Howard C. Cohen

 

....

Newbury Park, California 91302

Home Telephone: (805) 499-7625

Cell: (805) 732-9137

 

Summary: Information Systems Executive with over 20 years of diverse experience in the development and management of enterprise business solutions.  Extensive experience in program management of large IT mergers and acquisitions followed by integration of systems to achieve organizational synergy targets.  Proven ability in building strong teams and positive client relationships.

 

Goal: To enable companies to establish the most cost effective and disciplined approach to managing IT as a business including engaging key customers to assess their needs and leverage internal and external resources to implement systems and processes to meet the organizations financial and competitive goals.

 

Professional Experience

 

WellPoint

Vice President IT Project Management Office, Quality Office and IT Compliance

 

May 2005 and April 2008

 

Led WellPoint?s IT Program Management Office (PMO) and Quality Office (QMO).  Responsible for establishing and maintaining enterprise wide processes for Project Management, IT Training and Systems Development methodologies.  Supported these disciplines through variety of processes, policies, guidelines and productivity tools established and maintained by the QMO Team. 

Led WellPoint IT disciplines in the area of compliance and audit including Sarbanes Oxley, internal and external audit. Responsible for IT internal and external regulatory compliance reporting, monitoring and testing of certain IT controls. 

Led all IT related mergers and acquisitions, due diligence and integration activities. 

Initiated the formation of common metrics to evaluate key outsourced vendor productivity and contract compliance.  Served as interim Chief Security Officer for 6 months while searching for a qualified candidate.  This included responsibility for data security, intrusion detection and security forensics and information security policy.

Major projects and accomplishments:

           

Vice President Mergers and Acquisitions - Information Technology

May 2002 ? May 2005

Led IT Merger and Acquisitions activities across applications and infrastructure disciplines.  Created the Integration Program Office and day to day management of all project teams to complete Day 1 implementation and long term integration of merged companies.  Implementations include Wisconsin Based Companies, Anthem, WellChoice (Empire Blue Cross) implementations. 

Led initiatives related to post integration such as synergy tracking, core system integration planning and implementation.  Participated and led assessment of potential acquisitions from an IT perspective.  Made recommendations and assessed synergy saving opportunities for potential mergers.

Major projects and accomplishments:

 

Vice President Architecture Projects, Information Technology

 

January 2002 - May 2002

 

Managed and controlled complex corporate level information technology projects that have wide reaching impact to WellPoint.   Created and managed various Program Management Offices to support key technology initiatives. 

Major projects and accomplishments:

 

Vice President, e-Business and Corporate Applications,

 

April 1999 - January 2002

 

Set strategy and direction for product and vendor selection to achieve WellPoint's e-commerce objectives.  Accountable for overall technical infrastructure that supported the development and execution of the web sites.  Directed all the technical aspects of the external Internet web sites, launched the first corporate intranet site  Responsible for the maintenance and enhancements of existing key web-based applications for Wellpoint?s constituents as well as the development of new web-based applications and capabilities for the enterprise.  Key internet sites under this control include Bluecrossca.com, Unicare.com and Wellpoint.com. 

Responsible for development, installation and maintenance of key mainframe and client-server based financial, data warehousing, applications.  Supported enterprise imaging applications and WellPoint EDI systems for Blue Cross of California and Unicare brands.  Directed oversight of departmental standards and procedures. 

Major projects and accomplishments:

 

Blue Cross of California

Director Large Group Systems

- Membership, Billing and CallCare Systems

 

 

June 1998 - April 1999

Responsible for resource management, project management and customer support of Large Group Services business initiatives.  Responsible for multiple online and batch processing database systems on mainframe and client server platforms.  Also responsible for call center applications and Blue Cross of California Large Group Internet Home Page and E-commerce sites.  Managed three distinct applications development groups containing a staff of 49 IT professionals.

 

Major projects and accomplishments:

 

Director - Membership, Billing and Financial Systems

October 1994 - June 1998

In addition to the above Membership and Billing applications, responsibilities for Financial Systems included Provider Capitation, Checkwrite/ EOB, Revenue Accounting, Sales Incentive and Provider Claim Utilization Reporting (Chargemaster and Stoploss) Systems

Major projects and accomplishments:

?         Integrated data from multiple processing systems (Individual /Small Group and Large Group) into a common checkwrite and accounting system

?         Managed applications development that allowed multiple legal companies to exist and dynamically generate appropriate logos, addresses and accounting entries

?         Implemented the ability to delay claims payments based on claim and provider attributes to enhance cash flow

?         Supported implementation of new for Large Groups with special focus on January new business

?         Managed the implementation of a vendor PC based external electronic enrollment system that enables Human Resource staff to remotely enroll members in medical and dental coverage

?         Implemented eligibility and reporting systems for Medi-Cal that allowed for tremendous growth in this market

?         Implemented new bank accounts and 1099 withhold processing in the Accounting systems.

?         Responsible for Imaging systems in support of the Provider Credentialing Department using FileNet vendor products

?         Implemented EFT/ERA (Electronic Funds Transfer / Electronic Remittance Advices) in the checkwrite / EOB System

 

Manager ? Reporting Systems / Adjudication Systems

June 1989 - January 1995

Responsibilities included the development and maintenance of mainframe and PC based financial and enrollment reporting systems for Large Group internal and external customers.  Supported a broad range of adhoc reporting for all functional areas within Large Group Services.  Vendor management related to certain reporting tools (Medstat) was also required.

Major projects and accomplishments:

?         Implementation of the Medstat reporting system to perform complex utilization and financial analysis and reporting

?         Supported conversion from a variety of processing systems (NCS, SCIP, MCS) to get to one common system

?         Lead responsibility for the development and acceptance test of the Checkwrite and EOBs for the original NMS system

?         Created HEDIS version 1.0 reporting capability

?         Provided medical department with critical data to be used to establish the first PMG scorecard

?         Integrated the Latron Dental system into a common backend reporting system

?         Established a graphical reporting package to reflect financial and utilization information for Large Group clients

?         Managed the development of Large Group Client Loss Ratio reporting system

?         Established reporting for Risk Management to identify opportunities for financial recoveries

?         Managed analysis and implementation to increase computer adjudication rate of claims to reduce administrative costs

 

Manager ? PC Support and Adhoc Reporting

May 1987 - January 1989

Developed PC based applications for business units to speed administrative processes and reporting.  Systems developed include: Claims Inventory Tracking, Workers Comp Lien Tracking System, Quality Review Tracking Systems, Project Management.  Additionally performed project management and analytical functions to support the formation of the Market Business Segment organizational structure.

 

Provider Services - CommunicCare

Provider Services Data Acquisition Analyst


March 1986 - May 1987

Created and analyzed shared risk settlement reports for an capitated product directed to individual subscribers.  Created and maintained the administrative manual supporting this product.  Met with Medical Group Administrators to train them on how to work with Blue Cross of California Administrative systems and accounting of the Shared Risk settlement data.

 

Corporate Management Systems
Senior Business Systems Analyst

Business Systems Analyst

Technical Support Analyst

Claims Examiner


April 1985 - March 1986

August 1984 - April 1985
December 1982 - August 1984

August 1979 - December 1982

Defined business requirements and conducted user acceptance testing on the claims and membership applications, programmed adhoc reports using SAS and Paradox.  Processed claims for National Accounts.

 

Technical and Work Related Skills

Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite of products, Excel, Word, Project.  Programming skills in SAS, HTML and working knowledge of mainframe utilities.

Excellent oral communication and written communication skills.  Refined interpersonal skills.  Detail oriented while maintaining a "big picture" perspective.

 

Education

California State University - Northridge

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration / Marketing - 1982

 

Continuing Education, Conferences and Affiliations

University of California - Los Angeles

Anderson School of Business - "Managing the Information Resource"

Assorted courses offered by Blue Cross/WellPoint Human Resources

 

CallCenter Exposition - February 1999

NIPAC - National IPA Coalition - December 1998

CALYNX - December 1998 conference and member of ID card work group

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Internet Commerce - December 1997

COMDEX Conferences- 1997, 1996

PBGH - Participating in EDI Enrollment initiatives

Mergers and Acquisition Conference

Speaker at Blue Cross Association on e-Business implementations

CIO conferences

IBM Tools exposition with focus on Ration Tools to support Project management and software version control

 

 

Individual Performance Recognition/ Social Responsibilty

Blue Cross of California President?s Award - 1997

Blue Cross of California Sales and Service Award - 1996 Sales Conference

Blue Cross of California TeamWork Award 1995 Sales Conference

Raised money for American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) by participating in a 150 mile running race through the Gobi Desert in China.

Radio interview by Joyce Bender AAPD related to fund raising activities for the disabled

 

 

Other Interests

Family, UltraRunning, Mountain / Road Biking, Rock Climbing, Mountaineering

 

 

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