LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP) is gearing up to host its second joint summit meeting in conjunction with the National Association of Specialty Health Organizations (NASHO).

At the event, the 2013 Specialty Health Summit, NASHO will name the Most Influential in Specialty Health Award winner during the 2013 Specialty Health Summit Chairman’s Dinner on April 29. The award, now in its fourth consecutive year, has previously recognized Rob Lynch, president and CEO of VSP Global; George DeVries, III, co-founder of American Specialty Health; and Karen Rohan, past president of Magellan Health Services.

Nominees are requested now through March 22 and should be executives from specialty health plans or provider networks that facilitate and support the delivery of specialty health services, including vision, dental, hearing, pharmacy benefit management, behavioral health, chiropractic, complementary and alternative medicine, physical therapy, radiology management and other ancillary services. The award recognizes individuals whose drive, passion and efforts have benefited not only their professional and company interests but also the specialty health industry as a whole. Nominees may include any leader who has had an impact on specialty health on the basis of visibility, contribution, influence and reputation as judged by an independent panel of employers, health plan executives, third party administrators and brokers.

The expanded annual event this year is known as “Collaboration: Navigating the Road Ahead” and will be held at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, April 29 to May 1. Leading the speaker lineup are keynote presenters Kip Piper, president of Health Results Group, Dr. Charles Posternack, chief medical officer of Boca Raton Regional Hospital and U.S. Representative Alan Lowenthal, State of California, 47th District (Invited).

Other featured speakers include: on vision care, Marge Axelrad, senior vice president, Jobson Optical Group; Kimberly A. Landry, product research analyst, LIMRA; and Daniel Henry, FSA, MAAA, actuary, Milliman; and on Specialty Health, Alexander Domaszewicz, principal, Mercer (invited); David Smith, Health Care Analyst, Leavitt Partners; Kyle Stern, cofounder and managing director, Healthscape Partners; and Mark Milanowski, director, Healthscape Partners.