First State Times

Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro welcomed Cristine Vogel to the Delaware Department of Insurance as its Director of Value-Based Health Care Delivery this week after a lengthy national search to fill the role. As the inaugural Director, Vogel will lead efforts that relate to value-based care, primary care, pharmaceuticals and pharmacy benefit managers, affordability, and other health-policy initiatives including grant programs.

“It is more important than ever before to ensure the accessibility and affordability of healthcare and prescriptions,” said Commissioner Navarro. “Hospital prices, the cost of medications, and low-quality services all raise the price of consumer care and insurance coverage. With Cristine’s expertise on board, we can keep making progress toward higher-quality care at a lower cost.”

Director Vogel has been involved with healthcare management for over 25 years, with experience in hospitals and medical practices, state government, insurance, and consulting. Leading the Office of Value-Based Health Care Delivery, Vogel will establish, implement, and monitor Affordability Standards such as those to increase primary care investment, and manage the reporting of carrier investments in health care. This will include assessing commercial reimbursement rates for primary and chronic care services, the role of price and utilization in healthcare spending, and prescription drug spending as a driver of total cost of care.

“Delaware is taking on innovative efforts to address care quality and cost, and I’m proud to work with Commissioner Navarro to make these projects a success,” said Director Vogel.

Vogel most recently served as the Director of Population Health Initiatives for Nuvance Health System in Connecticut, where she developed solutions to improve clinical outcomes, increase quality of care, and control healthcare costs through implementing a nurse care management program, a clinical pharmacy program, and through integrating behavioral health within primary care practices. Her experience in healthcare reform also includes leading the State of Connecticut’s Office of Healthcare Access and evaluating Certificates of Need. The position, funded by the department, was made necessary by several legislative mandates related to healthcare affordability and pharmacy benefits.

Original source can be found here.