New Jersey Association of Health Plans Announces New Board Officers

Trenton, NJ, January 27, 2021:       Wardell Sanders, president of the New Jersey Association of Health Plans (NJAHP), announced today that the NJAHP Board has voted on a new slate of executive board members for the two-year term beginning in 2021.  Natalie Bernardi of Cigna has been elected Chair of the Board.

The NJAHP board officers are as follows:

• Chairperson – Natalie Bernardi, Cigna
• Vice-Char – Uli Diaz, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Treasurer – Jill Squiers, AmeriHealth New Jersey
• Secretary – Maggie Moree, Aetna
• President – Wardell Sanders, NJAHP

In addition, the Board voted on the following chairs of key standing committees:

• Legislative Chair – Mishael Azam, United
• Medicaid Co-Chair – Alison Dorsey, WellCare
• Medicaid Co-Chair – Pat Gillespie, AmeriGroup

Natalie Bernardi is a State Government Affairs Director for Cigna.  She serves as the Cigna’s lead representative in New Jersey, as well as New York and Pennsylvania.  Prior to joining Cigna, Natalie served as the Counsel/Director for the New York State Insurance Committee.

NJAHP President, Ward Sanders, shared “Natalie’s vast experience in the legislative and regulatory process in several states in our region will serve her well as NJAHP Chair.  As New Jersey continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts that it has had on our entire healthcare system, we anticipate looking to neighboring states for collaboration and coordination across the region.”

“I am proud to serve as NJAHP’s Board Chair,” commented Bernardi.  “In this new role I look forward to working with my fellow NJAHP Board members, staff, and our partners in the State as New Jersey continues to be a national leader in healthcare.  As we continue to navigate the long-term impacts of COVID-19, we are eager to work with policymakers and other stakeholders to collaborate on how to best serve the healthcare needs of the citizens and businesses of the state.”

Sanders thanks outgoing Board Chair, Jill Squiers of AmeriHealth New Jersey.  “Jill has been an asset to the NJAHP during her time as chair.  Her commitment and leadership have been of great value to our board the last two years, which have been an incredibly transformative time for healthcare in New Jersey.”

About the New Jersey Association of Health Plans

The New Jersey Association of Health Plans (NJAHP) is a non-profit association created to serve its member health plans with a mission of fostering understanding in the value that health plans contribute to New Jersey’s health care system.

Among other ways, NJAHP does this by:

• informing the public about our philosophy and the value proposition offered by commercial and Medicaid health plans;
• educating policy makers, regulators, and opinion leaders on the implications of specific policy proposals;
• promoting collaborative efforts among health plans, providers, purchasers, brokers, and consumers to expand access to high-quality, affordable, and accessible health care;
• acting as a resource for interested parties on New Jersey’s health care system; and
• promoting opportunities and forums for health plan members and business partners to meet, exchange ideas, and discuss critical issues affecting health care in the State.

NJAHP’s members, which cover over seven million New Jersey residents, include: Aetna, Amerigroup, AmeriHealth New Jersey, Brighton Health Plan Solutions, Cigna, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Oscar, UnitedHealthcare, and WellCare.