HHS Secretary Alex Azar tapped health startup CEO Adam Boehler to lead the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation.
Boehler, who has been the reported pick since last December, founded the home healthcare company Landmark Health. Reports emerged in January that Landmark Health was pursuing a sale so Boehler could take the post. Dr. Patrick Conway headed the agency from 2013 to September 2017 before leaving to become CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.
Boehler launched the California-based startup in 2013 and has expanded across six states, including New York, Massachusetts and Oregon. The company assumes risk for its more than 80,000 patients, many of whom are chronically ill or elderly, and runs a mobile provider network.
Last week, Landmark announced new strategic investment by the equity firm General Atlantic, and the company is planning to expand into largely rural states in the South and Midwest, including Kansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio.
Landmark wasn't Boehler's first healthcare venture. He also founded Avalon Healthcare Solutions, a laboratory benefit services company. He also was an operating partner at global private equity firm Francisco Partners with a healthcare technology and services portfolio.
Boehler is stepping in as the Trump administration is homing its focus on interoperability of electronic health records in an initiative the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner is helping to spearhead.
Boehler's background also dovetails with public statements CMS Administrator Seema Verma has made on what she wants to see out of CMMI in terms of new payment models.
An edited version of this story can also be found in Modern Healthcare's April 9 print edition.
