Vālenz® Hires Chris Shoffner as Vice President, Business Development
Shoffner brings expertise and passion for improving health plan design
PHOENIX, Ariz. (October 1, 2021) — Vālenz® announced today the appointment of Chris Shoffner as Vice President, Business Development. With nearly 20 years’ experience as an advocate for re-imagining employee benefits to achieve better costs and outcomes, Shoffner’s expertise aligns well with the mission of the Valenz ecosystem.
“Chris is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about creating a world where employees and employers benefit from health plans that deliver better care at lower costs,” said Rob Gelb, Chief Executive Officer at Valenz. “His expertise and decades-long track record of pushing for positive change in health plans and the self-funded insurance industry align well with the culture here at Valenz, where every decision we make is designed to enable smarter, better, faster healthcare.”
Before joining Valenz, Shoffner held leadership roles in healthcare consulting and fiduciary services, where he honed his expertise in executive intelligence aimed at improving health plan design, risk management, population health and health literacy. His specialties include healthcare tax code, health plan design, disease management, risk management and strategic planning – “all the things health plan fiduciaries should be concerned about today,” Shoffner said.
In 2008, Shoffner was selected by North Carolina state legislators and the Commissioner of Insurance to serve on the 2008-2010 Blue Ribbon Task Force for the state’s health plan. That experience, combined with his extensive knowledge of health plan management and oversight, inspired him to run for the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2016, with his platform heavily focused on controlling healthcare costs.
“I’ve long been a proponent of using data to make good decisions, to indemnify patients from balance billing and protect health plan assets in ways that save money for payers as well as patients and providers,” said Shoffner, adding that it was this mutually shared philosophy that drew him to Valenz. “Within the Valenz ecosystem, transparent, data-driven decision enablement is already there, and it’s actionable – both from the top-down employer level and for ensuring plan members choose high-quality, lower-cost providers who will deliver the best care for them as individuals.”
Nathan Nelson, Senior Vice President of Growth at Valenz, says Shoffner embodies the innovative, can-do mindset that has made Valenz one of the fastest-growing private companies in the country. “We are very excited to welcome Chris aboard,” Nelson said. “I speak for the entire executive team when I say we have every confidence in him to move us even further forward in assuring everyone in our ecosystem is strong, vigorous and healthy.”
For more information about Valenz and its leadership team, visit valenzhealth.com.
About Valenz
Valenz enables self-insured employers to make better decisions that control costs across the life of a claim while empowering their members to lead strong, vigorous and healthy lives. Valenz offers transparency through data to pinpoint members at highest risk, address gaps in network designs, ensure appropriate and accurate charges, and expertly navigate employees to optimal care solutions for substantial cost savings and improved health outcomes. More information is available at valenzhealth.com. Valenz is backed by Great Point Partners.
