Horizon BCBSNJ Announces Structural and Leadership Changes

On Feb 1, 2016

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) has announced organizational and personnel changes in the company’s public, governmental and regulatory affairs operations. Through the creation of a new division – Corporate and Regulatory Affairs – and the appointment of new key personnel, the company will pursue changes that help address the rising cost of health care in New Jersey.

“Health care costs are crushing New Jersey families and businesses,” said William J. Castner, Jr., senior vice president, Corporate & Regulatory Affairs for Horizon BCBSNJ. “The team of professionals we have assembled is committed to helping our efforts to offer New Jersey consumers high quality, low-cost health insurance.”

Appointed last November to lead Horizon’s new division, Castner recently announced the appointment of Ulises Diaz to the post of Director of Enterprise Government Affairs. Prior to joining Horizon BCBSNJ, Diaz served as cice president of Government Affairs for Verizon New Jersey. he also formerly served as vice president of External Affairs for United Water.  Reporting directly to Castner, Diaz will lead a reconstituted government affairs team.

The new Government Affairs Directors include:

• Michele Jaker, who most recently worked as director of Government Relations for Amerigroup New Jersey (Anthem, Inc.), was formerly the chief of staff to State Senator Joseph Vitale; and serves on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Association of Health Plans;

• Dominick DiRocco, who joins Horizon BCBSNJ after serving as deputy chief of staff for Governor Christopher J. Christie. Mr. DiRocco formerly was counsel to United States Senator Jeffrey Chiesa and served as Assistant Vice President of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association.

Jaker and  DiRocco join Government Affairs Director John Rogers, formerly chief counsel to the Assembly Republican Office and former vice president of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association.

 

 

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