Kentucky Employees' Health Plan (KEHP) is a self-funded program providing health insurance benefits to the employees and retirees of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, local school boards, some cities and county governmental agencies. KEHP currently offers coverage to approximately 285,000 employees, retirees and their dependents. KEHP partners with Humana Inc. as its Third Party Administrator (TPA) and Express Scripts Inc. as its Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM). Humana administers all medical claims, such as physician, hospital and durable medical equipment. Express Scripts administers the prescription drug benefits. While Humana and Express Scripts are two separate companies, they work together with KEHP to provide benefits to employees and retirees.

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services is home to most of the state’s human services and health care programs, including Medicaid, the Department for Community Based Services and the Department for Public Health.

The Office of Health Policy, in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, ensures coordinated, timely, efficient and cost-effective health planning and policy research. The office includes: the Certificate of Need program, which controls growth of unnecessary, duplicative and underused health care services; and Health Policy Development, which works to apply best practices and innovative strategies from the private sector and other states to benefit Kentuckians.

The Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services manages the state's Medicaid program, which serves more than 800,000 vulnerable Kentuckians and has an annual budget of approximately $6 billion.

The Kentucky Department for Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) oversees the administration of statewide programs and services on behalf of Kentucky's elders and individuals with disabilities. In partnership with Kentucky's 15 Area Agencies on Aging and Independent Living, Community Mental Health Centers, Center for Independent Living and other community partners, DAIL provides leadership and addresses issues and circumstances that stand in the way of elders and individuals with disabilities achieving the best possible quality of life.

The Kentucky Department of Insurance regulates the commonwealth's insurance market; licenses agents and other insurance professionals; monitors the financial condition of companies; educates consumers to help them make wise choices; and ensures that Kentuckians are treated fairly in the marketplace. The department promotes sound, competitive insurance markets; protects the public through effective enforcement and regulation; and empowers the public through outreach and education.

The Kentucky Institute for Aging was created to advise the secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and other officials on policy matters related to the development and delivery of services to the aged. The institute operates in partnership with the Department for Aging and Independent Living.

The Office of the Ombudsman for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) serves as an advocate for citizens and works to ensure that those seeking various public services are treated fairly. The Office of the Ombudsman: answers questions about CHFS programs; investigates customer complaints and works with CHFS management to resolve them; and advises CHFS management about patterns of complaints and recommends corrective action when appropriate. Currently, the office consists of three branches: Complaint Review, Performance Enhancement and the Institutional Review Board. The Office of the Ombudsman works to integrate all of the functions of the Ombudsman's Office within a proactive, data-driven agency whose contributions to the Cabinet will be essential to overall quality improvement.

The Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities (KAHCF) is a trade association that represents nursing facilities and personal care homes in Kentucky. KAHCF provides a wide variety of services to members, including legislative and regulatory advocacy, professional development, statewide recognition programs, media relations and research.

Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of the 23,000 “Forgotten Kentuckians” in nursing homes by educating the public about the critical need to improve the care of residents in nursing homes and advocating for laws and regulations that will ensure that nursing home residents will be safe and comfortable.

The Kentucky Pharmacists Association promotes the profession of pharmacy, enhances the practice standards of the profession, and demonstrates the value of pharmacist services within the health care system.

The Kentucky Medical Association is the professional service organization for physicians throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It is the focal point for activities within the medical community, and this nonprofit association is dedicated to protecting the rights of patients and the physicians who care for them. It advocates about the need to remedy the physician shortage and improve the cost and delivery of health care in Kentucky.

Taylor-Gray Associates is a Frankfort, Ky.-based communications and public policy consulting firm whose principals have combined experience of more than 60 years in the public arena.

The Kentucky Hospital Association represents hospitals, related health care organizations and integrated health care systems dedicated to sustaining and improving the health status of the citizens of Kentucky.

This organization works on behalf of Kentuckians concerned about their ability to obtain health care for themselves, their families and others in their communities.

The Kentucky Primary Care Association was founded in 1975 as a private, nonprofit corporation of community health centers, rural health clinics, primary care centers, and other organizations and individuals concerned about access to health care services for the state’s underserved rural and urban populations. Association members are providers of primary care – first-contact, broadly trained physicians, nurses and other professionals.

Kentucky Voices for Health is a coalition of concerned Kentuckians that believes the best health care solutions are found when everyone works together to build them. Right now, families and businesses in every county are facing rising costs and too many people are going without needed health care.

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a national program that offers counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and to their families. Coordinators provide counseling on Medicare benefits, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D), Social Security, Medicaid and veterans' benefits. SHIP, formerly the Information, Counseling and Assistance (ICA) grants program, was created under section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. This act authorized the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make grants to states for health advisory services programs for people with Medicare.

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program helps Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries avoid, detect and prevent health care fraud. The goal is to protect older people and to preserve the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The federal program was created in 1996 by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and amended in 2006 by Titles II and IV of the Older Americans Act.

AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that advocates for people ages 50 and older. Since 1958, AARP has lobbied for senior issues, including the passage of Medicare in 1965. AARP offers support from staffed offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) were established under the Older Americans Act (OAA) Comprehensive Services Amendments in 1973 to respond to the needs of Americans 60 and older in every local community. The amendments added a new Title V, which authorized grants to local community agencies in every state. The AAAs provide a range of options that allow older adults to choose the home- and community-based services and living arrangements that suit them best.

Health Care Excel Kentucky is the Quality Improvement Organization (QIOs) for Kentucky, QIOs are private, mostly not-for-profit organizations, staffed by doctors and other health care professionals, who are trained to review medical care, to help beneficiaries with complaints about the quality of care and to implement improvements in the quality of care available throughout the spectrum of care. QIOs are required under Sections 1152-1154 of the Social Security Act.

Long-term care ombudsmen are advocates for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. They resolve complaints and educate seniors and long-term care providers about their rights and good care practices. They also provide information to the public on nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and services, residents' rights, and legislative and policy issues. In 1978, an amendment to the federal Older Americans Act required every state to have an ombudsman program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long-term care system. The ombudsman program is administered by the Administration on Aging (AoA).

Steven A. Williams joined Norton Healthcare in 1977 and has been the president and CEO since 1993. Previously, his positions with the company included executive vice president/chief operating officer, vice president of quality management and vice president of managed hospitals. He has also served as a member of the board of trustees of the American Hospital Association and as cochair of Greater Louisville Inc., the city’s Chamber of Commerce and economic development organization. He holds a master’s degree in health care administration from the University of Minnesota.

Jim Taylor has served as the CEO of University of Louisville Hospital since August 1996. Previously, he was the CEO of the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont. He is a board member for the YMCA of Greater Louisville. He earned his MBA at the University of Hawaii and his master’s degree in health care administration at the University of Minnesota.

David Laird became president and CEO of Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare Inc. in April 2011. He previously served as vice president of strategy and business development for the organization. Earlier in his career, he was executive vice president for Faulkner Healthcare Real Estate LLC and senior vice president for Norton Healthcare Inc. He also previously held the position of vice president of marketing and sales with Humana Inc.

The House committee addresses issues pertaining to: assessment and cooperative insurance; fraternal benefit societies; hospital service corporations; medical and dental service corporations; life, accident, indemnity and other forms of insurance; stock and mutual insurance companies; and banking and insurance aspects of the Uniform Commercial Code.

The Senate committee addresses issues pertaining to: human development, health and welfare; delivery of health services; support of dependents; public assistance; disabled people; family welfare; local health units and officers; vital statistics; communicable diseases; hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities; health professions; senior citizens; problems of aging; and violent acts against the elderly.

The Senate committee addresses issues pertaining to: assessment and cooperative insurance; fraternal benefit societies; hospital service corporations; medical and dental service corporations; life, accident, indemnity and other forms of insurance; stock and mutual insurance companies; and banking and insurance aspects of the Uniform Commercial Code.

The joint committee addresses issues pertaining to: human development, health and welfare; delivery of health services; support of dependents; public assistance; disabled people; family welfare; local health units and officers; vital statistics; communicable diseases; hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities; health professions; senior citizens; problems of aging; and violent acts against the elderly.

The House committee addresses issues pertaining to: human development, health and welfare; delivery of health services; support of dependents; public assistance; disabled people; family welfare; local health units and officers; vital statistics; communicable diseases; hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities; health professions; senior citizens; problems of aging; and violent acts against the elderly.

The joint committee addresses issues pertaining to: assessment and cooperative insurance; fraternal benefit societies; hospital service corporations; medical and dental service corporations; life, accident, indemnity and other forms of insurance; stock and mutual insurance companies; and banking and insurance aspects of the Uniform Commercial Code.