 | Dr. Robert Tranquada, chairman of the board of governors of L.A. Care Health Plan announced today that Howard A. Kahn, a CIGNA senior executive, has been selected as chief executive officer. As CEO, Mr. Kahn will oversee an HMO with annual revenues of more than $800 million that serves approximately 700,000 individuals who reflect the diversity of languages and cultures of Los Angeles County. Mr. Kahn will begin his duties as CEO in December.
Mr. Kahn comes to L.A. Care Health Plan after an extensive national search. The organization’s board of governors sought to identify an individual who will lead L.A. Care Health Plan to further develop its mission of combining preventive care, public health and community participation for the benefit of low-income and vulnerable populations.
Mr. Kahn brings more than 20 years of health care experience leading non-profit and for-profit organizations in the public and private sectors.
“2001 has been a year of transition for L.A. Care Health Plan, and we complete this transition by welcoming Howard Kahn’s leadership and experience,” said Dr. Tranquada. “His significant and senior experience in managed care, his previous roles as the CEO of a Medi-Cal-focused health plan and a major California foundation, his familiarity in working across cultures, and his ability to bridge the public and private sectors ideally suits him to lead L.A. Care Health Plan.”
“I am excited to take the reins of an organization with a unique mission of service to its members and the communities of Los Angeles County,” said Mr. Kahn. “I am looking forward to working with our members, the dedicated medical providers who serve them and the many others who share our goals.
“The families we serve face a number of challenging health, financial and social problems. L.A. Care Health Plan has a vision of going above and beyond what is expected of an HMO to meet their needs and those of the communities they live in.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to build upon L.A. Care’s successes and making the vision of a community-accountable HMO a reality for our members.”
Mr. Kahn comes from CIGNA International where he was senior vice president for Latin America and Global Health. As senior vice president, he was responsible for ensuring the overall implementation of CIGNA's employee benefits, life insurance, accident and health, credit and disability strategies in its targeted markets in Latin America.
Before joining CIGNA, Mr. Kahn was vice president of Aetna’s global health care business. He also served in Aetna's health care business in the United States as vice president and general manager, responsible for governmental managed care and managed health operations, and as manager of Aetna's home market in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Mr. Kahn’s background includes significant experience in California prior to joining Aetna. He was founding president and chief executive officer of The California Wellness Foundation, a $1 billion foundation whose mission includes service to underserved communities in California. He was also the founding chief executive officer of the Health Plan of San Mateo, a non-profit HMO similar to L.A. Care Health Plan whose membership includes participants in the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs.
He pursued undergraduate studies at Harvard College and earned a bachelor's degree in development studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and a master's in public affairs and health policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute.
L.A. Care Health Plan (www.lacare.org) is a non-profit, community accountable HMO serving Los Angeles County with more than 700,000 members who receive coverage through Medi-Cal (Medicaid), Healthy Families (State Children’s Health Insurance Program) or the CaliforniaKids programs. Over the past year, L.A. Care has launched several innovative programs and initiatives to benefit its members and their communities, including a $3 million grant program to increase health care services for the uninsured, an incentive program to encourage physicians and provider groups to improve their clinical and administrative activities, and a curriculum to teach health plan members how to use their HMO.
L.A. Care is governed by 13 board members who represent medical and health care professionals, consumer advocates and Medi-Cal consumers. It is one of the state’s largest health plans and the nation’s largest public health plan.
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