Charles N. Kahn III
Encyclopedia
Charles N. Kahn III (b. 1952, New Orleans, Louisiana) is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of American Hospitals
(FAH), whose member companies own nearly 20 percent of all American hospital beds. Kahn and the FAH represent their members on health policy issues like health care reform
and hospital care quality improvement.
. His father, Charles N. Kahn II, is a retired engineer and his mother, Felicia Kahn, is active in local and state politics. He received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in social and behavioral sciences from The Johns Hopkins University
, and a Masters of Public Health degree from Tulane University
's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
After graduating Kahn completed an administrative residency with the Teaching Hospital Department of the Association of American Medical Colleges
. He then served the Office of Financial Management Education at the Association of University Programs in Health Administration. Afterwards he served as a senior health policy advisor to former Senator David Durenberger
(R-MN) and as legislative assistant for health to then-Senator Dan Quayle
(R-IN).
, then a Tulane University
graduate student, and the Louisiana
campaign director for the presidential campaign of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller (R-NY). In 1969, Kahn served in what became the successful campaign for Maurice Edwin (“Moon”) Landrieu
, elected in 1970 as Mayor of New Orleans, and worked in Mayor Landrieu's Administration in 1975. In 1974 and 1976, Kahn managed Gingrich's first two campaigns for the U.S. House of Representatives.
’ Ways and Means Committee, first as Minority Health Counsel and then as Staff Director. During this time he helped develop legislation such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. From 1993-1995 and from 1998 to 2001, Kahn held positions with the Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA), as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer/President-Designate and President.
and the Catholic Health Association of the United States
in creating a hospital industry agreement with Congressional leaders and the Administration. This agreement played a role in the passage and enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
of 2010 (42 USC 18001). During the Clinton Administration's 1993-1994 health reform initiative, Kahn was responsible for the Health Insurance Association of America’s "Harry and Louise
" $14-$20 million advertising/public affairs campaign, which influenced the national debate about President Clinton’s healthcare proposal.
Kahn also is a founding principal of the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA), a private-public partnership that he helped to initiate. The HQA is a national private-public collaboration focused on improving hospital quality and making comparative quality information available to the public through the Hospital Compare website.
newspaper has listed Kahn as one of Washington, D.C.
’s top lobbyists for 10 consecutive years and wrote that Kahn “has influenced healthcare policy and politics in Washington more than all but a handful of others".
In a 2009 article about health reform, Time
listed Kahn as the only hospital industry representative on its "Who Will Decide: 14 players to watch" list. In 2001, Tulane University's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine awarded Kahn its "Champion of Public Health Award,” and Tulane University's Department of Health Systems Management recognized him as one of its "most important alumni."
Federation of American Hospitals
The Federation of American Hospitals is a trade association for investor-owned hospitals in the United States. It is based in Washington D.C. It is currently headed by "Chip" Kahn.-See also:*List of industry trade groups in the United States...
(FAH), whose member companies own nearly 20 percent of all American hospital beds. Kahn and the FAH represent their members on health policy issues like health care reform
Health care reform
Health care reform is a general rubric used for discussing major health policy creation or changes—for the most part, governmental policy that affects health care delivery in a given place...
and hospital care quality improvement.
Early life
Kahn was born and grew up in New Orleans, LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. His father, Charles N. Kahn II, is a retired engineer and his mother, Felicia Kahn, is active in local and state politics. He received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in social and behavioral sciences from The Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, and a Masters of Public Health degree from Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
After graduating Kahn completed an administrative residency with the Teaching Hospital Department of the Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of American Medical Colleges
The Association of American Medical Colleges is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC and established in 1876. It administers the Medical College Admission Test...
. He then served the Office of Financial Management Education at the Association of University Programs in Health Administration. Afterwards he served as a senior health policy advisor to former Senator David Durenberger
David Durenberger
David Ferdinand Durenberger is an American politician and a former Republican member of the U.S. Senate from Minnesota.- Early life :...
(R-MN) and as legislative assistant for health to then-Senator Dan Quayle
Dan Quayle
James Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....
(R-IN).
Political campaigning
Kahn's political campaign experience began as a high school student when he first met and worked for Newt GingrichNewt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
, then a Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
graduate student, and the Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
campaign director for the presidential campaign of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller (R-NY). In 1969, Kahn served in what became the successful campaign for Maurice Edwin (“Moon”) Landrieu
Moon Landrieu
Maurice Edwin "Moon" Landrieu is a Democratic politician from Louisiana who served as Mayor of New Orleans from 1970–1978. He also is a former judge...
, elected in 1970 as Mayor of New Orleans, and worked in Mayor Landrieu's Administration in 1975. In 1974 and 1976, Kahn managed Gingrich's first two campaigns for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Congressional support
From 1986-1993 and from 1995-1998 Kahn served the Health Subcommittee of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
’ Ways and Means Committee, first as Minority Health Counsel and then as Staff Director. During this time he helped develop legislation such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 was enacted by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996. It was originally sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy and Sen. Nancy Kassebaum . Title I of HIPAA protects health insurance coverage for workers and their...
of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. From 1993-1995 and from 1998 to 2001, Kahn held positions with the Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA), as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer/President-Designate and President.
Health reform debates
During the Obama Administration's 2009-2010 health reform initiative, Kahn, as President and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, worked with leaders of the American Hospital AssociationAmerican Hospital Association
The American Hospital Association is an organization that promotes the quality provision of health care by hospitals and health care networks through such efforts as promoting effective public policy and providing information related to health care and health administration to health care...
and the Catholic Health Association of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in creating a hospital industry agreement with Congressional leaders and the Administration. This agreement played a role in the passage and enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
of 2010 (42 USC 18001). During the Clinton Administration's 1993-1994 health reform initiative, Kahn was responsible for the Health Insurance Association of America’s "Harry and Louise
Harry and Louise
"Harry and Louise" was a $14 to $20 million year-long television advertising campaign funded by the Health Insurance Association of America —a predecessor of the current America’s Health Insurance Plans —a health insurance industry lobby group, that ran intermittently from September 8, 1993 to...
" $14-$20 million advertising/public affairs campaign, which influenced the national debate about President Clinton’s healthcare proposal.
Today
Kahn serves as a member of the Governing Board of the National Quality Forum (NQF), where he helps build consensus on national priorities for healthcare quality reform and the standards for measuring and reporting on quality. He also serves on the strategy-setting Coordinating Committee of the NQF's Measure Applications Partnership, which was established under the Affordable Care Act to advise the federal Department of Health and Human Services on selecting measures for public reporting and performance-based healthcare payment programs.Kahn also is a founding principal of the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA), a private-public partnership that he helped to initiate. The HQA is a national private-public collaboration focused on improving hospital quality and making comparative quality information available to the public through the Hospital Compare website.
Recognition
Becker’s Hospital Review named Kahn one of the top 10 most powerful people to know in healthcare and he is one of only 12 people who have appeared every year on what now is known as Modern Healthcare magazine’s annual “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” list, since its inception. The HillThe Hill (newspaper)
The Hill, a subsidiary of News Communications Inc., is a newspaper published in Washington, D.C. since 1994.Its first editor was Martin Tolchin, a veteran correspondent in the Washington bureau of The New York Times....
newspaper has listed Kahn as one of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
’s top lobbyists for 10 consecutive years and wrote that Kahn “has influenced healthcare policy and politics in Washington more than all but a handful of others".
In a 2009 article about health reform, Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
listed Kahn as the only hospital industry representative on its "Who Will Decide: 14 players to watch" list. In 2001, Tulane University's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine awarded Kahn its "Champion of Public Health Award,” and Tulane University's Department of Health Systems Management recognized him as one of its "most important alumni."