Tom McCaffery

Principal

Health Management Associates

Washington, DC

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Tom McCaffery is a business, government, and public policy leader with more than 25 years of senior executive experience in multiple areas of the healthcare industry. His experience includes leadership roles with commercial health plans, state health and human services programs, hospital advocacy organizations and most recently, serving as the senior civilian leader of the Department of Defense (DoD) Military Health System (MHS).

With deep experience leading internal and external cross-functional teams on strategic initiatives, he has helped organizations navigate political, business, and policy environments as well as establish and sustain strategic external relationships and coalitions.

Prior to joining HMA, Tom served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. In this role he worked side-by-side with the uniformed and civilian leaders of the MHS. As the senior executive responsible for strategy, policy, and resourcing across the MHS and its over 600 hospitals, outpatient medical facilities, and dental clinics, he led health system transformation, enterprise management and strategic planning. During his tenure, he also played a critical role in DoD’s response to  the COVID-19 pandemic, including developing and issuing policy directives governing  DoD’s public health interventions, testing and vaccination efforts, and research priorities.

He has hands-on knowledge of the DoD’s TRICARE health benefits program, Medicare, Medicaid, government employee health benefits programs, and federal and state government healthcare purchasing procurements.

In addition to serving at the DoD, Tom has experience with commercial health plans, California state health and human services programs, and hospital advocacy. He previously served as vice president of California State Partnerships and vice president and general manager of the California

Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) Business Sector with Blue Shield of California.

Serving in several posts in health and welfare for the State of California, Tom’s career in state government included serving as chief deputy director of healthcare programs for the California Department of Health Services as well as undersecretary and assistant secretary of the California Health and Welfare Agency.

Tom earned a Master of Public Policy from the University of California and a Bachelor of Arts in government and international relations from the University of Notre Dame. He is a Truman Scholar and was also a Rotary Scholar Fellow at the University of Dublin, Trinity College, completing graduate studies in political philosophy.

An avid sports fan, Tom spends time traveling with his wife to watch their daughter play soccer and is a passionate fan of college football, especially the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, the Bulldogs of Fresno State, the Golden Bears of Cal, and any team playing against the University of Michigan!