TRAILBLAZER
ANDY
Campaigning for better healthcare in the US
SLAVITT
HEALTHCARE ADVOCATE
Andy Slavitt is regarded as one of the most influential healthcare leaders in the US . Formerly the acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ( CMS ), Slavitt really rose to prominence after the COVID-19 pandemic took hold , in part thanks to his frequent Twitter updates and sharp criticism of President Trump ' s handling of the pandemic response .
Slavitt has a background as an entrepreneur . In 1999 he founded HealthAllies , an online insurance platform for uninsured or underinsured people , providing them with low rates for medical expenses . From 2003 to 2013 , he worked at UnitedHealth Group , eventually serving as the Group Executive Vice President for its pharmacy offshoot Optum , where he oversaw the delivery of new clinical and technology solutions for the company ' s clients .
He has also worked as a consultant for McKinsey & Company and as an investment banker with Goldman Sachs .
In 2015 he began working for CMS . In the two years he was Acting Administrator ; he led the successful execution of the Affordable Care Act and the shift to valuebased payment models . His passion for improving access to care and greater transparency were key drivers of this work .
After the election of Joe Biden to the White House , Slavitt was appointed as a senior advisor within the COVID response team , a role that was intended to be short term . During this time , he assisted with a hugely successful vaccination programme - after hitting President Biden ' s goal of 100 million vaccines well before his first 100 days in the presidency , they doubled the target to 200 million , a figure that was reached in April .
Slavitt announced he was stepping down from this role in June 2021 . The same month he released his first book , ' Preventable ', where he gives his perspective on the US response to the pandemic , in particular the Trump administration ' s failures . He also hosts a podcast called ‘ In the Bubble ’, providing updates and information on the virus and vaccinations .
He is currently on the board of Cityblock Health . The company uses technology to provide care from doctors , nurses , behavioural health specialists , social workers and community health partners to people living in low-income communities . Cityblock ' s model is based on resolving the causes of poor health , addressing issues like poverty and a lack of access to nutritious food .
He is also chair of the United States of Care board , a non-profit that aims to improve the healthcare system by redesigning policies informed by US citizens .
20 August 2021