Policy, community and everything in between with Kristin Lewis
As Point32Health’s executive vice president and chief public and community affairs officer, Kristin Lewis leads the organization’s strategy and implementation of state and federal health reforms, advises on the impact of political changes on strategic goals and guides the development and implementation of the organization’s community engagement and corporate citizenship strategies.
Learn more about Kristin’s role and what’s she’s looking towards in the second half of the year:
Q: You lead Point32Health’s public policy, government affairs, corporate citizenship and community engagement teams. While they may have different areas of focus, how do the priorities of these teams intersect with one another?
Kristin Lewis: When thinking about the functions under public and community affairs, the focus is really the same. The four functions enable us to advance our purpose to guide and empower healthier lives for everyone – but how we get there is different.
Our corporate citizenship team, for example, is involved in initiatives like colleague volunteerism, which helps to build healthier communities while allowing colleagues to engage directly with those communities. And while community engagement is different than corporate citizenship, it’s also the same in many ways. It allows us to talk directly with potential or current members, with community organizations and with key stakeholders to make a difference by connecting them to needed services and engaging in discussions about what products and services we offer.
When we think about our government affairs function, we are advancing policy solutions that help us live up to our purpose while trying to ensure that the products and services we provide are affordable and improve members’ health. One way we’re trying to impact public policy and community health on the federal level is through a food is medicine initiative, which will help to advance health equity through nutritional equity.
Q: As a local health plan, corporate citizenship and community engagement efforts are especially important to us. Is there anything we’re doing in these areas that stands out to you?
KL: There’s a lot of internal work going on each day to help support our organization’s purpose in these areas, but one that stands out is our annual Volunteer Week, which takes place each June. Volunteer Week gives our colleagues the opportunity to volunteer in their communities, choosing from 90 projects across five states. This year, more than 1900 colleagues volunteered, which was a 37% increase from last year’s Volunteer Week.
And while, we see the impact our colleagues and organization have on the community from an internal perspective, it’s always validating to receive external recognition for the work we’re doing. I’m proud that we earned a spot on the Civic 50 list, which recognizes community-minded organizations in the U.S. This is our fourth time receiving the honor and we are only one of five organizations in New England to earn recognition this year.
Q: Either at the federal or state level, are there any policies or conversations surrounding health care coverage that you’re keeping an eye on as we head into the 2024 election season?
KL: I always lead from the perspective of trying to shape policies in a way that enables us to offer affordable, accessible, high-quality products, but when there are policies that cut against that, how can we try and be solution-oriented to continue providing for our members?
When looking at the upcoming election season, there are certainly concerns about policymakers and perspectives that, in some ways, have been clouded by the practices and profitability of national for-profit plans, particularly Medicare Advantage plans. Unfortunately, it’s resulting in policy changes that may negatively impact all Medicare Advantage plans, so that’s something we’re working to address in a substantive way. For example, my team has been working to build out a not-for-profit coalition, as well as build out strategies and approaches to help differentiate us in a way that allows us to continue to better serve our members in the community more broadly.
Q: When you think of what’s on the horizon for the second half of the year, what are you excited to focus on in the near term at Point32Health?
KL: While there are plenty of initiatives in the works, overall, I’m just really excited to see the continued efforts of colleagues. Everyone really cares about making a difference and continues to show up to put the work in. I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved together; it really shows our commitment to making a difference by living out our purpose.
Q: Health insurance is dynamic and ever evolving. What’s something you keep in mind about working in this space?
KL: I embrace learning. It’s one of our organization’s values, but it’s also fitting advice. As an industry, we are experiencing a considerable amount of change, so it’s important to stay open to new ideas and ways of doing things. It’s also important to identify opportunities to improve the performance of business so we can deliver more value for our customers. This helps us to deepen our commitment to community and advance our purpose.
And as the only health plan to serve all segments of the population, what we do matters tremendously – and we can’t take that for granted. Continuing to learn and be passionate about success, which includes the health and well-being of our members, will always drive me forward.