November 4, 2014

OHCA Contacts: Jo Kilgore - (405) 522-7474, Jennie Melendez - (405) 522-7404   

Local health leader assumes new role on the OHCA Board of Directors 

 OKLAHOMA CITY - On Oct. 27, Speaker of the House Jeff Hickman announced his appointment of Tanya Case, of Duncan, to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) Board of Directors. Well-known to OHCA, Case has served on the agency’s Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) since 1998. Her appointment fills the vacancy created by former Senator George Miller, of Bethany, who retired from the OHCA Board after 16 years of service. Former Speaker of the House Lloyd Benson first appointed Sen. Miller in 1998. 

 Case stands to lend valuable insight, leadership and guidance to OHCA as a board member. Since 2010, she has served as the executive director of Oklahoma Temporary High Risk Pool (OTHRP), the state’s pre-existing health plan. As Executive Director, Case is the primary contact for the Center of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)/ U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), the federal regulatory and funding agency. Prior to leading OTHRP, Case served on the Oklahoma Health Insurance High Risk Pool Board of Directors for six years.  

 Her professional experience also includes serving as the Director of the Oklahoma Office of Rural Health, Oklahoma State Department of Health (OKC); the Director of First Health West, a physician/hospital network (Lawton); the Director of Prime Advantage, a HMO owned and operated by Comanche County Hospital Authority which served as a commercial and Medicaid HMO; and the Executive Director of Lawton Community Health Center.     

 During her career, Case has received many prestigious honors and awards, including being named Oklahoma Nurse of the Year by the Oklahoma Nursing Association, Woman of the Year by Duncan’s American Business Women’s Association, Woman of Achievement by Duncan’s American Association of University Women, The Jack A. Maurer Leadership Duncan Alumni Award, and in 2011 she was nominated for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Champions of Health Award for Champion of the Uninsured. This year, Case was named among the state’s “50 Making a Difference” by The Journal Record. The honor recognizes Oklahoma women for their leadership in business and philanthropy. 

 Among her professional and community affiliations are the National Association of State Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans (NASCHIP) which represents 35 state high-risk insurance pools, of which she is chairman of the board, and she is a member and current class ambassador of Leadership Oklahoma, Class III.  Case is also active in the communities of Lawton and Duncan, currently serving on the board of directors of the Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra and the Duncan Public Library. 

 Case earned her Master’s Degree in Nursing from the OU Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. 

 About OHCA 

 The Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) administers Oklahoma’s Medicaid program, known as SoonerCare, and Insure Oklahoma, a premium assistance program funded by tobacco tax revenue. SoonerCare works to improve the health outcomes of Oklahomans by ensuring that medically necessary benefits and services are responsive to the health care needs of our members. Qualifying Oklahomans include low-income children, pregnant women, seniors, the disabled, those being treated for breast or cervical cancer and those seeking family planning services. All must meet income guidelines. Insure Oklahoma assists qualifying adults and small business employees in obtaining health care coverage for themselves and their families. OHCA works with our current 818,168 members, our statewide network of 40,161 health care providers and numerous state and local partners to promote responsible health care service utilization, healthy behaviors and improved health outcomes. For more information, visit www.okhca.org or www.insureoklahoma.org.