NABIP Speakers Bureau - Speaker Information

Ms. Dierdre Kennedy-Simington CHRS, LPRT
President
BenAssist Health Insurance Services, LLC
1443 E. Washington Blvd., Suite 173
Pasadena, CA 91104
Work Phone: (626) 378-5656
Fax: (626) 628-1812
Chapter: CALOSANGELES
Web Site: http://www.benassisthealth.com
E-mail: dedek@benassisthealth.com

Dierdre “Dede” Kennedy, LPRT, CHRS, President

Dede Kennedy is a 35-year veteran of the industry, known nationally for her expertise in employee benefits. Dede is currently President-Elect for CAHIP Los Angeles, is serving as a member of the NABIP (NAHU) Legislative Council, California’s CAHIP Mental Health Task Force, on the NABIP Education Foundation Board and is Chair of the NABIP Legislative Council’s Mental Health Working Group. The NABIP Mental Health Working Group has two areas of focus – to influence mental health legislation and regulation, and NABIP member education.

She has over 35 years of experience in employee benefit planning, serving as an active citizen lobbyist with NABIP and CAHIP, all of which guides the work she does with mental health advocacy and NABIP.

Dede draws on her past experience as an Operational & Marketing Consultant for a women’s substance use disorder treatment facility, and Director of Contracting for a psychiatric hospital, where she developed a behavioral health independent physician association and negotiated with payors on in and out-patient services. She also developed and oversaw a limited purpose self-funded mental health and substance use disorder welfare plan for the hospital’s employees. In both settings as part of her accomplishments she trained admissions and utilization review staff on medical necessity and navigating the authorization process.

Dede is a frequent source for media outlets, has been interviewed by and quoted in the L.A. Times, Kaiser Health News, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, California HealthLine, Sacramento Bee, National Public Radio, KPCC, California Broker, Marijuana Ventures, California WeedLine, multiple TV and radio stations, including Spanish-language outlets.

A graduate of Polytechnic School and the University of Oregon (BA in Rhetoric & Communication), Dede enjoys traveling and lives with her husband and young adult kids in Altadena, California.

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