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Standing Advisory Board

At the November 14, 2012 Executive Board meeting of the DC Health Benefit Exchange (HBX), the members unanimously voted to appoint nine outstanding District residents to the DC Health Benefit Exchange Standing Advisory Board (SAB). Pursuant to the Health Benefit Exchange Establishment Act of 2011 (DC Law 19-94), the DC Health Benefit  Exchange Board is directed to appoint members to a Standing Advisory, for which the Board shall solicit recommendations, and consult on insurance standards, covered benefits, premiums, plan, technology system development, and any other policy or operational issues within the executive board’s discretion.

The Establishment Act requires the HBX Board to establish a Standing Advisory Board with residents that have expertise related to at least one of the following categories: 
  1. Health professionals 
  2. Health insurance consumers 
  3. Disease and demographic-specific advocacy groups
  4. Commercial sector health plans 
  5. Public sector health plans
  6. Health insurance brokers 
  7. Health care consumer interest advocacy 
  8. Health care foundations 
  9. Exchange consumers; or 
  10. Such other interests considered necessary.

The appointees are:

Chris Gardiner, Chair – Chris Gardiner is the founder of GKA, P.C., a minority-owned certified public accounting and management consulting firm domiciled in the District of Columbia and has served as its chairman for the past 25 years. Mr. Gardiner previously served on the Board of Directors of United Medical Center, the District of Columbia’s not-for-profit hospital corporation, and also previously served on the Board of Directors of Howard University Hospital. Mr. Gardiner was chosen to satisfy categories 2 and 9, health insurance and Exchange consumers. His current term expires in November 2020.

Claire McAndrew, Vice Chair – Claire McAndrew is an independent voice for health care consumers with expertise in wide-ranging state and federal health policy issues. For twelve years, Claire served in multiple roles at Families USA, the leading national, non-partisan advocacy organization for health care consumers, including as Director of Campaigns and Partnerships and Private Insurance Program Director. Prior to joining Families USA, Claire held positions in mental health and children’s health advocacy organizations. Claire has extensive knowledge and expertise in the health policy and health advocacy fields including the Affordable Care Act, surprise billing and network adequacy issues, and prescription drug policy. In addition to serving as Vice-Chair of the Standing Advisory Board to the District of Columbia Health Benefit Exchange, she is a consumer representative to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Claire has been featured frequently in print, radio, and television media outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, NPR, and on C-SPAN Washington Journal. McAndrew holds an M.P.H. in Health Policy from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.

Dave Chandrasekaran is a Health Care Consultant specializing in health policy and advocacy. He is also a volunteer Certified Application Counselor (CAC) with Northern Virginia Family Services. Mr. Chandrasekaran spent nearly 5 years as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities where he supported state and national efforts to implement the Affordable Care Act, with a focus on Health Insurance Marketplaces. He formerly served in DC government in the Fenty Administration in the Office of the City Administrator, Department of Health, and Department of Health Care Finance, and has worked on local health care access issues for over a decade. As a self-employed DC resident, Mr. Chandrasekaran receives his health coverage via DC Health Link. He fills the categories of health care consumer advocacy and exchange customers. His current term expires November 2020.

Dania Palanker – Dania Palanker is an Assistant Research Professor at the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, Center on Health Insurance Reforms where she is a recognized expert on health insurance markets. She was previously the Senior Health Policy Advisor for National Women’s Law Center. Ms. Palanker has been tracking the implementation of ACA and the establishment of health exchanges in particular on a professional basis since the passage of the legislation. She was initially chosen to satisfy category 3, demographic-specific advocacy groups and also satisfies categories 2 and 7. Her current term expires in November 2022.

Dock G. Winston, MD MPH – Dock G.  Winston, MD MPH is an Urologist with the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group and serves as the Physician Site Lead for the Kaiser Permanente Largo Medical Center. Dr. Winston has extensive experience developing and implementing various community health and patient advocacy initiatives. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia. He fills the qualifications of health professional and exchange consumer.  His current term expires November 2022.

Robert Metz -- Robert Metz is the Director, State and Federal Policy Analysis for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. CareFirst is a regional leader in providing health care insurance coverage and related services throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia. Mr. Metz has worked in a variety of capacities for CareFirst, including on implementation of the Affordable Care Act and health insurance exchanges between 2012 and 2016. Prior to joining CareFirst, he served as a staff member on Capitol Hill for United States Senator Benjamin L. Cardin. He fills the commercial sector health plan qualification.  He is a native Washingtonian and resident of NW DC.  His current term expires November 2022.

Margarita Dilone –  Margarita Dilone is the founder of a Crystal Insurance Group, Inc. a minority & woman owned independent insurance agency domiciled in the District of Columbia and has served as its CEO & President since 1984. Ms. Dilone currently serves on the Mayor’s Commission for Latino Economic Development as well as the Board of Directors of Housing Counseling Services, Inc., the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Metro DC Hispanic Contractors Association & the Metropolitan Washington Independent Insurance Agents Association. As an Insurance Broker, consumer, business owner & community activist Ms. Dilone is passionate about providing access to the best health care available to all who reside in the District of Columbia and the Metropolitan Region regardless of their income, race, national origin, immigration status, gender identity or religion – every human being deserves access to health care to reach their fullest potential. She fills the qualifications of health insurance broker and exchange consumer.  Her current term expires November 2023.

Jodi Kwarciany –  Jodi Kwarciany is the Manager of Mental Health Policy at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. In this role, she provides research and analysis of mental health-related issues to advance NAMI’s policy priorities, including health coverage access, quality and affordability. She fills the qualifications of disease and demographic specific advocacy and health care consumer interest advocacy. Her current term expires November 2023.

Rebecca Barson –  Rebecca Barson is the founder of RDB Strategies, a boutique consulting firm focusing on policy and advocacy strategies to protect and expand access to reproductive and maternal health. Rebecca has 20 years of policy, political, and program experience in women's and reproductive health, including several years at the intersection of policy and service delivery. She has worked at the national and affiliate levels of Planned Parenthood; the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs; and the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association. As a self-employed business owner, Rebecca receives her health insurance through DC Health Link and fills the category of Exchange customer. Her current term expires in November 2023.