NACDS Recruits HHS Exec As SVP, Govt Affairs and Public Policy

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The National Association of Chain Drug Stores yesterday named U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) executive Carol A. Kelly s.v.p. of government affairs and public policy, a newly created position at the organization reporting to NACDS president and c.e.o. Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE,

Effective January, Kelly will lead a new department that, according to Anderson, "will greatly enhance the effectiveness and profile of the federal and state legislative and regulatory activities of NACDS."

The new Government Affairs and Public Policy Department will combine the current Government Affairs Department and Policy and Pharmacy Regulatory Affairs Department.

"One look at Carol's background and it is readily apparent that she is ideal for this role at NACDS," said Anderson. "Carol is considered as one of the great policy experts in the area of health care. She has had an extremely distinguished career in senior government positions, in corporate leadership roles, and as a senior executive in a health care trade association. She understands the issues, the players, and the landscape of health care. She has considerable experience in both regulation and legislation, and the interaction between the two."

Kelly currently serves as senior executive advisor of external affairs to U.S. Secretary of HHS Michael O. Leavitt. In this role, she was a key steward of priority issues including health insurance access, value-driven health care, and health information technology. She served as the main HHS liaison to the White House Office of Public Liaison and to the Partnership for Value-driven Health Care, an employer health care reform coalition.

Before joining the Office of the Secretary, Kelly served for two years as the director of the Office of Policy for HHS' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). She was recruited to that position by then-CMS administrator Dr. Mark McClellan.

From 1999 to 2005, Kelly was e.v.p. for federal legislative policy and healthcare system reform at the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), and prior to this was a v.p., with responsibility for government affairs, for Premier, Inc., UnitedHealth Care (now UnitedHealth Group) and MetraHealth, as well as healthcare advocacy for MetLife and Equitable Life.

"We are building a culture at NACDS that is focused on achieving results," said Anderson. "We are doing this through collective staff accountability, and true integration of policy, state and federal government affairs, grassroots, communications, coalition-building, and expertise in pharmacy practice and front-end issues. Carol Kelly will bring to this important work a second-to-none professional portfolio."
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