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How Plans Can Evolve from Segmentation to Personalization in Population Health

Karen Hanlon

Executive Vice President
and Chief Operating Officer,
Highmark Health

Karen Hanlon is executive vice president and chief operating officer of Highmark Health, a $27 billion national, blended health organization that includes one of America’s largest Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers and a growing regional hospital and physician network. Based in Pittsburgh, Pa., Highmark Health’s 44,000 employees serve millions of customers nationwide through the nonprofit organization’s affiliated businesses including Highmark Inc., Allegheny Health Network, HM Insurance Group, United Concordia Dental, enGen, and Helion.

Ms. Hanlon is a key leader, strategist and visionary for Highmark Health, helping to guide the organization’s mission to create remarkable health experiences that free people to be their best. She is responsible for overseeing the strategy and long-term operations of Highmark Health and Highmark Inc., as the organization focuses on bringing transformational care to its customers and disrupting traditional health care models, products and services. Ms. Hanlon also oversees the operations of Allegheny Health Network, Highmark Wholecare, the Highmark Health-Penn State Health partnership and enGen.

Ms. Hanlon began her career in public accounting at KPMG Peat Marwick prior to joining Highmark Inc. in 1997, where she held several positions within the finance division before becoming the chief financial officer and treasurer of Highmark Health in 2014, and later, the chief operating officer of Highmark Health in 2018.

As chief financial officer, Ms. Hanlon played a significant role in strengthening the overall financial performance of the enterprise, resulting in Highmark Health’s achievement of consecutive record net revenues in 2017 and 2018.

Ms. Hanlon also guided the financial turnaround of Allegheny Health Network, which was nearing bankruptcy when it was acquired by Highmark Health in 2013. The health delivery system has expanded to include 14 hospitals in western Pennsylvania, as well as six multi-specialty medical pavillions. Ms. Hanlon leveraged this financial turnaround to execute Allegheny Health Network’s $1 billion bond offering in 2018, its first ever public tax-exempt financing that secured a long term and stable capital structure, a critical step in enabling Highmark Health to deliver on its promise of building a blended payor/provider model that will deliver high-quality, low-cost health care to its members and customers.

In recognition of her achievements, Hanlon was named to Modern Healthcare’s 2024 Women Leaders in Healthcare list, the 2023 Power 100 list of the region’s most influential business leaders, a 2023 Pittsburgh Business Times (PBT) C-Suite award winner and 2018 PBT CFO of the Year. She was also recognized as a 2019 recipient of The Grove City College Alumni Association Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement Award, which honors alumni who have made significant contributions in their field.

Ms. Hanlon is a strong advocate of supplier diversity and women in the workforce, serving as an executive sponsor for these important initiatives at Highmark Health. She believes in implementing best practices, innovation and community partnerships that encourage businesses to provide consistent opportunities for minority-owned and operated businesses in the supply chain.

How Plans Can Evolve from Segmentation to Personalization in Population Health

Healthcare is inherently personal, yet traditional models often fall short of delivering truly individualized experiences in the digital realm. How are leading health plans translating the vision of digitally-enabled personalized care at scale into reality? This expert panel reveals the answer, exploring how data-driven insights and AI-powered platforms are driving adoption and self-service, supporting care gap closures, and optimizing resources. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to learn how to make the “impossible” possible in member experience.

Karen Hanlon

Executive Vice President
and Chief Operating Officer,
Highmark Health

Laurent Rotival

Executive Vice President
and Chief Information
Officer, Cambia Health
Solutions

Michael Serbinis

Founder and Chief
Executive Officer, League

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