ROI-NJ.

COM October 8, 2018 ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY

SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION

Influencers
HEALTH CARE 2018
 Bergen County’s
only hospital in the top 5%
in the nation for patient safety
2018 HEALTHGRADES® PATIENT SAFETY EXCELLENCE AWARD™
Englewood Hospital is a proud recipient of the complications in patients during their hospital stays.
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Healthgrades_10.125x13.5.indd 1 9/20/18 10:56 AM

ROI-NJ.COM October 8, 2018 ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY

Editor’s Desk

Transformational list
We think our ROI Influencers for Health Care represent the changing face — and focus — of the sector

I
t’s time for our first ROI Influencers Health Care list. It’s

just like the old power list we used to put together … well,
except that everything has changed.
We’re at a new publication — and the health care world
we cover appears to be changing just as dramatically.
A new administration in Trenton — or Washington,
D.C. — often brings sweeping changes, but a perfect storm
has been forming over the health
care sector, threatening monumental
changes.
At the federal level, the public outcry
over high drug costs and the battle
over health insurance is playing out
interestingly in a state that used to be the
medicine chest of the country.
With new players in place in some key spots, new
issues are determining who has the most influence. This
year, rather than a focus on traditional avenues of business,
there is a notable shift in the trends, which lean toward
handling the opioid crisis, health care costs, the expansion
of medical marijuana, mental health and behavioral health,
and addressing the health issues that are most impacting the
state’s residents.
Some on our list wield influence by virtue of their
platform or position, while others are masters of their
TRMC CD ROINJ_Layout 1 10/2/18 9:59 AM Page 1
Influencers
HEALTH CARE 2018
trade. In some cases, we struggled with highlighting
individuals in an organization and calling them more
powerful than their bosses, but we decided to give credit
where it is due.
Deciding No. 1 was just as difficult. It was a virtual
tie for the top spot by the two largest systems in the state
(as it always seems to be), but one is making slightly
bigger-visibility plays, which is why Robert Garrett and
Hackensack Meridian Health edged out Barry Ostrowsky
and RWJBarnabas Health.
Another difficult decision? Not having nearly as many
hospital system CEOs on the list. Consolidation had a lot to
do with this. But it’s not the only factor.
We understand the CEOs of these systems wield great
influence in their areas. After all, all health care is local.
This time around, we were hoping to identify those whose
influence stretched far outside their coverage area.
Since the field has become so consolidated, we had to
consider outside forces making big plays in New Jersey.
And there certainly are some interesting new players, as
a result of the push for medical marijuana and the overall
cannabusiness industry — experts and power players are
popping up out of the woodwork.
The health care industry in New Jersey certainly is going
through a transformation. The same can be said for our list.
But we’re confident in this: Our ROI Influencers list of
the power players in the sector details it well.
— Tom Bergeron

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3
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ROI-NJ.COM October 8, 2018 ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY

HEALTH CARE 2018 ROI Influencers

Top 10

1 Robert Garrett
Co-CEO
Hackensack
Meridian Health

B
ob Garrett is racing full speed
ahead to diversify the portfolio of
the state’s largest health system
in unique ways. Most notably, the
co-CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health
launched the state’s first private medical
school in decades — and assumed the
financial burden after Seton Hall University
revised its role in the deal — and has
created an exclusive partnership with a
tri-state deliverer of mental and behavioral
health services.
The ability to continue to persuade his
board, his chief financial officer, attorneys
and supporting staff to acquire or partner
with larger entities, such as Memorial Sloan
Kettering and JFK Health, indicates Garrett
is trying to play in a larger arena than just
New Jersey. We’ve noticed. Hackensack
Meridian Health now boasts 16 hospitals,
33,000 team members, more than 6,500
physicians, a medical school, a $25 million
venture fund and an incubator.
With moves like the planned merger
with Carrier Clinic, which would give HMH
a leg up in the behavioral health space,
Garrett has caught the attention of many
health care leaders around the state for his
aggressive growth and diversity.
“I heard all the stuff they are doing is
because of him,” one insider said. Another
insider said they were impressed with
the diversification the health system is
undergoing, in light of the new world order
of health care in the state. Most recently,
Garrett followed the example set by other
large systems, by splitting responsibility
of the system into regions. Hackensack
Meridian Health has six new leaders — three
who cover the north, central and southern
regions, and three care transformation
presidents.
The new hybrid approach to leadership
in a large system aligns with the futuristic
view of health care today. It doesn’t hurt
that with the “Bear’s Den” (a “Shark Tank”-
like program) and a focus on innovation,
the co-CEO of HMH is ingratiating himself
to the new governor, another insider said:
“The way that that is going to factor into the
innovation heart of the governor’s economic
plan — he has thought about that well.”

5
ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY October 8, 2018 ROI-NJ.COM

ROI Influencers HEALTH CARE 2018

Top 10

2 Barry Ostrowsky
CEO
RWJBarnabas Health

Perhaps the most eloquent

3 Dr. Mark Rosenberg
Chairman of Emergency Medicine
and Population Health
St. Joseph’s Health

The opioid crisis is a real

4 George Norcross
Chairman
Cooper University Health Care

health care CEO in the
state, Ostrowsky is a known
powerhouse in the industry —
whether in Trenton or outside
the capital. The head of
RWJBarnabas Health has made some big plays this
year with Rutgers University and his commitment to
hiring local in Newark. And he certainly is setting an
example of how a large entity can still be engaged,
at the highest levels, with the local communities,
including the new athletics complex and the $1
billion investment in Rutgers Health as well as
launching a mobile produce truck in Newark.
The exclusive relationship with the Rutgers
health education program, the largest in the state,
is realigning alliances among medical schools and
health systems, and forcing longtime partners to
seek new ones. If that isn’t a power play, we don’t
know what is.
One insider said of him: “He tends to not be
just a group thinker. He is an individual who tries to
raise the issues that are not being discussed at the
time or don’t have actions behind them.”
thing. One doctor in a small
hospital system in the state
has his name on a bill that
is making its way through
Congress to create a new
approach to pain management. Rosenberg, the
chairman of Emergency Medicine and Population
Health at St. Joseph’s Health, helped create the
ALTO program — Alternatives to Opioids — which is
having a real impact.
Launched in January 2016 in the Emergency
Department at St. Joseph’s University Medical
Center, the program is giving doctors options
they can use to effectively alleviate pain without
resorting to highly addictive medication at the start
of an issue. Initial results of the ALTO program are
promising, as up to 75 percent of patients have
achieved adequate pain relief and there has been a
decrease in opioid use by almost 50 percent.
The program is an example of how the health
care system in the state can be heavily influenced
by anyone, anywhere. That’s pretty big for an
emergency room doctor in Paterson.
As chairman of Cooper
University Health Care,
Norcross has significant
sway in health care policy
— among other things —
and continues to get state
support for Cooper Health and its affiliates. Times
are changing, agendas are shifting and Norcross
has adjusted his strategy to match, one insider
said.
The South Jersey power broker fared well
under the last administration and is on a short list
of people whose power has not waned as a result
of the change in administration. That was evident
during the budget shutdown this year, where, word
on the street is, he was able to ensure “he got all
the things he wanted.”
Creating the “eds and meds” corridor in
Camden is paying off, many have said.
One insider said: “Cooper’s making some really
good moves with their medical school, particularly
the integration with social determinants and areas
that have a shortage in New Jersey, because they
indoctrinate the medical students really well.”

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ROI-NJ.COM October 8, 2018 ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY

HEALTH CARE 2018 ROI Influencers

Top 10

5 Dr. Shereef Elnahal

Commissioner of Health
State of New Jersey

Infusing a budding sector

6 Dr. Andrew Pecora
Chief innovation officer
Hackensack Meridian Health

Between creating a
7 Gurbir Grewal
Attorney general
State of New Jersey

If there is any indicator

with energy on Day One
is a pretty impactful way
to start a new job as the
state’s commissioner of
the Department of Health.
While the jury is still out on the benefits of medical
marijuana, Elnahal has a smart group of people
working with him on the policies necessary.
One insider said Elnahal is engaged and
thoughtful. Another said he is ambitious and smart.
Elnahal is quietly talking to people and staying in
touch with all the right contacts to move the new
administration’s agenda forward. An insider said of
his style: “He has an inclusive manner of thinking.
Understanding that, while he has the regulatory
authority, he wants to build by consensus. So, he is
influential in that way.”
Another insider gave lots of credit to his team,
including his two deputies, as the leaders of the
Department of Health are really making moves in
their first several months at the helm. The former
Department of Veterans Affairs executive also is
focused on centralizing electronic health records.
diagnosis analysis tool that
caught the attention of IBM,
bringing a large cancer care
brand such as Memorial
Sloan Kettering into the state
and getting invited to the Vatican, Pecora’s work
as chief innovation officer at Hackensack Meridian
Health continues to stand out.
The tool he created, COTA, now has the
attention of the Food & Drug Administration, and,
in his spare time, he’ll be creating a curriculum to
teach students at the new Hackensack Meridian
School of Medicine at Seton Hall University about
the business of medicine. He also is leading the
new research housed on the medical school
campus. Pecora also is heavily involved in the
relationship Hackensack Meridian Health has
with the New Jersey Innovation Institute and is
instrumental in initiatives in the startup economy.
In the world of disruptors, Pecora can
singlehandedly get credit as the reason
Hackensack Meridian Health may rank among
them in cancer care.
that a new gubernatorial
administration is shifting
the power dynamics of
companies in the state, it
can be seen by the moves
Grewal, the attorney general, has made on the
opioids issue. It’s easy to sue companies that
don’t have offices in your state. But to sue a
pharmaceutical company with deep roots in the
state (Johnson & Johnson), and another (Teva) just
as it is moving its regional headquarters to your
state is a bold move.
Grewal isn’t letting politics play any role in his
decision to enter the lawsuit against opioid makers.
While many in the legal field shrug and say he is
just doing his job, others say it’s a bold move. “We
haven’t had an advocate like him in a long time,”
one insider said.
In addition to shutting down pill mills and
punishing other such lawbreakers, Grewal is
involved in health care in other key ways, including
joining a lawsuit to defend the Affordable Care Act
from being rendered unconstitutional.

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ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY October 8, 2018 ROI-NJ.COM

ROI Influencers HEALTH CARE 2018

Top 10

8 Marlene Caride
Commissioner of Banking and Insurance
State of New Jersey

Walking in on a potential
9 Don Sebastian
CEO
New Jersey Innovation Institute

The New Jersey Innovation

10 Tammy Murphy
First lady
State of New Jersey

How can you have the first

health insurance crisis
is not a pleasant way to
start one’s job, but with the
support of the Legislature
and the governor, Caride —
the commissioner of the Department of Banking
and Insurance — has helped put New Jersey on
the map as a leader in how to handle health care
at the state level, even as things remain shaky at
the federal level.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services is helping to support states who seek to
establish a mini-Obamacare system, as Congress
continues to inject instability into a sector that
craves the opposite. Caride’s quick moves to secure
the federal funding through the available waiver, and
ensure that residents in New Jersey don’t see their
health insurance premiums spike on the health care
exchange, are setting New Jersey apart.
Said one insider: “The ACA stuff, that’s
incredible. She’s put together a really good team.”
One that’s been very impactful in the first nine
months on the job.
Institute certainly is making
a name for itself in the health
care space — and beyond.
In the past year, it has
enjoyed a more central role in
conversations about health care cost reduction and
new or modern health care services. That ranges
from electronic health records to being part of a
health information exchange plugged into the state’s
Department of Health as well as a focus on value-
based outcomes and how to do that well and get
paid for it. The institute also is working on boosting
the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry with
its iLabs work.
With Tomas Gregorio and Haro Hartounian,
among others, Sebastian, the CEO, has formed a
rock-solid team to help modernize health care and,
hopefully, make it more efficient.
The institute, in general, is aligned with
everything Gov. Phil Murphy and his new
administration are looking for, one source said,
which means Sebastian and his team have the ears
of some key players.
lady on the list and not
place her in the Top 10?
Tammy Murphy is just as
much a household name in
the health care and energy
industries as her governor husband is elsewhere.
By choosing to focus on infant and maternal
mortality rates, Murphy is boosting the health care
industry’s importance, one insider said.
While her husband is working on reining in
health care costs for the state, Murphy is using her
bully pulpit to raise greater awareness about infant
mortality, a shockingly common cause of death for
children in the state.
“She’s made this one of her key issues; her
staff is getting smart on these issues, doing their
due diligence and learning a lot about it. She has
Stephanie Lagos and Lauren Lalicon dedicating
themselves” to be experts on the issue and learn
how each state agency can play a role, an insider
said. This is sure to create policy and regulations
that will affect how health care institutions handle
the issue around the state.

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ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY
HEALTH CARE 2018 ROI
Top lobbyists and lawyers
Bill Caruso
Managing director
Archer Public Affairs
You can see him (almost)
nightly in his role as
commentator on “Chasing
News,” but his impact
during the daytime is even
greater — and far-reaching.
Caruso has been a thought
leader on pot in his role
at New Jersey United for
Marijuana Reform before
cannabis was cool (read:
during Gov. Chris Christie’s
administration). And, as
managing director of
Archer Public Affairs, he
has as much influence on
marijuana legislation as
anyone.
Suzanne Ianni
CEO and president
Hospital Alliance
of New Jersey
It may be a smaller hospital
lobbying group in the state,
but one source said Ianni’s
team gets hospitals a great
return on their membership.
The team includes fewer
than a dozen individuals;
meanwhile, other groups
have more than 100. “Her
team is really lean. Based
on what they have to work
with, the value that the
hospitals get is outrageous,”
one source said. Others
agreed that, if anything
needs attention, Ianni and
the Hospital Alliance of
New Jersey can get it done.
Influencers
Robert Contillo
Judge
Bergen County
Superior Court
As the judge, Contillo
played a central role in
Horizon’s OMNIA case,
which is still ongoing, by
making a bold decision
to see through a release
of the McKinsey report
that Horizon claims was
justification for the makeup
of its hotly contested
plan. Contillo could have
easily held out until his
retirement and passed
the buck, but the decision
to allow the public to see
the documents, after NJ
Advance Media entered the
lawsuit, was a bold move.
Scott Kobler
Partner
McCarter & English
While the mergers and
acquisitions activity in the
state has slowed, it hasn’t
stopped entirely. McCarter
& English remains involved
through Scott Kobler,
who remains a go-to for
his expertise in the field.
Widely respected for his
knowledge of the industry,
as much as for his legal
skills, Kobler always is on
the short list of lawyers to
consult. Whether to bounce
around ideas, consult on
an idea or broker a deal,
Kobler remains prominent
in all things health care.
Bill Pascrell III
Lobbyist
Princeton
Public Affairs Group
The apple didn’t fall
far from the tree on
medical marijuana. After
his father’s support in
Congress in recent years
and supporting state
authority on the issue, it’s
not surprising that Pascrell
figures to be a major player
on medical marijuana.
He is also involved in
the conversations on
legalization of recreational
use. Pascrell is frequently
in touch with regulators
and policymakers who are
shaping the expansion of
medical marijuana.
Mark Manigan
Attorney
Brach Eichler
Manigan remains a
constant go-to in the health
care industry. His Rolodex
includes some of the key
players. Manigan wields his
power quietly and behind
the scenes, and he often
can be found brokering
deals for physicians or
surgery centers. He is
active with the New Jersey
Association of Ambulatory
Surgery Centers, and
advocates on behalf
of them in Trenton. His
contacts and sway have
proven helpful for the
group over the years.
10
Cathleen Bennett
CEO and president
New Jersey
Hospital Association
In her new role as head
of the New Jersey
Hospital Association,
the former state health
commissioner has a
significant task at hand to
turn around the large trade
group. Bennett entered the
organization at a turning
point, where the strategy
will put greater emphasis
on tackling health policy
in a proactive rather than
reactive manner. Bennett
has retained her sources
and influence in the state,
which will benefit NJHA
going forward.
AJ Sabath
Managing partner
The Advocacy Group
He is a lobbyist with a
ton of health care clients,
one insider said. The dual
role of his company for
managing health care
clients and advocating
for them has put Sabath
on a list of who’s who.
As a former labor
commissioner, Sabath has
kept his contacts from
inside the State House
and legislative leadership.
That’s why the managing
partner of a government
affairs and media relations
consulting firm can always
be seen around Trenton.
October 8, 2018 ROI-NJ.COM
Larry Downs
CEO
Medical Society
of New Jersey
The Medical Society of
New Jersey continues to
be the prominent voice
on physician and provider
issues around the state. In
Trenton, MSNJ needs no
introduction and continues
to have a seat at the table
for all health care issues.
Under Downs’ leadership,
MSNJ has been elevated
by recently joining a seven-
state health information
exchange (the Heath Equity
Network for Change) that
will utilize data analytics to
study health disparities in
the country.
Ward Sanders
President
New Jersey Association
of Health Plans
Representing the insurers
and their interests at the
New Jersey Association
of Health Plans, Sanders
gets credit for helping
along legislation that
set the state apart from
others in preserving
the Affordable Care Act
framework. “That was a
big win,” one insider said.
He is widely respected
as a thought leader on all
things health insurance,
and consulted by many
who seek insight into the
operations of health plans
in the state.
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ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY
HEALTH CARE 2018 ROI
Top policy experts
Joel Cantor
Director, Center for Health Policy
Rutgers University
Cantor is ranked among the top
policy experts that everyone
bounces ideas off of or calls in
for crafting health care policy in
the state. This, in turn, drives the
direction of business as legislation
turns to regulation for the
Department of Health to enact and
police the industry with. Cantor
is low-key in Trenton, but several
insiders said they have him on
NOVEMBER 4 speed dial.
Heather Howard
Faculty affiliate,
Center for Health & Wellbeing
Princeton University
A former commissioner of health
and current professor at Princeton,
Howard continues to be a go-to
for anyone seeking expertise in
health care. Howard is especially
influential in any discussions
related to the Affordable Care Act
or the State Health Benefits Plan,
the latter of which she is actively
involved in reforming.
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12
October 8, 2018 ROI-NJ.COM
Influencers
Ray Castro
Director of health policy
New Jersey Policy Perspective
Castro remains as another
household name for anyone with
interest in the health care space.
There are few things he isn’t
consulted on, and he certainly
has a seat at the table, wherever
the table may be. His insights are
given significant weight in any
discussion. Though he works for
a left-leaning think tank, many
seek his advice across the political
spectrum.
John Jacobi
Director, Center for Health
& Pharmaceutical Law & Policy
Seton Hall University
A Seton Hall University professor
and director of the Health &
Pharmaceutical Law & Policy
Program, Jacobi’s reach extends
beyond the classroom and into
the hub of state health care policy.
There are several people who
have cited his work, or sought his
expertise, on health care issues,
most importantly on public health
and mental health — the latter of
which is taking center stage in the
state.
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- William Pollard

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ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY
HEALTH CARE 2018 ROI
Top policy experts
U.S. Senate Jim McGreevey
Special
Chairman
NJ Reentry Corp.
The former governor recently
made a significant splash in the
health care space with his report
last month on addiction services.
The report has been lauded as
very insightful and could lead to
legislation further down the road.
McGreevey has previously been
Emmy Award-winning anchor the point person on prison re-entry
Steve Adubato, Ph.D. programs, through NJ Reentry
Corp., but has caught the attention
of many on addiction, too.
Christine Stearns
Director, Government Affairs Dept.;
admin. director, Trenton office
Gibbons P.C.
U.S. Senator
Bob Hugin (R) Her role as an advocate for the
Bob Menendez (D) industry ended a few years ago,
but Stearns remains a go-to player
on health care issues and policy.
As a lobbyist with Gibbons P.C.,
Friday 10/12 Stearns has plenty of health care
clients, but there are those who still
seek her advice in unofficial ways,
too. “I call her just to bounce ideas
a lot,” one insider said.
14
October 8, 2018 ROI-NJ.COM
Influencers
Linda Schwimmer
CEO and president
Health Care Quality Institute
of New Jersey
The Health Care Quality Institute
of New Jersey remains influential
in driving conversations about
the issues that need the most
attention in the health care world. It
was due to Schwimmer’s efforts as
CEO that the state focused on end-
of-life care, for instance. Reports
from the institute are frequently
used and sought for the efforts of
policymakers and of providers.
Shabnam Salih
Parimal Garg
Policy expert; deputy chief counsel
Governor’s Office
The duo in
the front
office are
the liaisons
in Gov. Phil
Murphy’s
administration for anything
and everything related to the
Affordable Care Act, State Health
Benefits Plan, opioids and medical
marijuana. Anyone who needs
to discuss these topics has
interacted with them — they are the
administration’s brain trust on all
things health care.
MORRISTOWN
MEDICAL CENTER
#1 HOSPITAL IN NJ

With nationally recognized leadership

in Cardiology & Heart Surgery and
Gastroenterology & GI Surgery

To learn more visit atlantichealth.org/usnews

ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY
ROI Influencers HEALTH CARE 2018
Top politicians & administration officials
Jeff Brown
Assistant commissioner
New Jersey Department of Health
The success of the Department of Health’s medical
marijuana program expansion is credited to Brown, the
assistant commissioner of medicinal marijuana for the
state. The growth of medicinal marijuana in the state is
still being developed, but one insider said his investment
and his interactions with the industry has made medical
marijuana among the DOH’s “most successful initiatives so far.”
Craig Coughlin
Speaker
General Assembly
Coughlin, the new speaker of the Assembly, deserves a lot
of credit for getting the nearly-decade-old out-of-network
bill over the finish line, according to several sources. The
new law has shifted the power dynamic between payors
and providers in one fell swoop. It still has its critics, as
the new law has both winners and losers within the health
care industry — but only as it relates to the state-regulated health benefits plan.
Lou Greenwald
Majority leader
General Assembly
Said one insider of the majority leader: “Among all
legislators, maybe besides (Sen. Joe) Vitale, he really
knows health care.” Greenwald’s job is in the health care
space, and focused on value-based care, which is why he
regularly meets with some of the biggest power players on
this list to discuss the issues. “He’s got some good ideas,”
another insider said. And he’s in a position to get them
discussed and moved on.
List season
The end of the year brings the holidays — and
rankings. We kick things off this week with our
ROI Influencers in Health Care. Coming right
behind are the ROI Influencers in Real Estate.
We’ll take a break for the holidays, but come
back at the beginning of the next year with
our biggest list of all: the ROI Influencers
Power List, our picks for the most
influential leaders in the state.
16
October 8, 2018 ROI-NJ.COM
Liz Muoio
Treasurer
State of New Jersey
The state’s financial leader is in a powerful role to affect
health care costs. Like many CEOs today, Muoio faces the
task of curbing costs for her organization — in her case,
the state. How she chooses to do so could set an example
for the private sector. “Her office will be responsible for
all the reform and changes happening in the State Health
Benefits Plan,” one insider said.
Troy Singleton
Senator
State of New Jersey
Singleton has introduced a bill on drug pricing that
prohibits excessive costs on any drug that receives public
funding. The bill may not move far, but one insider said
testimony on the bill is an indicator of how much the New
Jersey economy has changed. “They talked about their
revenues and how much of an economic impact they have
on the state. I’m not sure that was the smartest way to defend drug pricing.”
Joseph Vitale
Senator
State of New Jersey
If there is a bill on health care in the Senate, chances
are high that Joe Vitale has his name on it. He remains
a powerhouse on health care issues in the Legislature.
There are other players emerging in the State House,
especially those whose fields are in health care, but Vitale
still holds the most power on issues. “Vitale takes the
cake. He knows a whole lot about a lot of topics in health
care — it’s impressive,” one insider said.
What does it mean to be ‘influential’?
It’s the biggest question we get asked this time of year. And the hardest
one to answer. But here’s how we explain it to the numerous
industry folks we talk with while trying to come up
with the list: We want to identify not only the top
health care executives and thought leaders, but the
people who are doing the most to lead the disruption
of an industry that is going through transformational
changes. We want people making the most impact at
their place of business and throughout the state — or
even the country. Here’s how to put it in a more simplistic
way: Think of a top leader in the sector — we want to find
the people they want to talk with.
 Paid Sick Days
EARNED SICK DAYS becomes law
MEMORANDUM October 29th!
TO: ALL NJ BUSINESS OWNERS & EMPLOYERS

SUBJECT: EARNED SICK DAYS

Are you Ready for a Healthier, Happier & More

Productive Workforce?
New Jersey’s new Earned Sick Days law takes effect on October 29th.
Make sure you are in compliance!

Employers must now provide up to 40 hours Paid Sick Leave

per year.
Workers accrue one hour paid sick leave for every
30 hours worked.

Workers Can Take Leave To:

Care for their own physical/mental illness or injury
Care for a family member or bring them to treatment or a
doctor appointment
Address domestic or sexual violence
Attend a child’s school-related meeting, conference or event
Take care of kids when school or childcare is closed due to an
epidemic or public health emergency

With Earned Sick Days, businesses will benefit with increased morale, more
productive workers and less employee turnover.
This flu season you won’t have to worry about staff members infecting
co-workers or customers.

For more info on New Jersey’s new sick leave rules, please visit: www.nj.gov/labor

LEARN MORE AT WWW.NJ.GOV/LABOR

ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY
ROI Influencers HEALTH CARE 2018
Top providers/carriers/Institutions
Kevin Conlin
CEO
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield
of New Jersey
The new head of the state’s largest
health insurer, Horizon BCBSNJ,
was in the background for much
of the contentious past few years
the system has faced — and
he has chosen to fly under the
radar for his first year in the hot
seat. But don’t mistake Conlin’s
silence for inaction, some caution.
“Horizon’s focusing on value-based
care in ways that are sometimes
controversial, but starting to get
results,” one insider said.
Michellene Davis
Executive vice president;
chief corporate affairs officer
RWJBarnabas Health
As chief corporate affairs officer
for RWJBarnabas Health, Davis
remains a go-to health care expert
and powerful influencer in Trenton.
“She has got juice, but she doesn’t
use it often,” one influencer said.
She has increased her presence
in the past year with work on
social determinants in Newark,
spearheading an initiative to
study the needs of Newark’s most
vulnerable populations, and has
charted a course for the health
system to be impactful in the Brick
City.
18
Uli Diaz
Vice president, government affairs
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield
of New Jersey
Some say the vice president of
government affairs at Horizon
BCBSNJ is more powerful than
the company’s CEO. With a single
phone call, he can stop legislation
in its tracks. That’s how much
legislators respect him. He was
a key player in the attempted raid
on Horizon’s reserves two years
ago and has in recent months also
quelled a potential new firestorm
for the company. One insider said if
they were to go into a fight with the
Legislature, they would want him
on their side.
October 8, 2018 ROI-NJ.COM
Brian Gragnolati
CEO
Atlantic Health System
The head of Atlantic Health
System remains a powerful
force and source on navigating
the transforming world of health
care. Rather than enter the race
to grow physical footprints at
Atlantic, Gragnolati took a different
approach to value-based care
and population health and is
now on par with several other
health systems in the state that
are growing and diversifying.
Gragnolati also remains in a
powerful seat nationally with his
work with the American Hospital
Association.
ROI-NJ.COM October 8, 2018
Dr. Jeffrey LeBenger
CEO
Summit Health Group
& Summit Medical Group
The head of Summit Medical
Group and Summit Health Group,
LeBenger has been seen as a
visionary in the provider space for
some time. Each year, his robust
administrative services reach
farther — this year, that includes on
a national level. LeBenger planted
Summit’s flags in two other states,
with plans for a few more. He also
recently celebrated the opening
of the first and only provider
partnership with national cancer
brand MD Anderson.
Donald Parker
CEO and president
Carrier Clinic
When Carrier Clinic joined forces
with Hackensack Meridian Health,
it was a mutual boost in branding
for both in the tri-state area. For
Don Parker, it meant the ability to
cement his position as a behavorial
health superstar in the state. His
power will wane as he folds into
the mammoth health system, but
his influence will not. He often is
consulted by startups, veterans
and policy folks alike to get a sense
of what his industry needs.
Michael Maron
CEO
Holy Name Medical Center
Few independent hospitals are
doing as well as Holy Name
Medical Center under Maron’s
direction. The CEO’s support
in focusing on care for diverse
populations has propelled Holy
Name onto a national stage as a
leader in providing such services.
The various ethnic groups for
which Holy Name provides tailored
service has piqued the interest
of health care executives across
the country, and the hospital has
continuously received calls in the
past two years for a demo and
tour.
Steve Rusckowski
CEO
Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics is a power
player nationally, but has chosen
to commit to sticking around in
New Jersey under the leadership
of CEO Steve Rusckowski. The
company recently celebrated its
new headquarters in Secaucus,
and it has a new location in the
former Hoffmann-La Roche
campus in Clifton and Nutley that
is creating synergies with the new
Hackensack Meridian School of
Medicine at Seton Hall University
and affiliated research labs. The
potential there is huge.
19
ROI-NJ RETURN ON INFORMATION-NEW JERSEY
HEALTH CARE 2018 ROI
Top providers/carriers/Institutions
Joseph Masciandaro
CEO and president
Care Plus New Jersey
Behavioral health has become a
top priority in the state, and Care
Plus New Jersey’s takeover of the
former Bergen Regional Medical
Center couldn’t have come at a
better time. With the New Bridge
transformation, Care Plus is poised
to impact the top health care
issue in the largest county in the
state with the only county-owned
hospital in the state. Not a bad
place to be.
Dr. Bonita Stanton
Dean, Hackensack Meridian School
of Medicine
Seton Hall University
Starting a new medical school
from scratch is no easy feat,
but as the first dean of the
Hackensack Meridian School of
Medicine, there’s a lot riding on her
shoulders. Stanton has the chance
to reshape medical education and
modernize it, not just in the state,
but nationally. The curriculum is
still in the works, but the school
opened on time. The new school
is playing a key role in keeping
homegrown medical talent in New
Jersey, and Stanton is at the helm
of that effort.
Influencers
Kevin O’Dowd
Co-president
Cooper University Health Care
The co-president of Cooper
University Health and heir apparent
of the whole operation continues
to rise in the eyes of health care
experts around the state. He is
also the chair of the Hospital
Alliance of New Jersey, giving
him significant sway in health
care policy in the state. A former
top player in Gov. Chris Christie’s
administration, he is comfortable
around power players. One insider
even called him “basically the co-
chair of Cooper.”
Brian Strom
Chancellor, Biomedical and Health
Sciences
Rutgers University
Reducing Rutgers health system
partners in the state, and being the
chosen education partner for one
of the state’s largest systems, is a
bold move. Strom, the chancellor
of Rutgers Biomedical and Health
Sciences and the executive vice
president for health affairs at
the school, has made a clear
statement about the role Rutgers
intends to play in the health care
space. “He has a good vision
for getting more federal medical
dollars for research to the state,”
one insider said.