REGO PARK, QUEENS, NY (07/23/2012)(readMedia)-- With great sadness, Fidelis Care, the New York State Catholic Health Plan, announces that Mark L. Lane, President and CEO, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, July 22, following a brief illness. He was 60.

The company is not announcing information on interim leadership or a transition plan at this time.

An experienced and innovative health care executive, Mr. Lane oversaw the development of Fidelis Care from its earliest days under the auspices of the Catholic Medical Center of Brooklyn and Queens in 1993. In 1996, he joined Fidelis Care on a full-time basis to lead the company's expansion from its initial service area of 14 zip codes in Brooklyn to 59 of New York State's 62 counties. Today, Fidelis Care is the largest government-programs based health plan in the State, serving more than 780,000 members through an extensive network of over 51,000 providers. Fidelis Care is also a major employer in the State, with more than 1,600 employees based out of four regional and three satellite offices.

Under Mr. Lane's leadership, Fidelis Care experienced rapid and sustained growth in membership, the addition and expansion of new programs and services, and success in the provision of quality care, which Mr. Lane considered to be a hallmark of Fidelis Care's mission to serve and care for those most in need, with the highest levels of compassion, dignity, and respect - a tenet of the Catholic health care ministry.

As a highlight of Fidelis Care's recent success, the company opened a new Operations Center and Offices in Amherst, Erie County, last September. At the dedication ceremony, which was attended by the State's Diocesan Bishops, Mr. Lane spoke of the company's abiding commitment to its mission. "We know that the opening and dedication of a new building is about much more than physical office space," he said. "In the purest sense, it is about the growth of a mission that is at the foundation of all we do, every day. And it is this mission that requires uncommon commitment and a spirit of service to others that inspires each of us to give our best - whether we are relocating to a new facility with room to grow, or helping our members build healthier lives for themselves and their families."

Prior to joining Fidelis Care, Mr. Lane served as Chief Operating Officer of the Catholic Medical Center of Brooklyn and Queens, Inc., which subsequently merged into Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers. He was also the Chief Operating Officer at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany, the largest acute care community hospital in northeastern New York. Mr. Lane also served as Vice President of Ambulatory Services at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, a leading academic health center in New Brunswick, N.J.

Mr. Lane earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Alfred University and Masters' degrees in Business Administration and Public Health from Columbia University.

Donations in Mr. Lane's name can be made to: The HealthyKids Fund c/o Fidelis Care 95-25 Queens Blvd., Rego Park, NY 11374, attention Jim Burnosky.

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Posted Monday July 23, 2012 at 01:41 pm by Fidelis Care
Last Updated Wednesday July 25, 2012 at 01:08 pm