Board reappoints advisory committee members, holds purchaser slots pending recruitment

The Health Care Affordability Board voted Thursday to reappoint 10 incumbents to two‑year terms and appoint five new advisory committee members, expanding the advisory committee to accommodate a new pharmaceutical perspective while holding three purchaser slots open pending further recruitment. The motion was moved and seconded during the meeting and passed with four votes in favor and one member absent.

Megan Brubaker, Engagement Governance and Policy Group Manager, presented the recommended slate and demographic information, explaining the subcommittee's rationale to preserve broad participation across purchaser, hospital and physician categories. "We did choose to not include the purchaser appointees in the temporary recommendation," Brubaker said, describing plans to continue the special purchaser recruitment period through June 30 and to bring additional appointments for board consideration in August.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the physician slots and the desire for practicing physicians in those positions. One board member who serves on the subcommittee said the recommended changes were not performance‑based but intended to increase opportunities for engagement and to add representation the panel lacked. After public comment from physician and consumer groups urging practicing physicians and authentic purchaser representation, the board took the roll call. The recorded vote was: Sandra Hernandez — Aye; Secretary Kim Johnson — Aye; Richard Kronick — Aye; Ian Lewis — Aye; Doctor Richard Pan — absent. The chair announced the motion passed.

Next steps: OCA will notify approved appointees and the new advisory members will attend their first advisory committee meeting on July 8, while the special purchaser recruitment will continue and the subcommittee will present recommendations for purchaser slots at the August board meeting.