The Department of Health and Human Services has added new members to the agency’s management team prior to the scheduled health insurance marketplace enrollment in 2015.Kevin Counihan will join the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as CEO of the federal insurance marketplace and Lori Lodes will serve as CMS’ new director of communications, HHS said Tuesday.
“(Counihan) brings additional operational and technological expertise to the position and will be a clear, single point of contact for streamlined decision-making,†said Sylvia Burwell, HHS secretary.
Counihan will work to oversee the federal marketplace’s relationships with state marketplaces, run the center for consumer information and insurance oversight and also report to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner.
The 30-year industry veteran most recently served as health insurance exchange CEO in Connecticut.
Lodes will work to advise the CMS administrator on open enrollment, communications and external engagement activities.
She previously served as a senior vice for campaigns and strategies at the Center for American Progress Action Fund and is also a former SVP for the Center for American Progress.
