Kim Bimestefer was appointed by Governor John Hickenlooper to serve as Executive Director for the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing on January 8, 2018. She was reappointed by Governor Jared Polis in December 2018 and confirmed by the Colorado Senate in January 2019. As Executive Director, Ms. Bimestefer oversees the operations and strategic direction of the Department which administers the Colorado Medicaid (Health First Colorado) and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) programs.
Director Bimestefer has been a senior healthcare executive for more than 25 years. As the local Board Chair, President & General Manager for Cigna Mountain States, Ms. Bimestefer was accountable for corporate strategy, customer satisfaction, medical costs and trends, employee relations, branding, membership growth and earnings. In this role, she revitalized a struggling culture post acquisition and pioneered new partnerships with high-performing healthcare delivery systems and physician groups, creating responsive offerings in the CO, UT, WY and NM markets.
Director Bimestefer serves on the Board of Connect for Health Colorado, the American Heart Association, is Chair of CEOs Against Cancer for the American Cancer Society, is on the Advisory Board for A Precious Child, and chaired the 2017 CPRD Arts-in-Education gala fundraiser. She has received numerous industry awards for leadership in business and industry: Forbes Women Leaders Issue, one of seven western region leaders recognized for exemplary business leadership, June 2016; Colorado’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Business, Colorado Women’s Chamber, 2016; Outstanding Women in Business/Healthcare, Denver Business Journal, 2015; Women of Distinction, Girl Scouts of America, 2015.
Ms. Bimestefer earned her bachelor’s degree from Towson State University and her MBA from Loyola College of Maryland. She is also a graduate of the Wright Management Group and Darden School of Business, Executive Leadership Programs.