CareFirst Hosts DC Chamber of Commerce 2024 Health Policy Forum
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) proudly hosted the DC Chamber of Commerce 2024 Health Policy Forum focused on advancing a health system in the District of Columbia that works best for all. The event, hosted at the CareFirst Washington, D.C. headquarters, fostered discussion on the health challenges our District communities face, especially pertaining to access, affordability, quality and equity, key pieces of CareFirst’s mission we work tirelessly to address alongside partners like the DC Chamber of Commerce.
CareFirst has been a long-standing supporter of the DC Chamber of Commerce for more than two decades and our organization has served on the Chamber’s Board of Directors since 2007. 2024 marked the eleventh year that CareFirst has had the privilege to sponsor the Health Policy Forum and the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic the event was held in-person.
Wayne Turnage, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS) and the Director of the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF), kicked off the event with remarks on the state of healthcare in Washington, D.C. Following these remarks was Mila Kofman, Executive Director of the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority (DCHBX), emphasized the importance of collaboration to address health disparities.
Following Mila’s comments on better addressing health disparities together, Brian Wheeler, Executive Vice President of Health Services at CareFirst, kicked off the collaborative panel, “From Vision to Action: Creating an Equitable and Accessible Health System in the District of Columbia.” The panel brought together Washington, D.C. health leaders to discuss key challenges in the District, what was being done to solve for them and opportunities to further advance equity.
The conversation focused on methods for ensuring there are sufficient healthcare providers to meet the needs of all District communities, identifying next steps for eliminating health disparities and ways to establish partnerships within the District health ecosystem to find new and innovative ways to solve our community’s toughest challenges. Panelists included:
- Dr. Ayanna Bennett, Director, DC Department of Health
- Mark LeVota, Executive Director, District of Columbia Behavioral Health Association
- Ruth Pollard, President & CEO, DC Primary Care Association
- Michelle Riley-Brown, President & CEO, Children’s National Hospital
- Dr. Gregory Argyros, President, MedStar Washington Hospital Center and Senior Vice President, MedStar Health
"People go to where they feel comfortable. People go to where there is trust. When we’re talking about health equity, trust is critical."
Ruth Pollard, President & CEO, DC Primary Care Association
"How can you educate people about healthcare workforce options and what programs are already available out there? We were surprised, frankly, at the depth of the programs that do exists, and the lack of general knowledge that people had about those programs. You could never start too early in educating people and exposing them to healthcare."
- Dr. Gregory Argyros, President, MedStar Washington Hospital Center and Senior Vice President, MedStar Health
CareFirst is proud to work alongside leaders in Washington, D.C. to find new, innovative ways to best support our shared communities. We're energized by the conversations we have in spaces like the DC Chamber of Commerce Health Policy Forum, and we're committed to creating more opportunities for community leaders to connect and have these essential conversations.
