Sarah Moyer is the Chief Medical Officer for Humana Healthy Horizons in Kentucky, Humana’s Kentucky Medicaid business, where she leads the quality, population health and health equity, utilization management, and care management strategies. Prior to joining Humana Healthy Horizons, Dr. Moyer served as the Director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, leading the community through the navigation of the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and opioid epidemic. Dr. Moyer earned a Master’s in Public Health from Dartmouth College, a Medical Degree from Temple University, and an undergraduate degree in physics from Colorado College.

How did you become a leader in healthcare? Was healthcare always something you were interested in?

I was an athlete as a kid and always interested in how everyone could be healthy and their best selves. I majored in physics in college, thinking I’d go into medical physics, but when I shadowed the medical physicist, I discovered I enjoyed interacting with the patients more and decided to become a physician. On the way (it’s hard to get into medical school!), I earned my master’s in public health, which broadened my thoughts about how people could be healthy.

I spent much of my training overseas, thinking I could be more helpful in countries that didn’t have a robust medical system like the U.S. My eyes were further opened to the disparities in health and healthcare in the U.S. when I was in medical school at Temple University in North Philadelphia. Since then, I have dedicated my career to closing these gaps.

You’ve been a part of WBL for almost a year now. What have you found most helpful during your time as a member so far? Can you share a piece of advice for other new members looking to get the most out of our network?

My experience has been largely focused on academic medicine and governmental public health, so when I started at Humana, I joined WBL to meet and learn from other smart women in the business of healthcare. I love to learn and have found the webinars to be very beneficial. But it’s the network of WBL that has been the most helpful. There are about 10 WBL members that live in the Kentucky area and we meet quarterly for lunch. If you haven’t met other WBL members in your area, I recommend searching the Member Directory and reaching out to organize an in-person get-together!

How does your role as CMO of a Medicaid plan compare to that of a more traditional payer? Are there any challenges you are facing that WBL members could help you with?

As CMO of Humana Healthy Horizons in KY, I lead the quality, population health and health equity, and care-management strategies to ensure that Humana Healthy Horizons is putting health first for the people we serve – members, employees, and communities across the state of Kentucky. Physician leaders who work with traditional health insurers are often responsible only for evaluating if the right care is being provided at the right place and at the right time. I love that I get to strategize on how to help our patients live their best lives, which involves incorporating meeting basic needs, identifying community resources, and advocating for policy change.

My favorite quote from my master’s in public health is that “every system is PERFECTLY designed for the results it gets.” I encourage other WBL members to look at your data by demographics, look at your results, and think about how you can tweak your designs so more people can achieve their best health. When we design our healthcare system to meet the needs of those who need it most, we all benefit.

Personally or professionally, what might the WBL network be surprised to know about you?

My husband is also a physician, and we have four young kids. Surprisingly, raising them has helped me grow as a leader in general and as a leader in healthcare specifically. My children have helped me set boundaries at work, taught me how to navigate tough personalities, and showed me the importance of food, exercise, and sleep for physical and mental health.