Bowlus

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Brad Bowlus

President and CEO

PacifiCare of California

Brad Bowlus runs the second-largest health maintenance organization in California, with 2.2 million members. Only Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente, the original HMO, has more members in the state.

Bowlus, an 18-year veteran of the California health care scene, runs the California operations of Santa Ana-based PacifiCare Health Systems out of the company’s Cypress facility. He joined PacifiCare in 1994, overseeing the merging of the operations of two Washington-state health plans into PacifiCare. Last year, he was named president and chief executive after Jon Wampler resigned the post during a shake-up that happened when the company’s financial results fell below Wall Street expectations.

Bowlus reports directly to PacifiCare Health Systems President and CEO Alan Hoops, who oversees all of PacifiCare’s operations in 10 states. Nationwide, PacifiCare has 3.7 million members and reported $9 billion in revenues last year.

Over the past 9 months, Bowlus has had his work cut out for him, trying to integrate the operations of former Orange County HMO giant FHP International into PacifiCare. Among other things, the merger meant the updating of health care records for more than 1 million FHP members. The process was not entirely smooth and was partly to blame for a dip in PacifiCare’s earnings last year.

These days, Bowlus, like so many other HMO executives, is trying to defend against attacks on HMOs from consumer groups, politicians and lawyers. Over the last several years, PacifiCare itself has come under scrutiny over its treatment and prescription drug-related decisions.

Bowlus says HMOs are getting an unfair rap and are losing the public relations battle. “We need to get our message across,” Bowlus said. “We are making health care more affordable. If you take a look at the accountability we have brought to the system, it is much better. We have also brought in preventative programs. But all of that goes unnoticed. What happens is that one anecdotal story gets through and that’s all people see in terms of what an HMO is all about.”

Bowlus, 42, was born in Encino and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business from California State University, Northridge and received an MBA from Pepperdine. He lives in Corona del Mar with his wife of 18 years and a son and daughter.

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