Marilyn Tavenner Discusses Her Transition from HHS to AHIP

Marilyn Tavenner, president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), explains some of the biggest transitions she faced in moving from the public sector of working with HHS to the private sector of now working with AHIP.

Transcript (slightly modified):

What was the biggest transition for you when you moved from the public side with HHS to the private side with AHIP?

I guess I would say there really have been very few challenges because these are a group of individuals that I had gotten to know over the last 5 years. We had worked closely when I was with CMS with insurance plans and their senior leadership and so you move over to AHIP and you’re representing insurance plans, senior leadership and so that part was pretty easy.

I also think that going from government work to the private sector, either way you’re talking about dealing with a corporation of a varying size. So it’s really learning the people and learning the process, so that certainly was a part of the challenge. I would say that deciding strategy for 16 and then being able to execute on strategy was part of what we spent the first year doing, including some pretty significant changes in our bylaws, due structure, as well as developed a long-term strategic vision, or in the process of developing a long-term strategic vision for post presidential election. What AHIP should look like and what plans will look like by 2025 and how the organization can support them.