HealthWell Foundation Elects Former U.S. Acting Surgeon General as Director
Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu, a Leading Voice in Public Health, Joins the Foundation’s Board
GERMANTOWN, Md. — October 22, 2024 — The HealthWell Foundation®, an independent non-profit charitable organization that provides financial assistance for underinsured Americans, today announced the election of Kenneth Moritsugu, MD, MPH, FACPM, a leading voice in public health, to its Board of Directors. Dr. Moritsugu, a Rear Admiral, is a former United States Acting Surgeon General and the first Asian American to hold that position.
As Acting Surgeon General, Dr. Moritsugu worked to raise awareness about mental health, childhood obesity, and the health needs of minority populations, among other priorities. He comes to the HealthWell Board with 37 years of experience as a career officer in the United States Public Health Service.
“I am honored to accept election as a Director on the HealthWell Foundation’s Board, and I’m eager to advance HealthWell’s critical mission to support America’s underinsured,” Dr. Moritsugu said. “I know the financial challenges surrounding health care can impact patients and their families in destructive ways. HealthWell makes an enormous difference for America’s underinsured by continuing to carry out their mission to reduce financial barriers to care for patients with chronic or life-altering diseases.”
Dr. Moritsugu served as the Deputy Surgeon General of the United States from 1998 until 2007, and Acting Surgeon General of the United States in 2002 and from July 2006 until his retirement in September 2007. Dr. Moritsugu subsequently was Vice President of Johnson & Johnson’s Diabetes Solutions Companies, and WorldWide Chairman of the Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institutes. He also served as the Interim Chief Science and Medical Officer of the American Diabetes Association.
David Knowlton, Chair of the HealthWell Foundation Board, said Dr. Moritsugu has exceptional leadership skills.
“Dr. Moritsugu is an accomplished strategic thinker, and he will be an excellent addition to our Board of Directors,” Knowlton said. “Our Board and senior leadership team will benefit from his deep understanding of health care policy and wide-ranging expertise addressing the financial challenges accessing proper health care imparts on underinsured Americans.”
To learn more about Dr. Moritsugu, visit the “Who We Are” section of our website. To learn about HealthWell Foundation programs and how you can support our life-changing work, visit us at: HealthWellFoundation.org.
About the HealthWell Foundation
A nationally recognized, independent non-profit organization founded in 2003 and a resource to the White House Cancer Moonshot Initiative, the HealthWell Foundation has served as a safety net across over 90 disease areas for over one million underinsured patients. Since its inception, HealthWell has provided over $4 billion in financial support through more than 1.5 million grants to access life-changing medical treatments patients otherwise would not be able to afford. HealthWell provides financial assistance to adults and children facing medical hardship resulting from gaps in their insurance that cause out-of-pocket medical expenses to escalate rapidly; HealthWell assists with the treatment-related cost-sharing obligations of these patients. HealthWell ranked 23rd on the 2023 Forbes list of America’s Top 100 Charities and was recognized for its 100 percent fundraising efficiency. For more information, visit HealthWellFoundation.org.
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