Treasurer Folwell Announces New State Health Plan Executive Administrator

RALEIGH - North Carolina State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA announced today the appointment of Dee Jones as the executive administrator of the North Carolina State Health Plan. The announcement was made after an executive session of the State Health Plan Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting. As required by statute, Treasurer Folwell consulted with the BOT, laying out the terms of Ms. Jones’s employment including salary.

“Dee and I share a common vision about the future of the State Health Plan,” said Treasurer Folwell. “We want to reduce complexity and add value for plan members. It is important that we provide the members of the State Health Plan with the best care possible and, at the same time, be aware of our fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of the state.”

Jones held multiple roles at Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) , most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer for the Division of Health Benefits. In this role, she was responsible for coordinating completion and submission of the initial Medicaid Reform waiver application to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services and rolling out the implementation process. She also served as the Director of Operations/COO for the Division of Medical Assistance and as DHHS Senior Program Advisor. In both roles, she focused on identifying opportunities for more efficient and effective operations.

Prior to working at DHHS, Ms. Jones served as the COO for the N.C. Department of Administration, leading over 200 employees. During that time, she elevated customer service delivery, directed the continuation of the Procurement Transformation program and restructured divisions to ensure future sustainability.

Ms. Jones’s private sector experience includes 11 years with Time Warner Cable, a company with a broad client base of cable program providers and diverse customers. Her variety of roles include Division Controller; Senior Director, Operations Support; and Senior Director, Real Estate and Special Projects.

“I’m excited to join the team at the State Health Plan and look forward to the good work that we’ll accomplish in the coming years,” said Ms. Jones. “The role is as much about effectively managing large contracts and making sound business decisions, as it is about health insurance. My background positions me well to look at the program with a fresh perspective and to focus on making the necessary choices to assure the future of the State Health Plan.”