Zach Sherman

Managing Director

Health Management Associates

Boston, MA

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Zach Sherman is an Affordable Care Act (ACA) expert and Health Insurance Marketplace leader with extensive experience with start-ups and turnarounds. He is a strategic organizational leader who excels in building and enhancing team performance and has an impeccable ability to foster consensus among government leaders, insurers, and stakeholders to deliver value and achieve results.

Prior to joining HMA, Zach served as the executive director of Pennie. In this role, he successfully launched Pennsylvania’s state marketplace and established a new quasi-government agency. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, he developed and implemented a vision to meet objectives set by Governor Wolf, the General Assembly, and an independent board of directors. Under his leadership, marketplace enrollment increased by 13% from 2020 to 2022, reversing a multi-year trend of decreased enrollment through Healthcare.gov. Zach also played a key role in implementing the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) marketplace subsidies, resulting in 65,000 new customers over six months in 2021. He achieved programmatic and financial goals, including funding a federal 1332 waiver reinsurance program and reducing state-funded operating expenses by over 30% annually. He also leveraged state flexibilities to create innovative access channels and improve the customer experience.

Previously Zach served as director of Healthsource RI. During his tenure, marketplace enrollment increased by 11% while enrollment through Healthcare.gov decreased by 9%. He fostered a culture of customer service and continuous improvement, including a partnership with CVS Pharmacy to reduce payment barriers for unbanked customers. He managed the agency’s transition from start-up to ongoing operation, reducing the budget by 80% while expanding services and achieving one of the nation’s lowest uninsured rates. He also led Governor Raimondo’s response to federal threats, resulting in the enactment of a state-based individual mandate and the creation of a reinsurance program.

As the chief of staff at Healthsource RI in 2015, Zach designed a financial sustainability plan that secured dedicated marketplace funding. He managed community engagement, legislative advocacy efforts, and organizational restructuring for long-term, financially achievable management and oversight.

Zach’s experience also includes working as a consultant/engagement manager at Faulkner Consulting Group where he managed ACA contracts and provided implementation support to Rhode Island’s health benefits exchange. He also has a strong background in project management, consulting, and policy research and analysis.

Zach has a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from Rhodes College. In his free time, he enjoys reading, cooking, baseball, his dogs, and spending time with family.