GAO Makes MACPAC Appointments, Designates Chair

WASHINGTON (May 2, 2024)-Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office, today announced the appointment of two new members and reappointment of four current members to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). He also named the Commission's Chair.

"The men and women who serve on this commission bring an impressive level of knowledge and experience to advise Congress on Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program," Dodaro said. "I am very pleased to announce today's two new appointments, four reappointments, as well as the naming of the new Chair."

The newly appointed members are Doug Brown and Michael Nardone. Their terms will expire in April 2027. In addition, current members Heidi Allen, Robert Duncan, Verlon Johnson, and John McCarthy were reappointed to new terms, which will also expire in April 2027. Verlon Johnson has also been named the Commission's Chair and Robert Duncan will continue as the Vice Chair.

The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2009 established MACPAC to review Medicaid and CHIP access and payment policies and to advise Congress on issues affecting Medicaid and CHIP. The Act directs the Comptroller General to appoint MACPAC's members. Brief biographies of the new commission members and the Commission Chair follow.

New Commission Members:

Doug Brown, RPh, MBA, is Senior Vice President of Value and Access at COEUS Consulting, with over 30 years of pharmacy management experience. Mr. Brown provides executive level healthcare consulting and market access support services to life science companies and healthcare organizations, including the development of value- and outcomes-based contracting strategies with state Medicaid programs, pharmacy benefit administrators, manufacturers, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Prior to joining COEUS in 2020, he served in several roles for Magellan Rx Government, including as the Chief Strategy Officer. While at Magellan, he led preferred drug list management for more than half the state Medicaid programs in the country, provided subject matter expertise on federal and state government legislation that impacted state Medicaid programs and offered policymakers a national view of evolving events in Medicaid. Mr. Brown is a registered pharmacist and holds a Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from the University of Rhode Island and a Master of Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Michael Nardone, MPA, currently leads an independent consulting practice providing strategic advice on Medicaid health policy and long-term services and supports. He has extensive experience in leading health and human services programs at the state, local, and national levels, most recently as Director of the Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group at the federal Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services. Mr. Nardone previously led the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services as Acting Secretary and was the state's Medicaid Director, serving on the executive committee of the National Association of Medicaid Directors. After leaving Pennsylvania state government, he joined Health Management Associates (HMA) as a Managing Principal and led establishment of the HMA Harrisburg office. He also served as the City of Philadelphia's Deputy Managing Director for Special Needs Housing and has held government relations positions for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Mr. Nardone received a master's degree in public affairs from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.

Commission Chair:

Verlon Johnson, MPA, is the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Acentra Health, a health information technology firm that works with state and federal agencies to design technology-driven products and solutions to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Ms. Johnson previously served as an Associate Partner and Vice President at IBM Watson Health. In addition to her private sector roles, she spent over two decades in public service, including pivotal roles such as Associate Consortium Administrator for Medicaid and CHIP at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), acting Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, acting CMS Deputy Director for the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS), interim CMCS Intergovernmental and External Affairs group director, and Associate Regional Administrator for both Medicaid and Medicare. Ms. Johnson earned a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis on health care policy and administration from Texas Tech University.

For more information about MACPAC, contact Kate Massey, MACPAC's executive director, at (202) 350-2000. Other questions should be directed to Chuck Young in GAO's Office of Public Affairs at (202) 512-4800.

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