As a CPA, Marilyn narrowed her focus to health care financial management, serving as Controller for a national health insurance carrier, CFO for a regional TPA, and health management positions within the Montana State Government.
Marilyn took the helm of the State of Montana Employee Benefit Plan in late 2014, moving the Plan from projected reserves of -$9 million to $112 million in less than 3 years. She disrupted the status quo by implementing reference-based contracting with all Montana hospitals; transparent, pass through pharmacy benefit; enhanced primary care on-site health clinics; and elimination of non-value added products and services.
For her work in the health care financial arena, Marilyn was selected as #13 of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine.
Marilyn currently serves as a Senior Policy Fellow for the National Academy of State Policy (NASHP), where she is supports the NASHP Hospital Cost Tool. Using Medicare Cost Report data, the tool calculates selected financial metrics for over 6,500 hospitals spanning 10 years. The tool provides states, employers, and other purchasers of hospital care critical data to support cost containment measures.