CMA Foundation hires health policy leader to head exchange education program for providers September 25, 2013 General Covered California, CMA Foundation, Health Insurance Exchange 0 The CMA Foundation has hired a health policy leader, Kena C. Burke, MPP, to manage a physician education program aimed at getting physicians up-to-speed on California’s health benefit exchange, Covered California. The program is expected to reach some 200,000 health care providers in the state. This program was made possible thanks to a $1.5 million grant, recently awarded jointly to the California Medical Association, the CMA Foundation, Latino Physicians of California, the California chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a number of county medical societies. As program director, Burke will directly oversee the educational and outreach efforts of four health professional account managers, who will be strategically located throughout the state, as well as the other outreach aspects of the grant. “I am extremely excited to be heading this project,” Burke said. “We will not only be helping physicians tell their patients about the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but we will also be giving Covered California feedback about the physician experience with the ACA in California.” Burke, who most recently worked for the Community Health Centers of the Central Coast as the community government relations officer and foundation director, has extensive experience in grant writing and management, program planning and implementation, strategic planning, public policy advocacy and fiscal policy. From 2004 to 2011, she was the executive director of the Children’s Health Initiative in San Luis Obispo. From 2002 to 2004, she was the physician’s liaison with the San Luis Obispo County Medical Society. Burke has an M.A. in Public Policy from Cal Poly State University and a B.A. in English from Texas Tech University. In October 2013, Covered California is set to open enrollment for its online insurance marketplace, which will serve as the cornerstone of the reform efforts called for under the ACA. Exchange plans will start providing coverage effective January 1, 2014. Comments are closed.
