Michael Costa

Michael Costa is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Northern Counties Health Care, Inc. Prior to that, they served as the Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Vermont Health Access from January 2010 to March 2019. In that role, they managed risk and strategy for Vermont’s public health plan, which insures nearly 200,000 Vermonters. Michael was also responsible for a $1.2 billion budget and led Medicaid’s payment and delivery system reform efforts as Vermont transitioned from fee for service reimbursement to value-based payments. Additionally, they directed the work of the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Medical Officer, Director of Reimbursement, Direct of Payment Reform, Policy Director, Director of Health Information Exchange and Technology, and the Executive Director of Vermont’s Blueprint for Health.

Some key accomplishments during their time as Deputy Commissioner include leading the implementation of the Vermont Medicaid Next Generation ACO program (growing it from $0 to an estimated $400 million in 2019), gaining CMS approval for seven alternative payment models under Vermont’s Medicaid waiver, creating inter-agency collaborations on mental health and developmental disability services payment reforms (which launched in 2018 and 2019 respectively), professionalizing reimbursement schedules and avoiding litigation with health care providers, revamping the Department’s financial reporting, gaining regulatory approval for the State’s Health Information Exchange (HIE) plan (the first HIE plan to be approved since 2010), and receiving the Vermont Chair Award from the Bi-

Michael Costa pursued a Master of Health Care Delivery Science at Dartmouth College. Michael then earned a J.D., cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Afterwards, they completed a B.A. in Theirtory from Bates College. Additionally, they participated in the Millbank Memorial Fund Emerging Leaders Program and the Vermont Leadership Institute Snelling Center program at the University of Vermont.

Some direct reports include Daniel Sherman - Director of Primary Care, Kennedy Palmieri - Director of Human Resources, and Brynn Evans - Director of Development, Marketing & Communications.