AscellaHealth Inaugurates Strategic Advisory Council, With Founding Members, Advances Pharmacy Benefits Ecosystem Through Technology Deployment and Specialty Expertise

BERWYN, Pa., April 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AscellaHealth, a global partner delivering customizable solutions to support the specialty pharmaceutical industry, today announced the formation of its Strategic Advisory Council (ASAC), appointing its initial founding members representing key areas of the payer landscape, with additional members to be announced as the council expands. ASAC further accelerates AscellaHealth's commitment to technology-driven service innovation, enabling stakeholders in the self-insured ecosystem to deliver improved access and affordability for their members. Serving as a strategic thought partner to the leadership team, ASAC enhances AscellaHealth’s market reach and its ability to bring trailblazing payer solutions that successfully deliver on the full spectrum of pharmacy benefit needs – one of the most challenging and fastest-growing components of healthcare spending.

Bill Oldham, chairman and president, AscellaHealth states, “We are fortunate to welcome this exceptional team of advisers whose expertise strengthens our ability to advance beyond traditional pharmacy benefit models. Their collective backgrounds, including commercial and government health plans, will be invaluable as we continue to grow AscellaOne™, our newly launched pharmacy benefits marketplace designed to enable more transparent access and affordability.”

ASAC founding members bring expertise across healthcare leadership, payer strategy and innovation:

• Bill Winkenwerder is the Chairman and CEO of Winkenwerder Strategies, bringing deep experience in healthcare leadership, policy, technology and innovation to support CEOs, senior leaders, private equity firms and high-growth companies in achieving their strategic goals. Originally trained as a physician, his background includes serving as CEO of Highmark Health and leading the U.S. military health system as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.
• Denise Napier is CEO of VitalGain, where she delivers innovative solutions that accelerate revenue growth, streamline operations, and strengthen financial performance for healthcare organizations. Napier brings extensive experience from senior leadership across major government and commercial health plans, including President and CEO of Health Partners Plan; CEO at Aetna Better Health, and multiple executive roles at Coventry Medicaid and commercial lines of business.
  
  

“Drawing on the expertise of its founding members, AscellaHealth reinforces its ability to anticipate change, respond proactively and design solutions that align patients, providers and payers,” says Dea Belazi, chief executive officer, AscellaHealth. “As therapies become more targeted and transformative, representing some of the most clinically advanced and financially complex areas in healthcare today, there is an urgent need for sustainable access models. The establishment of the ASAC demonstrates our commitment to strategic innovation and a continued focus on transparent, patient-centric healthcare benefit solutions.”

By aligning clinical insight, data transparency, and value-based strategies, the Strategic Advisory Council plays a key role in helping AscellaHealth deliver innovative, scalable solutions that better serve stakeholders across the self-insured ecosystem.

About AscellaHealth LLC  
AscellaHealth is a global partner that delivers proven end-to-end solutions to both life sciences and healthcare companies to enhance the quality of life for patients with complex, chronic conditions. A dedicated team gets critical healthcare products from manufacturers to patients, while ensuring an efficient flow of funds between payers and pharma. For more information on our services and solutions, visit www.AscellaHealth.com.

Media: 

Esther Jin 
CPR Strategic Marketing Communications 
ejin@cpronline.com 
201.645.4896 x 10

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