Michael Monson Appointed Chief Executive Officer and President of Altarum by Board of Trustees
June 24, 2021
The Altarum Board of Trustees has selected Michael Monson, a former executive of the nation’s largest Medicaid managed care plan, for the role of chief executive officer and president.
Michael previously served as CEO of Social Health Bridge, a solution from Centene to integrate health care providers and community benefit organizations. He also managed Centene’s Medicaid and Complex Care product lines, from the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid expansion to long-term services and supports and dual-eligible beneficiaries. He developed Centene’s overall strategy to address the social determinants of health and led the Centene Center for Health Transformation, a collaboration with academic researchers that improved quality of care across its 12.5 million members in 30 states.
The Altarum Board of Trustees selected Michael after an extensive succession planning process in partnership with then CEO and president, Lincoln Smith. Mr. Smith presided over Altarum’s successful transition from an applied science research institute to a health systems consultancy that advances health of lower-income populations and those left behind by the health care system.
Through continued partnerships with federal and state governments, Michael will oversee the next stage of Altarum’s growth expanding the scale and impact of its solutions to advance health equity; public health technology; and Medicaid, Medicare, and Exchange programs.
“Michael is a proven leader who has achieved organizational transformation at scale in the Medicaid and Medicare space, but he’s also driven by a principled commitment to address disparities and inequities in health care and health outcomes,” said Altarum Board of Trustees’ Chair Dr. Guy Fish. “These qualities position Michael for success as a leader of an organization that is innovative and mission-driven.”
Michael began his work in health care leading strategy and innovation at the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, a safety net organization that was also the nation’s largest home-based health care company. He also served as Chief Administrative Officer at Village Care of New York, an integrated health system, where he ran a large business unit as well as multiple corporate functions. Earlier in his career, he spent six years advising nonprofit organizations as a consultant at McKinsey.
“Through its unique focus on advancing policy through practice, Altarum is poised to have an outsized impact on health equity and public health infrastructure—two areas of critical focus as the nation emerges from the global health crisis,” said Michael Monson. “It’s a privilege to lead an organization of professionals with the talent, expertise, and drive to meet the opportunities and challenges of this moment.”
Altarum is a nonprofit organization that works with federal and state agencies and foundations to design and implement solutions to improve the health of individuals with fewer financial resources and populations disenfranchised by the health care system. We achieve measurable results by combining our expertise in public health and health care delivery with technology, workforce training and continuing education, applied research, and technical assistance. Our innovative solutions lead to better health for beneficiaries and better value for payers.