John Desser, Vice President Public Policy & Government Affairs

John Desser is Vice President Public Policy & Government Affairs at eHealth Inc. In this role, he is responsible for coordinating the company’s public policy agenda to Congress and the Executive Branch, as well as to state governments.

 

Previously, Mr. Desser served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Policy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He was also a health policy advisor to John McCain’s Presidential campaigns in 2000 and 2008.

 

While at HHS, Mr. Desser was selected by Secretary Michael O. Leavitt to lead the Administration’s “Affordable Choices” initiative, which was designed to extend basic, affordable health insurance coverage to the uninsured. While there, he interacted regularly with the White House National Economic Council, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Treasury.

 

Prior to coming to HHS, Mr. Desser served as Vice President and manager of the health care practice at Jefferson Government Relations, LLC for seven years. Before joining The Jefferson Group, Mr. Desser served as the Washington representative of the third largest HMO in America where he helped implement the company’s public policy and legislative agenda. Prior to joining Jefferson, Desser was a health policy aide and advisor to Senator John McCain and former Congressman Jon Kyl.

 

Mr. Desser received a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science/International Affairs from Northern Arizona University. He has also conducted graduate work in business administration at Johns Hopkins University. Mr. Desser was a co-founder of the Coalition for Affordable Health Coverage, a not-for-profit advocacy group that promotes market oriented solutions for the uninsured. He has been published in Health Care News and has appeared on the Michael Reagan Show.