The Evolution of Reimbursement
Dr. Marion Couch is the Senior Vice President of Health Care Services and Chief Medical Officer at Cambia Health Solutions.‚ÄØ
Prior to joining Cambia, Marion was the Senior Medical Advisor in the Office of the Administrator at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in Washington, DC.‚ÄØ In this cross-cutting role within the agency, she reported directly to the Administrator as she worked on the vast expansion of telehealth during the pandemic, improving prior authorization, quality reform, national coverage decisions, and policy creation.‚ÄØ Marion was also involved in developing value-based payment models in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.‚ÄØ
Prior to joining CMS, Marion served as the Chair of the Board for Indiana University Health Physicians. She has been a physician executive in two large medical groups, the Chair of two surgical departments, and Surgeon-in-Chief at a medical center. Marion has served as President of two national professional medical societies.
She is a trained head and neck and microvascular surgeon, completing her residency training at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Marion also holds an MBA from the Duke University Fuqua Business School.
Dr. Marion Couch is the Senior Vice President of Health Care Services and Chief Medical Officer at Cambia Health Solutions.‚ÄØ
Prior to joining Cambia, Marion was the Senior Medical Advisor in the Office of the Administrator at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in Washington, DC.‚ÄØ In this cross-cutting role within the agency, she reported directly to the Administrator as she worked on the vast expansion of telehealth during the pandemic, improving prior authorization, quality reform, national coverage decisions, and policy creation.‚ÄØ Marion was also involved in developing value-based payment models in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.‚ÄØ
Prior to joining CMS, Marion served as the Chair of the Board for Indiana University Health Physicians. She has been a physician executive in two large medical groups, the Chair of two surgical departments, and Surgeon-in-Chief at a medical center. Marion has served as President of two national professional medical societies.
She is a trained head and neck and microvascular surgeon, completing her residency training at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Marion also holds an MBA from the Duke University Fuqua Business School.
Gregory E. Deavens, CPA, CGMA, is president and chief executive officer for Independence Health Group (Independence), parent of Independence Blue Cross, one of the nation’s leading health insurers. He assumed the role in January 2021.Mr. Deavens joined Independence in 2017 as executive vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer. In this capacity, he led the company’s financial functions as well as its Actuarial, Underwriting, and Enterprise Risk Management organizations.Prior to joining Independence, Mr. Deavens was employed by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) where he served as corporate controller from 2012 to 2016 and as CFO for the U.S. Insurance business from 2006 to 2012. Before joining MassMutual, Mr. Deavens held senior financial roles at NY Life, CIGNA, and GE Capital. Mr. Deavens began his career in public accounting with Price Waterhouse where he specialized in financial services while working in the firm’s New York, London, and St. Louis offices.Mr. Deavens currently serves as chairman of the Board of Directors of Hartford HealthCare. He also serves on the boards of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, which represents Blue plans covering 106 million Americans; America’s Health Insurance Plans; the Executive Leadership Council; and the African American Museum in Philadelphia. As part of his responsibilities at Independence, he serves on the boards of AmeriHealth Caritas, Tandigm Health, AmeriHealth Assurance, BCS Financial Corporation, and International Plan Solutions. His current and former board service include roles as board chair or vice chair as well as chair of Finance, Audit & Compliance, Investment, and other committees.He is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants (CPA Inactive).Mr. Deavens holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Florida A&M University.
Gregory E. Deavens, CPA, CGMA, is president and chief executive officer for Independence Health Group (Independence), parent of Independence Blue Cross, one of the nation’s leading health insurers. He assumed the role in January 2021.Mr. Deavens joined Independence in 2017 as executive vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer. In this capacity, he led the company’s financial functions as well as its Actuarial, Underwriting, and Enterprise Risk Management organizations.Prior to joining Independence, Mr. Deavens was employed by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) where he served as corporate controller from 2012 to 2016 and as CFO for the U.S. Insurance business from 2006 to 2012. Before joining MassMutual, Mr. Deavens held senior financial roles at NY Life, CIGNA, and GE Capital. Mr. Deavens began his career in public accounting with Price Waterhouse where he specialized in financial services while working in the firm’s New York, London, and St. Louis offices.Mr. Deavens currently serves as chairman of the Board of Directors of Hartford HealthCare. He also serves on the boards of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, which represents Blue plans covering 106 million Americans; America’s Health Insurance Plans; the Executive Leadership Council; and the African American Museum in Philadelphia. As part of his responsibilities at Independence, he serves on the boards of AmeriHealth Caritas, Tandigm Health, AmeriHealth Assurance, BCS Financial Corporation, and International Plan Solutions. His current and former board service include roles as board chair or vice chair as well as chair of Finance, Audit & Compliance, Investment, and other committees.He is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants (CPA Inactive).Mr. Deavens holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Florida A&M University.
Carrie Nixon, Esq. is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Nixon Gwilt Law, a law firm focused exclusively on healthcare innovation. She also serves as Special Advisor to Empactful Capital, a Silicon Valley healthcare venture capital firm. Carrie is an expert in healthcare law and policy issues relating to healthcare innovation, including Remote Patient Monitoring, telehealth, mHealth apps, healthcare predictive analytics, personalized medicine, and value-based delivery/reimbursement arrangements such as Value-Based Enterprises (VBEs), Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and other Alternative Payment Models (APMs). She provides  strategy advice regarding business models, healthcare transactions, and healthcare regulatory matters. Carrie represents digital health companies and healthcare startups, along with hospitals and health systems, individual physicians and large physician groups, pharmacies, and post-acute care providers.
Carrie Nixon, Esq. is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Nixon Gwilt Law, a law firm focused exclusively on healthcare innovation. She also serves as Special Advisor to Empactful Capital, a Silicon Valley healthcare venture capital firm. Carrie is an expert in healthcare law and policy issues relating to healthcare innovation, including Remote Patient Monitoring, telehealth, mHealth apps, healthcare predictive analytics, personalized medicine, and value-based delivery/reimbursement arrangements such as Value-Based Enterprises (VBEs), Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and other Alternative Payment Models (APMs). She provides  strategy advice regarding business models, healthcare transactions, and healthcare regulatory matters. Carrie represents digital health companies and healthcare startups, along with hospitals and health systems, individual physicians and large physician groups, pharmacies, and post-acute care providers.