CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Welcomes Accomplished Physician and Public Health Advocate as Chief Medical Officer

Posted on 2021-04-26 | Updated on 2021-04-26 09:00:00

Dr. Tich Changamire will help accelerate company’s health equity capabilities strengthening affordability, quality, and access to care

Baltimore, Md. – CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) has appointed Dr. Tich Changamire as their new Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Changamire brings more than 20 years of medical and health plan experience, and provider-based healthcare leadership to his new role. He will lead the organization’s efforts to achieve excellence in healthcare affordability, quality, and accessibility through innovative initiatives to improve the health of members and the communities we serve.

Dr. Changamire has an extensive and diverse background in the field of medicine. After serving as a Medical Officer in Zimbabwe early in his career and experiencing the HIV health crisis firsthand, Dr. Changamire began his career in public health to positively impact health at a systems level. He continued medical training and public health studies in the United States, where he focused on preventative health and providing care to diverse populations including vulnerable and underserved communities. More recently, Dr. Changamire served as Chief Medical Officer for Humana Healthy Horizons in Louisiana, a Humana Medicaid plan. In this role, he was responsible for developing and implementing clinical programs, including utilization management and case management, to improve health outcomes for Humana enrollees.

“Dr. Changamire’s wealth of expertise provides CareFirst with new opportunities to accelerate our clinical and public health capabilities and infrastructure in ways that enhance healthcare equity, affordability, quality, and accessibility on behalf of those we serve,” said Stacia Cohen, Executive Vice President of Health Services at CareFirst. “Dr. Changamire will implement a new public health function to transform, innovate, and expand how we address social determinants of health and socioeconomic factors for our members and help create a high-performing healthcare system, among other priorities. We are fortunate to welcome such an experienced medical professional to CareFirst.”

As CareFirst’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Changamire brings a profound commitment to building clinical programs that promote and sustain improved access to affordable and equitable care. His deep experience as a public health advocate and healthcare leader will help guide his work to support and strengthen the company's care for the millions of individuals we serve. Dr. Changamire’s leadership will be central to CareFirst’s transformative work improving health outcomes throughout the region.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been dedicated to increasing access to quality healthcare and creating equitable health experiences for individuals and families,” said Dr. Changamire. “I’m excited to join an organization whose mission aligns with my life’s work and values. I look forward to working with the CareFirst team of difference makers to create better health outcomes for those we serve.

Dr. Changamire worked as a professor of family medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville. He serves as a board director for Wild4Life, a global health nonprofit organization that provides accessible and affordable healthcare in developing countries. Dr. Changamire earned his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Zimbabwe, his Ph.D. in Public Health from Harvard University, and his Master of Business Administration from Stanford University. He completed his Medical Residency in Family Medicine at the University of Washington.

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