Better Medicare Alliance Announces Newly-Expanded Board of Directors

Board members from left to right: Dennis Borel, Caraline Coats, MHSA, Daniel Dawes, JD, Mary Beth Donahue, Joneigh S. Khaldun, MD, MPH, FACEP, Dan Lowenstein, Richard Migliori, MD, Elena Rios, MD, MSPH, MACP, Kenneth Thorpe, PhD

Washington, D.C.  – Better Medicare Alliance, the nation’s leading research and advocacy organization supporting Medicare Advantage, announced the election of a new, expanded Board of Directors.

The slate of new members comes as Better Medicare Alliance sees continued growth over the last year, swelling to 170 diverse Ally organizations and more than 600,000 grassroots beneficiary advocates nationwide. Board members include (*denotes new members):

• Kenneth Thorpe, PhD, Chair of the Department of Health Policy & Management in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University – Chairperson
• Dan Lowenstein*, Vice President of Government Affairs, Visiting Nurse Service of New York – Treasurer
• Mary Beth Donahue*, President and CEO, Better Medicare Alliance – Secretary
• Dennis Borel*, Executive Director, Coalition of Texans with Disabilities
• Caraline Coats, MHSA*, Regional President, South Florida, Senior Products, Humana Inc.
• Daniel Dawes, JD*, Executive Director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine
• Joneigh S. Khaldun, MD, MPH, FACEP*, Vice President and Chief Health Equity Officer, CVS Health
• Richard J. Migliori, MD*, Executive Vice President, Senior Advisor, Ret. Chief Medical Officer, UnitedHealth Group
• Elena Rios, MD, MSPH, MACP, President and CEO, National Hispanic Medical Association

“Our expanded Board of Directors draws from the deep well of expertise and talent across our 170 diverse Ally organizations, serving as a testament to the strength of Better Medicare Alliance today and our vision for its future,” said Mary Beth Donahue, President and CEO of the Better Medicare Alliance and Secretary of the Better Medicare Alliance Board of Directors. “These researchers, doctors, equity leaders, and advocates have each already played a deeply important role in the story of Medicare Advantage and in championing the 28.5 million seniors and individuals with disabilities who rely on this coverage option today. Together, they will help ensure Better Medicare Alliance is poised to continue its role as the leading voice for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.”

“Better Medicare Alliance has built a Board of Directors that is a collection of some of the foremost leaders in health policy today. These are clinicians, academics, and patient advocates whose backgrounds and perspectives are as diverse as the Medicare Advantage population itself. What we share in common is a commitment to putting beneficiaries first and strengthening this highly-valued coverage tool for the tens of millions of Americans who are counting on our success,” said Kenneth Thorpe, PhD, Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and Chair of the Better Medicare Alliance Board of Directors.

“I have devoted my career to rooting out disparities that persist in health care and ensuring that every individual has a fair opportunity to achieve their full health potential. I have found Better Medicare Alliance to be a sincere partner in that effort and am delighted to help shape this work as part of the Board of Directors,” said Daniel Dawes, JD, Executive Director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine and newly-elected member of the Better Medicare Alliance Board of Directors. “We know that Medicare Advantage has innovations, tools, and examples of success that can be brought to bear in the work of achieving meaningful health equity. We also know there is more to be done. I look forward to working with this outstanding team of leaders to that end.” 

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