Dr. J.D. Hickey will join BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee as senior vice president, as well as president and CEO of Volunteer State Health Plan (VSHP), BlueCross’ TennCare managed care organization.
In this role, Dr. Hickey will oversee administration of VSHP’s Medicaid operations and the management of the Cover Tennessee program. He will report directly to BlueCross president and chief operating officer Bill Gracey.
“J.D. is a highly accomplished leader and respected health care strategist, both in Tennessee and on the national scene,” Mr. Gracey said. “His expertise, along with his experience and leadership abilities, will be tremendous assets to BlueCross as we work to deliver affordable and quality health care during this time of great change in our industry.”
As a member of Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen’s cabinet, he served as director of the TennCare Bureau from 2004 to 2006. In this role, he led efforts to reform the TennCare program and ultimately return it to financial stability.
Dr. Hickey’s past work experience includes executive positions with Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) and Qualifacts Systems, Inc. Additionally, he has led strategic health care consulting and management teams as a principal with McKinsey & Company, one of the world’s leading management consulting firms. There, he was recognized as the expert on health care reform.
Dr. Hickey graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and was a member of the Beta Beta Beta Biology Honor Society. He also earned his medical degree from the Duke University School of Medicine and his juris doctorate from the Duke University School of Law.
He is a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the American College of Legal Medicine and the American College of Healthcare Executives.