Thomas Johnson

Thomas Johnson has served a MHPA’s President & CEO since September 2004. Mr. Johnson represents the interests of the Medicaid health plan industry before Congress, the Executive Branch, and state governments. Mr. Johnson is also the Founder & President of the MHPA Center for Best Practices. Founded in 2010, the Center’s activities are tied to fulfilling the following core functions that comprise its mission: (1) conduct research on issues of operational value to MHPA members; (2) support MHPA’s advocacy efforts with clinical and operational research; (3) disseminate best practices and key research findings about Medicaid health plans and their members to the health care community; and (4) educate those involved in the federal safety net on ways to improve the health outcomes of Medicaid and CHIP enrollees.

Prior to his tenure with MHPA, he served as Vice President of Compliance and External Affairs for DC Chartered Health Plan, a Medicaid health plan located in Washington, DC. He served as Chartered’s lobbyist and legislative liaison with the federal and state executive and legislative branches of government. Mr. Johnson also created, monitored and implemented Chartered’s compliance program, where he monitored and enforced compliance with federal and state regulations, including HIPAA, BBA, and contract compliance. During his tenure at Chartered, Mr. Johnson also served as Chair for two terms of the DC Association of Health Maintenance Organizations, winning the 2003 Leadership Award. Mr. Johnson’s health care lobbying experience also includes serving as President of the DC Hospital Association; and representing the Medical Society of the District of Columbia, which serves as the DC Chapter of the American Medical Association. Mr. Johnson won repeated awards from the AMA for membership increases in DOCPAC, MSDC’s political action committee. 

Mr. Johnson has also represented regional trade associations on various issues, including but not limited to transportation, land use, taxation, personnel and procurement issues. Mr. Johnson’s major projects during this tenure included securing regional agreement and funding for the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge and approval of support for infrastructure support for the Verizon Center. Regional groups that he has represented include the Greater Washington Board of Trade (the area’s regional chamber of commerce); the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association; the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce; and the Midtown Business Association (serving as its founder). He is a native and resident of Washington, DC and a graduate of Tufts University and the Howard University Law Center. Mr. Johnson also serves as President of the Board of Directors of Family Matters of Greater Washington, a social services organization in Washington, DC.