URAC Announces Changes to Board of Directors and New Corporate Member Organizations

Marianne Fazen, Ph.D. Named Board Chair

WASHINGTON, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- URAC, the nation's leading health care accreditation organization, today announced changes to its Board made during its Board of Directors meeting on April 29, 2010.  Terms began on May 1, 2010.  The URAC Board of Directors is established with representatives from all affected constituencies – consumers, providers, employers, health plans, care management organizations, regulators and industry experts.  These groups provide broad representation and ensure an independent, balanced organization.

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Marianne Fazen, Ph.D. has been named Chair of its Board of Directors.  Dr. Fazen has been on the URAC Board of Directors for six years.  As the Executive Director of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Business Group on Health, Dr. Fazen has long been dedicated to a market-based, accountable health care system that delivers high quality, cost-effective health care.  Representing the National Business Coalition on Health, Dr. Fazen replaces Bernard J. Mansheim, M.D., who will stay on the URAC Board as Immediate Past Chair.

New appointments to the leadership of the URAC Board of Directors for 2010 include:

• Vice Chair – John D. Jones, RPh, JD, Vice President, Government and Pharmacy Policy, Prescription Solutions (Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Representative)
• Immediate Past Chair – Bernard J. Mansheim, M.D. (Member-At-Large)
• Treasurer – Kathryn Creech, Vice President Health Services Organization, Humana Inc. (Member-At-Large)
• Secretary – Cheri Lattimer, RN, BSN, Executive Director, Case Management Society of America (CMSA Representative)

New members added to the Board of Directors include:

• Andrew J. Baskin, M.D., National Medical Director, Quality and Provider Performance Measurement, Aetna (American Association of Preferred Provider Organizations Representative)
• Suzanne Mintz, President & CEO, National Family Caregivers Association (Member-At-Large Consumer)

Two new Corporate Member Organizations were approved:

• Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy
• Pharmaceutical Care Management Association

Finally, Board Members who will continue to serve include:

• Steven L. Coulter, Executive Vice President & President, Government Business, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (AHIP Representative)
• Robert B. Doherty, Senior Vice President Governmental Affairs and Public Policy, American College of Physicians (ACP Representative)
• Fred Ferree, CEO, Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation (American Health Quality Association Representative)
• Stephen W. Gammarino, Senior Vice President National Programs, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA Representative)
• Gerald E. Harmon, M.D. (American Medical Association Representative)
• Winifred S. Hayes, MS, Ph.D., President and CEO, Hayes, Inc. (Member-At-Large)
• Debra A. Hochron, CRC, CCM, Vice President, World Wide Medical Manager, Chubb & Son (American Insurance Association Representative)
• Suzanne D. Kelly (Member-At-Large)
• Scott J. Kipper, Commissioner of Insurance, Nevada Department of Business & Industry (National Association of Insurance Commissioners Representative)
• Steven Kreisberg, Health Care Policy and Collective Bargaining Director, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (Public Representative)
• Isis Montalvo, RN, MS, MBA, Director, national Center for Nursing Quality, American Nurses Association (ANA Representative)
• Alan B. Rosenberg, M.D., Vice President of Medical Policy, Technology Assessment & Credentialing, WellPoint (AHIP Representative)
• Vernon C. Rowen, Vice President, Government Affairs, Express Scripts, Inc. (Pharmaceutical Care Management Association Representative)
• Charles W. Stellar, Executive Vice President, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP Representative)
• Steven D. Wood, Ph.D. (Member-At-Large)
• David C. Wynstra (Member-At-Large)

"We thank all of our Board Members for their dedication to URAC's mission and vision," said Alan Spielman, URAC President & CEO. "With the changes facing health care in the wake of the new reform legislation, the coming year will see great challenges and opportunities for URAC and I am honored to have this distinguished group working to guide us."

URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is a leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation, education and measurement programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire health care industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.

SOURCE URAC