Kaiser, United CEOs are stepping down

The CEOs of two Colorado insurers are stepping down from their positions.



Vic Lazzaro, 59, retired from UnitedHealthcare, Colorado's second-largest health plan, last week.



Chris Binkley, president and CEO of Kaiser Permanente Colorado, is stepping down after 24 years with the organization to work for Kaiser on national issues, including bargaining with unions, implementing the new electronic medical record and growing membership.



Lazzaro was with UnitedHealthcare for nearly five years.



"Basically the company was looking at new organization, and I looked at what was available to me and said, 'We had a great deal of success, and I'm at a point in life where the option of retiring became very attractive,'" he said. "I'm going to retire and enjoy travel and community activities, as well as possibly do something else, more than likely unrelated to health care."



Lazzaro is being replaced by Dr. Craig Keyes, the former CEO of United's plan that served New York and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut.



UnitedHealth Group acquired Oxford Health Plans Inc. in July. Oxford provides health plans to employers and individuals primarily in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Charles Berg, CEO of Oxford, remained in that position and assumed responsibility for all UnitedHealthcare operations serving the tri-state markets.



UnitedHealthcare has about 550,000 members in Colorado.



Binkley has served as regional and divisional president for Kaiser Permanente for 16 years, including a stint in the Georgia region.



The Kaiser Permanente program offices in Oakland, Calif., will coordinate the search for Binkley's replacement, with involvement from the Kaiser Permanente Colorado leadership and physician group. Dr. Jack Cochran remains executive medical director of the Colorado Permanente Medical Group, the physician group that provides care exclusively to Kaiser Permanente members.



"I'm proud that I can hand to my successor a region that is well-positioned to continue to thrive in the marketplace," Binkley said in a press release.



Kaiser Permanente is a nonprofit health plan and the largest private health care provider in Colorado. Kaiser Permanente cares for more than 417,000 members in the Denver/Boulder and Colorado Springs areas.