bswift Announces New Executive for Health Exchange Business Unit

bswift, a leader in software and services for benefits administration, announced today that Don Garlitz joined the firm as Executive Director of its Health Exchange Solutions division. A key leader in the bswift management team, Garlitz will be responsible for the company’s ongoing operations of the Utah Health Exchange.

bswift recently renewed its agreement with the State of Utah to provide the critical underlying technology for enrollment and administration of the Utah Health Exchange, one of the first operational health insurance exchanges in the country. In addition to its ongoing efforts with Utah, bswift is in dialogue on the development of numerous state and private exchange opportunities.

“First and foremost, bswift is committed to making the Utah Health Exchange an enormous success and example for the rest of the country, and Don’s experience as one of the leading benefits consultants in Utah provides a unique and important perspective to the Utah Health Exchange and its ongoing operations,” said bswift CEO Rich Gallun.

“Employer-based exchanges are complex with many moving parts, and bswift has worked aggressively with Utah to address the many challenges and to develop a scalable model to handle the anticipated higher volume in the near future,” explained Gallun. “Our continued success as an innovator in the Exchange marketplace hinges on our ability to remain nimble and innovative with our software and services. We are delighted to bring Don onto the bswift executive team, given his proven track record and thought leadership in the development of the Utah Health Exchange.”

Most recently, Garlitz served as Vice President and Partner for FirstWest Benefit Solutions, a leading benefits consulting firm based in Utah. Garlitz was recognized as the Utah Underwriter of the Year in 2007 by industry peers at the Utah Association of Health Underwriters. At FirstWest, Garlitz influenced the development and evolution of the Utah Health Exchange by co-authoring the white paper used by Utah’s legislative leadership as an outline for the creation of the Utah Health Exchange’s defined contribution model. In addition, Garlitz co-authored work on the Exchange with former Utah House Speaker David Clark and has received a formal commendation from Utah Governor Gary Herbert for outstanding work as a health reform consultant to the Governor's Office of Economic Development. He also served on the Utah Health Exchange Advisory Board, which advises on Exchange operations, transparency and consumer issues.

Earlier in his career, Garlitz worked in the insurance industry in sales roles with Beneficial Life and AFLAC, and also as an independent agent. Garlitz holds a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from Brigham Young University. He is recognized by the American College as a Registered Health Underwriter.

About bswift
bswift is changing the world of benefits administration by combining deep expertise and a passion for technological innovation with a unique consumer-driven approach. Partnering with enterprises nationwide and serving millions of employees, bswift offers cloud-based technology and services for online enrollment, interactive decision support, ACA compliance reporting and employee engagement. bswift also provides access to consumerism, product and consulting solutions needed to build a benefits program specialized for both employers and employees alike. For more information about bswift, an Aetna company, visit www.bswift.com.