Linda Wheeler and Katie Fleming receive Certified Health Insurance Executive designation

Rockledge, FL (June 7, 2010)—Linda Wheeler and Katie Fleming of Health First Health Plans (HFHP) receive certification from the American Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Executive Leadership Program (ELP) on June 8, 2010. The AHIP Commencement and Awards Ceremony held this year in Las Vegas, NV, will designate Wheeler and Fleming as Certified Health Insurance Executives (CHIE) after achieving three intensive academic sessions during the year long program.

With more than 16 years of insurance industry experience, Wheeler joined HFHP in 2004 and today serves the company as Director, Sales and Marketing. Hired by HFHP in 2001, Fleming is the Corporate Director of Provider Relations and Physician Recruiting with over 15 years experience specializing in the managed care insurance industry.

Mentoring, academic sessions, and site visits frame the curriculum with a focal point on strategic management practices needed to lead health insurance plans. Limited to 50 hopefuls nationwide, candidates are selected based on high level of professionalism, excellent performance in their current position, and a commitment to the health insurance industry and sponsoring organization.

Filled with the industry’s most dynamic senior-level professionals, AHIP designed the ELP for rising executives to engage in meaningful dialog with other health care leaders across the nation. Wheeler and Fleming were also awarded Certificates of Professional Achievement from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

About Health First Health Plans

Centrally located in the Suntree area, Health First Health Plans currently has nearly 60,000 members, including 23,000 Medicare members. Serving residents of Brevard County and part of Sebastian in Indian River County for 14 years, Health First Health Plans was founded as part of Health First, a not-for-profit family of healthcare services that also includes Cape Canaveral Hospital, Holmes Regional Medical Center, Palm Bay Hospital, Viera Hospital, and Health First Physicians. For more information, visit  www.HealthFirstHealthPlans.org or call 321.434.5665.