LaQuandra Nesbitt nominated to DC Health Benefit Exchange executive board; vote deferred

At a Committee on Health roundtable Tuesday in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building, At-large Councilmember Christina Henderson heard testimony on Mayor Muriel Bowser’s nomination of Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt to the Health Benefit Exchange Authority (HBX) Executive Board. The committee did not vote; Henderson said the committee will consider and vote on the nomination at its next meeting, scheduled for Thursday.

The nomination (PR20-6240) would appoint Nesbitt as a voting member to a seat vacated by Ramon Richards for a term ending July 6, 2028. The HBX executive board governs DC Health Link, the District’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, and is responsible for plan design, consumer protections and oversight of enrollment and outreach.

The nomination drew an in-person public witness, Robert Vincent Branham, who recounted losing his goddaughter to COVID-19 and urged the committee to confirm Nesbitt based on her leadership during the pandemic. Branham identified himself as chairman of the Ward 5 Leadership Council Public Safety Committee and president emeritus of the DC Federation of Civic Associations.

Nesbitt, a board-certified family physician, emphasized her experience in population health and public health leadership. "I am deeply committed to advancing equitable, accessible, and high quality health care for all district residents," she told the committee. She described prior service as director of DC Health from January 2015 to August 2022, where she led the District’s COVID-19 response, and as director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness from 2011 to 2015. She currently serves as senior associate dean and executive director of the Center for Population Health Sciences and Health Equity at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

During questions from Henderson, Nesbitt said she supports targeted outreach and health-literacy efforts for the HBX’s planned Healthy DC Plan, which Henderson said is expected to cover an estimated 25,000 residents who will no longer be eligible for Medicaid beginning in January. Nesbitt recommended combining health insurance literacy with health-systems literacy and coordinating across agencies — including the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking; the Department of Healthcare Finance; DC Health; and community-based organizations — to ensure people understand eligibility and how to use benefits.

Committee members asked about potential conflicts of interest. Nesbitt told the committee that Altarum is not DC-based nor a direct provider or insurer in the District and that she would follow standard disclosure procedures if actual conflicts arise related to her university roles. She also said she is aware of the time commitment and that she is able to serve in the capacity required by the board.

Because the committee did not take a vote, Nesbitt’s nomination will return for a formal vote at the Committee on Health meeting on Thursday.