Jennifer Kurkjian
About Jennifer Kurkjian
Jennifer Kurkjian serves as the System VP of National Payers at CommonSpirit Health, a position she has held since 2019. With extensive experience in managed care and provider network expansion, she has worked in various leadership roles across multiple healthcare organizations.
Work at CommonSpirit Health
Jennifer Kurkjian has served as System Vice President of National Payers at CommonSpirit Health since 2019. In this role, she focuses on managing relationships with national payers and enhancing the organization's payer strategies. Her position is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she has contributed to the organization's efforts in healthcare delivery and payer collaboration.
Previous Roles in Healthcare
Prior to her current role, Jennifer Kurkjian held several positions in the healthcare sector. She worked at Dignity Health as Vice President of Managed Care from 2017 to 2019 and as Senior Director of Managed Care from 2010 to 2014. Additionally, she served as RVP of Network Management at Anthem Blue Cross from 2007 to 2009 and as Manager of Provider Relations at Kaiser Permanente from 1993 to 2000. Her extensive experience spans various aspects of managed care and provider relations.
Education and Expertise
Jennifer Kurkjian holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Pomona College, which she attended from 1986 to 1990. She also earned a Master of Public Administration in Health Policy and Management from the University at Albany, SUNY, studying from 1990 to 1999. Her educational background supports her expertise in provider network expansion, healthcare contracting, and project management.
Skills in Healthcare Management
Jennifer possesses skills in contract language review and negotiation, particularly for commercial and Medicare Advantage products. She has experience in provider relations, education, training, and network communications. Her expertise includes managing provider network expansion and developing new products and territories within the healthcare sector.
Teaching Experience
In addition to her roles in healthcare management, Jennifer Kurkjian has experience in academia. She served as an Adjunct Professor in Basic Medical Coding at Los Medanos College from 2009 to 2012. This role allowed her to share her knowledge and expertise in medical coding with students, contributing to their education and professional development.