VHHA's HosPAC Honors Recipients of 2018 Triple H (HosPAC Healthcare Hero) Awards

Governor Ralph Northam, Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Chris Jones, Senate Finance Committee Co-Chairman Emmett Hanger Jr., Senate Minority Leader Dick Saslaw, Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Locke, House Commerce and Labor Committee Chairman Terry Kilgore, and House Deputy Democratic Leader Mark Sickles Among the Honorees Recognized at Awards Reception

RICHMOND, VA – Leading Virginia elected officials, including the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and several ranking members of the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates, were honored this week by the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association’s (VHHA) political action committee, HosPAC, as leaders in the effort to improve health care access in the Commonwealth. During a Tuesday evening (Sept. 25) ceremony at VHHA offices, HosPAC recognized several Virginia citizen leaders who earned 2018 Triple H (HosPAC Healthcare Hero) Awards. Recipients were recognized in two categories: HosPAC MVPs and HosPAC Champions.

The Triple H Awards recognize elected officials in Virginia who have worked diligently to enhance the health care delivery system in the Commonwealth in support of patients, providers, and the public. This year, dozens of elected leaders are being recognized by VHHA’s HosPAC for the important role they played in achieving a bipartisan, fiscally-responsible budget compromise that will enable as many as 400,000 uninsured Virginia adults to gain health care coverage. Photographs from the awards ceremony can be viewed online here, and video recognizing all award winners can be viewed online here.

“Important gains have been achieved this year to significantly improve coverage access and public health for so many Virginians. This outcome is the result of earnest bipartisan efforts by men and women in both parties who came together in Richmond and found compromise to address the health care needs of citizens of the Commonwealth,” said VHHA President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton. “In recognition of that work, this year’s HosPAC Healthcare Hero MVP Awards are being conferred upon Governor Northam, Lieutenant Governor Fairfax, Speaker Cox, Senators Hanger, Saslaw, and Locke, and Delegates Jones, Kilgore, and Sickles for being leaders in this effort. In addition, dozens of members of the House of Delegates and Virginia Senate are also being recognized for the vital roles they played in increasing coverage access in Virginia. We commend each and every one of these citizen leaders for their service to the Commonwealth and their support for improving health care access for Virginians.”

Added Mark H. Merrill, the VHHA Board Chairman and the President and CEO of Valley Health System: “Members of Virginia’s hospital community sincerely appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with members of Governor Northam’s Administration and the Virginia General Assembly in discussions about, and development of, health care public policy proposals to improve the health care delivery system that so many Virginians rely on for essential medical treatment. On behalf of the hospital community, I offer heartfelt congratulations to the 2018 HosPAC Triple H Award winners, and pledge our continued support as partners in the work to make Virginia more prosperous and the healthiest state in the nation.”

Those named HosPAC MVPs are: Governor Ralph Northam, Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Chris Jones, Senate Finance Committee Co-Chairman Emmett Hanger Jr., Senate Minority Leader Dick Saslaw, Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Locke, House Commerce and Labor Committee Chairman Terry Kilgore, and House Deputy Democratic Leader Mark Sickles.

Those named HosPAC Champions are: Delegate Dawn Adams, Delegate Lashrecse Aird, Delegate Terry Austin, Delegate Hala Ayala, Delegate Lamont Bagby, Senator George Barker, Delegate John Bell, Delegate Rob Bloxom, Delegate Jeff Bourne, Delegate Jennifer Boysko, Delegate David Bulova, Delegate Betsy Carr, Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy, Delegate Lee Carter, Senator Ben Chafin, Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler, Senator Rosalyn Dance, Delegate Glenn Davis, Senator Creigh Deeds, Delegate Karrie Delaney, Senator Adam Ebbin, Delegate James Edmunds, Senator John Edwards, Senator Barbara Favola, Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn, Delegate Scott Garrett, Delegate Wendy Gooditis, Delegate Elizabeth Guzmán, Delegate Cliff Hayes, Delegate Gordon Helsel, Delegate Steve Heretick, Delegate Charniele Herring, Delegate Keith Hodges, Delegate Patrick Hope, Senator Janet Howell, Delegate Chris Hurst, Delegate Riley Ingram, Delegate Matthew James, Delegate Jay Jones, Delegate Mark Keam, Delegate Barry Knight, Delegate Kaye Kory, Delegate Paul Krizek, Delegate Mark Levine, Senator Lynwood Lewis, Delegate Joe Lindsey, Delegate Alfonso Lopez, Senator L. Louise Lucas, Senator Dave Marsden, Delegate Danny Marshall, Senator Monty Mason, Senator Jennifer McClellan, Senator Jeremy McPike, Delegate Delores McQuinn, Delegate Will Morefield, Delegate Mike Mullin, Delegate Kathleen Murphy, Delegate Chris Peace, Senator Chap Petersen, Delegate Todd Pillion, Delegate Ken Plum, Delegate Marcia Price, Delegate Sam Rasoul, Delegate David Reid, Delegate Debra Rodman, Delegate Danica Roem, Delegate Marcus Simon, Senator Lionell Spruill Sr., Delegate Chris Stolle, Delegate Rip Sullivan, Senator Scott Surovell, Delegate Bob Thomas, Delegate Luke Torian, Delegate David Toscano, Delegate Kathy Tran, Delegate Cheryl Turpin, Delegate Roslyn Tyler, Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg, Senator Frank Wagner, Delegate Jeion Ward, Delegate Vivian Watts, Senator Jennifer Wexton, and Delegate David Yancey.

VHHA’s HosPAC supports Virginia candidates for public office based on their qualifications and interest in working on hospital and health care issues that can enhance public health and effectuate positive change in the Commonwealth. Learn more at the HosPAC website.

About VHHA: The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is an alliance of 110 hospitals and 27 health delivery systems that develops and advocates for sound health care policy in the Commonwealth. Its vision is to achieve excellence in both health care and health by fostering collaboration that helps make Virginia the healthiest state in the nation. Connect with VHHA through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and ISupport Virginia Hospitals website.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam poses with members of the VHHA Board of Directors

Brent Rawlings, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Delegate Bob Thomas, and Dr. Michael McDermott, President and CEO of Mary Washington Healthcare

Xavier Richardson, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development and Community Affairs for Mary Washington Healthcare, and Trent Nobles, CEO of Southside Regional Medical Center