(Washington, DC) – Wayne Turnage, Director of the DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) announced today that Linda Elam, PhD, Deputy Director of DHCF, is one of six Medicaid directors chosen nationally to participate in the Medicaid Leadership Institute. The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) directs this initiative, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), to build the capacity of Medicaid directors to transform their programs into national models for accessible, cost-effective care.
“We are extremely proud that Dr. Elam has been selected to participate in this prestigious program,” said Director Turnage. “The District of Columbia is very fortunate to have Dr. Elam and other high caliber professionals who are dedicated to reforming our health care system. We are certain that Dr. Elam and her cohorts will utilize their experience as Medicaid Leadership Institute participants to enhance and improve the systems that are currently functioning in their respective jurisdictions.”
Linda Elam was competitively selected to participate in the executive leadership development program along with five additional Medicaid directors: Andy Allison, PhD, Arkansas; Suzanne Brennan, Colorado; Mark Schaefer, PhD, Connecticut; Julian Harris, MD, Massachusetts; and Cynthia B. Jones, Virginia.
“Medicaid directors are ideally positioned to lead the way in reforming our health care system,” said Andy Hyman, JD, senior program officer and coverage team director at RWJF. “We are proud to support the professional development of these dedicated leaders who are guiding efforts to deliver high-quality, cost-effective health care for millions of Americans.”
The 2013 class of the Medicaid Leadership Institute is the fourth group of Medicaid directors chosen for this prestigious executive training program. Since 2009, directors from 17 states serving nearly 33 million beneficiaries -- roughly 53 percent of the national Medicaid population -- have participated in the year-long curriculum. The program is managed by CHCS and directed by Carolyn Ingram, senior vice president at CHCS and former New Mexico Medicaid director.
“Each of these six Medicaid directors is essentially the CEO of one of the largest health insurers in his or her state. We are excited to work with these executives who are passionate about maximizing the value of their programs for millions of beneficiaries,” said Ms. Ingram. “Dr. Elam and the other Medicaid directors chosen bring a diverse array of experiences to the Institute and will collectively spur each other to take full advantage of opportunities to transform the nation’s health care safety net.”
Medicaid Leadership Institute
The 12-month Institute is designed to enhance the strategic thinking, substantive knowledge, individual leadership, and technical skills that directors need to effectively lead and foster innovation in their state Medicaid programs. For more information about the Medicaid Leadership Institute, visit www.medicaidleaders.org.
Department of Health Care Finance
The Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF), formerly the Medical Assistance Administration under the Department of Health, is the District of Columbia’s state Medicaid agency. The mission of the Department of Health Care Finance is to improve health outcomes by providing access to comprehensive, cost-effective and quality healthcare services for residents of the District of Columbia. In addition to the Medicaid program, DHCF also administers insurance programs for immigrant children, the State Child Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP or CHIP) and Medical Charities (a locally funded program). For more information about the Department of Health Care Finance, visit www.dhcf.dc.gov .