AHIP's new CEO will need to continue the legacy of defending an industry, as well as help shape policies and market approaches for the still uncertain era of value.
America's Health Insurance Plans Institute 2015 was the last one for Karen Ignagni as president and CEO of AHIP, although it's possible she'll be more visible and communicative with the public in her next job as CEO of EmblemHealth in New York.
In 22 years leading the trade group, "this is the first time I've spoken at AHIP," Ignagni told the conference. "This is incredibly bittersweet." In public, Ignagni was reserved. But she led American health insurance through its most tumultuous times and potentially into a new, prosperous period where health plans are key navigators for healthcare consumers and patients.
The industry "has had to turn its entire products upside down overnight," while spearheading prevention and payment reform, Ignagni said. "That's a trifecta that not any other industry can claim," she argued. "I look forward to coming back next year and continuing to work in this great industry."
There are, however, a great many challenges that the industry must confront if it wants to prosper--it may actually be a matter of survival.
"Healthcare needs to be more person focused and economically sustainable," said Mark Ganz, AHIP chair and CEO of Cambia Health Solutions, the parent of the Regence Blues.
Ignagni was a "unique force," with "leadership and vision which has brought us here, having these conversations and working together toward healthcare transformation," Ganz said.
At the same time, her departure does "provide an opportunity to find someone who can help take the industry to where it needs to be 10-15 years from now," Ganz said at the conference. "We'll be looking for a leader that can help galvanize a vision for the industry and how we want Americans to understand our industry."
AHIP's new leader will also have to help guide and maybe speed up the transition in new consumer-focused model of health insurance and healthcare. "This is the time for the healthcare industry to stop believing that we're smarter than the people we serve," Ganz said. "How do we do a better job of listening to consumers, understanding what they long for...and providing solutions every step of the way that are relevant?"