Class Of 2012

John-Pierre Cardenas served as the Director of Policy and Plan Management at the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange (2017 – 2019), where he was the primary author of Maryland’s State Innovation Waiver to establish the State Reinsurance Program. Mr. Cardenas has played a critical role in shaping important health coverage affordability policies in Maryland, including crafting Value Plans, the Maryland Easy Enrollment Health Insurance Program, and the Young Adult Subsidy Program. Mr. Cardenas managed agency relationships with state/federal legislators and regulatory agencies and oversaw the implementation and administration of the State Reinsurance Program. 

From 2020 to 2022, through JP Consulting, LLC, he provided health policy advisory services to clients across the health system (from patients to policymakers) in their pursuit of extracting value, efficiency, equity, and justice for the communities they serve. Clients included the State Health Value Strategies, the State of Delaware, Public Policy Partners, and UnidosUS.

Presently, Mr. Cardenas works at Kaiser Permanente, where he serves as the Exchange Policy and Operations Manager for the Oregon and Washington State-based Marketplaces. In this role, he advocates for protecting access to affordable, high-quality health coverage in alignment with Kaiser Permanente’s mission. He received his Master of Science in Public Health from the Bloomberg School in 2014 and has a Bachelor of Arts in public health studies from the Johns Hopkins University. 

He currently resides in Los Angeles, California, and is enrolled in the Doctor of Public Health program offered by the Bloomberg School with a concentration in health policy. 

We asked John-Pierre to share with us some insights about his career/life design path and any advice for students navigating the complexities of the post-undergrad world:

We understand you have built a career in health policy . Could you explain what you do and what is rewarding about your job?

 I work for Kaiser Permanente as the Exchange Policy and Operations Manager for the Oregon and Washington State-based Marketplaces established under the Affordable Care Act (e.g., Maryland Health Connection or DC HealthLink). Each day, I apply the health policy education I received from PHS and BSPH to advocate for protecting access to affordable, high-quality health coverage.

In my role, I have the privilege to consider the complex health policy issues that affect Washington and Oregon – ranging from health coverage affordability to the cost of health care – and advocate for a healthy, accessible, and high-quality marketplace that operates in the public’s interest. It is rewarding to know that my work informs policy decisions that will make a difference in people’s lives, from how much they pay out of pocket when seeing their doctor to the quality of care they receive when seeking medical help. 

Since graduating from Hopkins undergrad, what has your path looked like? How have your interests and pursuits evolved?

My path has focused on the health coverage reforms in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the development of policies that strengthen the health of marketplaces. Along the way, I enriched my expertise by opting into experiences that allowed me to apply my knowledge in different contexts. For example, when I worked with Public Policy Partners, I had the opportunity to leverage my expertise to research the patient experience when attempting to gather information on abortion care. These experiences have been woven into an understanding of how policy affects entities across the healthcare continuum – from the patient experience to how the health plan administers a benefit. My current work at Kaiser Permanente is another one of these enriching experiences.

My interests have shifted from implementing the ACA to how the lessons of public engagement, policy design, and customer service that I gleaned from this experience can be applied to other public policy questions. For example, could the government implement financial assistance policies for Child Care through an ACA-like marketplace where consumers could access high-quality childcare providers? Could lessons learned from the monthly financial assistance infrastructure set up for the ACA be applied to the Child Tax Credit? There are so many frameworks from the ACA that can be applied to other public policy issues. 

How did JHU and Public Health Studies influence you or prepare you for grad school and your current role?

JHU and Public Health Studies played a crucial role in expanding my thinking of public health and how practitioners can apply frameworks for understanding and solving public health problems to almost any issue (big or small). These frameworks have influenced my career (and life!). 

As for grad school, nothing prepared me more than taking courses at BSPH during my senior year. Before opting in, I needed to experience the rigor of what a grad school program could be like. It also reaffirmed my passion for public health and the good it can do for the people and communities I love. 

Any advice for PHS undergraduates as they navigate how and what to pursue after JHU?

Opting into experiences that hone your internal compass – your framework for guiding yourself through important life decisions – is essential. These experiences can help you reflect on the public policy issues that invigorate your mind, the communities that activate your compassion, and the skill sets you’d like to contribute – or grow – to accomplish the good you aspire to create. 

It is okay to take time to explore (new knowledge), to experience (new things), and to examine (new versions of yourself). When your compass is aligned – you’ll know it. 

Bonus question 😊 : If you wrote a memoir, what would be the title?

The Tie that Binds: a Love-Driven Life