garland near Lake Ray Hubbard and have two grown sons.
Marianne Fazen, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Dallas-Fort Worth Business Group on Health
Marianne Fazen is Executive Director of the Dallas-Fort Worth Business Group on Health, a 135-member regional
coalition of employers and healthcare organizations committed to market-based healthcare reform and value-based
purchasing. Ms. Fazen also serves as President and CEO of the Texas Business Group on Health, a statewide coalition
representing Texas employers in health benefits and healthcare policy issues. Both employer-led coalitions advocate a
value-driven approach to health benefits design and rapid transformation of local healthcare delivery operations into
high quality, efficient, accountable systems of care. Ms. Fazen currently serves on the Board of Governors of the
National Business Coalition on Health and as Immediate Past Chair of URAC. She also serves on the Board of Directors
of the North Texas Accountable Healthcare Partnership, a multi-stakeholder collaborative that is developing a regional
health information exchange and a performance-based payment model for commercially insured populations in North
Texas. Ms. Fazen has an undergraduate degree in Medical Technology from University of Wisconsin and a Doctorate in
Communications Science and Human Development from University of Texas at Dallas. She and her husband reside in
Dallas, Texas.
Paul Fronstin
Director, Health Research Program
Employee Benefit Research Institute
Paul Fronstin is a senior research associate with the Employee Benefit Research Institute, a private, nonprofit,
nonpartisan organization committed to original public policy research and education on economic security and
employee benefits. He is also Director of the Institute's Health Research and Education Program, and oversees the
Center for Research on Health Benefits Innovation. He has been with EBRI since 1993. Dr. Fronstin's research interests
include trends in employment-based health benefits, consumer-driven health benefits, the uninsured, retiree health
benefits, employee benefits and taxation, and public opinion about health benefits and health care. In 2012, Dr.
Fronstin was appointed to the Maryland Health Care Commission. He currently serves on the steering committee for
the Emeriti Retirement Health Program. He is also the associate editor of Benefits Quarterly. In 2010, he served on the
Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on Determination of Essential Health Benefits. In 2002, he served on the
Maryland State Planning Grant Health Care Coverage Workgroup. In 2001, Dr. Fronstin served on the Institute of
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Medicine Subcommittee on the Status of the Uninsured. Dr. Fronstin earned his Bachelor of Science degree from SUNY
Binghamton and his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Miami.
Don Garlitz
Executive Director
bswift Exchange Solutions
Don brings important strategic and operational leadership to bswift’s Exchange Solutions division. Prior to joining
bswift, Don served as vice president and partner for FirstWest Benefit Solutions, a leading employee benefit consulting
firm based in Utah. At FirstWest, Don co-authored the white paper used by Utah’s legislative leadership as an outline
for the creation of the Utah Health Exchange’s defined contribution model. He served on the Utah Health Exchange
Advisory Board, which advises on exchange operations, transparency and consumer issues, and received a formal
commendation from Utah Governor Gary Herbert for outstanding work as a health reform consultant to the Governor’s
Office of Economic Development. Earlier in his career, Don worked in the insurance industry in sales roles with
Beneficial Life and Aflac, and also as an independent agent. Don was recognized as the Utah Underwriter of the Year in
2007 by industry peers at the Utah Association of Health Underwriters. Don holds a BS from Brigham Young University
and is recognized by the American College as a Registered Health Underwriter.
Anne Gauthier
Senior Program Director
National Academy for State Health Policy
As senior program director at the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), Anne Gauthier manages a portfolio
of projects on state roles in health reform and health system performance. Currently, she directs the State Health
Exchange Leadership Network, a peer-to-peer learning community for state officials working on health benefit exchange
development, supported by state funds and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Anne is also project director for the
Office of the National Coordinator for HIT’s Trailblazer States project to support states in designing a state-level quality
measurement infrastructure. In addition, she directs a study commissioned by the West Virginia Insurance Department
aimed at exploring opportunities for regional health insurance exchanges. Prior to joining NASHP in July 2009, Anne
was assistant vice president of The Commonwealth Fund and deputy director of the Fund’s Commission on a High
Performance Health System. Prior to joining the Fund in May 2005, she was vice president of Academy Health where
she served as: program director for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Changes in Health Care Financing and
Organization initiative; senior advisor for the Foundation's State Coverage Initiative; and a co-project director for a Fund
project on administrative simplification in health care. Anne holds an AB in molecular biology from Princeton University
and a MS in health administration from the University of Massachusetts School of Public Health.
Virginia Nisbet
Senior Director, Benefits
Brinker International
Virginia Nisbet joined Brinker International in 2005. In her current position, Virginia leads a team with responsibilities
for responding to team member questions through the internal Brinker Benefits Service Center, processing all Leave of
Absence requests, and development and oversight of PeopleSoft benefits systems. Virginia is also responsible for
managing all Brinker International health vendor relationships, setting Benefits Strategy and negotiating plan renewals
as well as evaluating new product opportunities. Prior to joining Brinker, Virginia worked as Director of Benefits Strategy
at American Airlines. Virginia received a BS in Mathematics at Emory University and a MS in Biostatistics and
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Epidemiology from Georgetown University. Outside of Brinker, Virginia is on the Board of the Dallas Fort Worth
Business Group on Health and is the mother of two.
Lynn Quincy
Senior Health Policy Analyst
Consumers Union
Lynn Quincy is a senior health policy analyst for Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy division of Consumer
Reports. Ms. Quincy works on a wide variety of health policy issues, with a particular focus on consumer protections,
consumers’ health insurance literacy and health insurance reform at the federal and state levels. Her recent work
includes studies testing consumer reactions to new health insurance disclosure forms; launching an initiative to
measure consumers’ health insurance literacy; a study that explores approaches to actuarial value estimation; and a
study that examines the use of “choice architecture” in health plan chooser tools. Work in progress includes consumer
testing explanations of the new health premium tax credit. Ms. Quincy also serves as a consumer expert in several
venues: as a consumer representative with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, a member of the
Covered California Plan Management Advisory Workgroup and on the technical expert panel advising the development
of new exchange enrollee satisfaction surveys. Prior to joining Consumers Union, Ms. Quincy held senior positions with
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., the Institute for Health Policy Solutions and Watson Wyatt Worldwide (now Towers
Watson). She holds a master's degree in economics from the University of Maryland.
Ken Sperling
National Health Exchange Strategy Leader
Aon Hewitt
Ken is responsible for business strategy, thought leadership, and service innovation across Aon Hewitt’s Health
Exchange businesses. During his 20 year tenure with Hewitt Associates, Ken has advised many Fortune 500 companies
on their health care strategies, and is a respected resource to the Wall Street community on health care market trends.
From 2005 to 2009, Ken was a Senior Vice President at CIGNA, working in both the National Accounts and Senior
Segment organizations. Ken continues to be a key resource on Aon Hewitt’s health care reform team, advising members
of Congress and the Administration in the development and implementation of health care reform legislation. Prior to
assuming his current role Ken was Aon Hewitt’s Global Health Care Practice Leader. Ken is a frequent speaker both in
the U.S. and internationally, and has testified before the United States Senate Finance Committee and House Ways &
Means Committee. He serves on the advisory board of the University of Connecticut’s Health Management Program,
and has guest lectured at the Harvard Business School and the Yale School of Management. Ken is a graduate of Duke
University, and earned a Masters in Business Administration from New York University.
Jeanette I. Thornton
Vice President, Health IT Strategies
America’s Health Insurance Plans
Ms. Thornton is AHIP’s Vice President of Health IT Strategies. In this capacity, she leads AHIP’s activities with respect to
health insurance exchange implementation, health information technology and policy, and administrative simplification.
Previously, Ms. Thornton worked as a senior analyst in the Information Technology and E-Government Office at the
Office of Management and Budget. She was a member of team responsible for approving and overseeing the $60 billion
plus Federal Government information technology budget, developing government information policy and advocating
citizen-focused approaches. Before coming to OMB, Ms. Thornton was a Presidential Management Fellow at the Social
Security Administration. Ms. Thornton holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of
Pittsburgh and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Western Illinois University.
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Jon Urbanek
Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Employer Markets
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
In this role, Urbanek is responsible for the top-line revenue of the enterprise, the marketing process, the acquisition and
retention of all commercial business including local and national groups, (including federal and state employee
programs), and all agent distribution channels. Urbanek is also accountable for implementing the strategic programs
that enhance our presence in local communities. Since joining BCBSF in 1989, Urbanek has held a number of key
positions. Most recently, he served as group vice president of sales, distribution and local presence. He served as vice
president of products and expansion markets, vice president and chief underwriting officer and also held positions
leading sales process improvements and automation. Prior to joining BCBSF, Urbanek was an independent agent and
also worked with large self-funded customers while employed by a third-party health plan administrator. He is currently
a director on the board of Florida Health Care Plan, Inc. and was recently appointed to the board of directors of
OptaComp, Inc. Urbanek holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Florida State University. He has achieved the
designation of Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania
and the International Foundation of Employee Benefits and is a fellow of the International Society of Certified Employee
Benefit Specialists.
Andrew Webber
National Business Coalition on Health
President & CEO
Andrew Webber joined NBCH in June of 2003. As President and CEO, Mr. Webber is responsible for overseeing all
association activities including value-based purchasing programs, government and external relations, educational
programs, member communications, technical assistance, and research and evaluation. Mr. Webber sits on the Board
of Directors for the Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative and the Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute.
Prior to joining NBCH, Mr. Webber was a Vice President for External Relations and Public Policy at NCQA. Previous
positions also include Senior Associate for the Consumer Coalition for Quality Health Care and Executive Vice President
for the American Medical Peer Review Association. Mr. Webber started his health policy career in 1978 as an employee
of the Washington Business Group on Health (currently renamed the National Business Group on Health). Mr. Webber
is a frequent speaker and lecturer on health policy issues. He is a graduate of Harvard University.
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