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24 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JUNE 29, 2026 POWE R 25 | HE ALTHCARE B rian Evanko is president and chief operating officer of Bloomfield health insurer The Cigna Group and the company's incoming CEO. He takes over for longtime CEO David M. Cordani on July 1. Over nearly three decades at Cigna, Evanko has held leadership roles spanning operations, finance, government programs and international markets. He previously served as president and CEO of Cigna Healthcare and chief financial officer of The Cigna Group. Over the past year, Evanko said the compa- ny expanded its use of data analytics and AI to improve customer service and reduce inbound calls. He also cited efforts to address affordability, including a new phar- macy benefits model, expanded access to lower-cost prescription drugs and reduced medical prior authorization requirements. Looking ahead, Evanko identified afford- ability as the industry's central challenge, citing rising demand, chronic disease, costly innovation and market pressures. He said the company sees an opportunity to use technology and analytics to make healthcare more personalized while reduc- ing friction for patients. If you could change one thing in the healthcare industry, what would it be? I would realign the system to incentivize healthier living and consumer empower- ment, and to better link financial success with improving long-term health outcomes. Today, we have a reactive, "sick care" system where many stakeholders in the healthcare system perform better finan- cially when healthcare costs increase and people need more care. This is fundamentally backwards — we should be rewarding those who help people to live healthier lives, manage conditions early and avoid unnecessary care over time. Relatedly, our system doesn't make it easy to be a good healthcare consumer. It's often difficult for people to understand the true cost of healthcare services. And those who make healthy choices, or who carefully manage chronic conditions in adherence to their physician's treatment plan, see little financial benefit for doing so in our system. We have an opportunity to encourage healthy behaviors through a realigned in- centive structure for individual consumers and the companies involved in delivering healthcare. S abrina Trocchi has led Wheeler Health since 2019, overseeing one of Con- necticut's nonprofit community health and human services organizations. As president and CEO, she led the devel- opment and opening of Wheeler's new Bristol headquarters and federally qualified health center, the organization's first newly constructed building since 1972, while also expanding services in Hartford, New Brit- ain, Plainville and Waterbury. Wheeler now serves more than 70,000 people across most Connecticut communities. Over the past year, Trocchi said the orga- nization has navigated significant opera- tional pressures tied to reimbursement, policy and regulatory changes, particularly as a provider heavily reliant on Medicaid reimbursement. Looking ahead, she said one of Wheel- er's biggest challenges will be ensuring patients can continue accessing care amid threats to health coverage. She also sees an opportunity to reinforce Wheeler's role as an integrated care pro- vider, while highlighting the mission-driven nature of healthcare work to current and prospective employees. If you could change one thing in the healthcare industry, what would it be? If I could, I would change reimbursement structures, which lead to wide disparities in access to care and poorer outcomes. The American healthcare system includes advanced technology, great facilities and superb specialty care. But we seem to just choose to accept that millions can't access that quality care. Sabrina Trocchi President & CEO Wheeler Health Employees: 1,000 Education: Master's degree in public administration, University of Hartford; Ph.D. in public health, University of Connecticut Brian Evanko President & Chief Operating Officer; Incoming CEO The Cigna Group Education: Bachelor's degree in actuarial science, Pennsylvania State University S teve Nelson is executive vice presi- dent of CVS Health and president of Hartford health insurer Aetna. Previously, he served as CEO of United- Healthcare, a division of UnitedHealth Group, where he held leadership roles overseeing the company's commercial and government businesses. He most recently served as CEO of ChenMed, a value-based primary care company, and also held leadership positions at Henry Ford Health System. Over the past year, Nelson said Aetna has focused on workplace culture, employee engagement and execution, while also continuing workforce training partner- ships in Hartford with local schools and universities. Looking ahead, Nelson said one of the biggest challenges facing the healthcare industry is its fragmented structure, which can make care difficult for patients to navigate. He said Aetna sees opportunities to improve coordination between insurers, providers and community-based organiza- tions. If you could change one thing in the health care industry, what would it be? If I could change one thing, it would be to transform the relationship between payers and healthcare professionals from transactional to truly collaborative. When that partnership works, it truly can improve the member's experience. Steve Nelson Executive Vice President CVS Health President, Aetna Employees: 40,000 Education: Bachelor's degree, Portland State University; master's degrees in business administration and health services administration, University of Michigan WheelerHealth.org/careers Dedicated to making healthier tomorrows for Connecticut. Find your next opportunity and apply today!