Putting members first, always

100-day message from David Hakanson

July 23, 2026

When I became President and CEO of G.E.H.A earlier this year, I did so with deep respect for an organization I've been proud to serve since 2022, and with deep confidence in the mission we carry forward. That confidence is grounded in what I've seen firsthand: a workforce driven by purpose, a member community that has counted on us for generations, and a mission that matters now more than ever. My job is to build on this foundation and make G.E.H.A even stronger for the members who depend on us today and the generations who will depend on us tomorrow.

For nearly 90 years, G.E.H.A has served federal employees, retirees, military retirees and their families. We were founded in 1937 on a simple belief: that people should come together to care for one another. That purpose is essential, and it continues to guide every decision we make.

Over my first 100 days, I've spent time listening. To members. To providers. To the employees who serve our members every day. To partners and regulators across the federal community. Two key things have come through clearly. First, the pride in G.E.H.A's mission is real and resolute. Second, we have not always met the standard our members deserve. Claims should be handled with speed and accuracy. Answers should be clear. Service should be simpler. Where we've fallen short, we need to acknowledge it, learn from it and fix it with urgency.

As CEO, accountability starts with me. So, I want to be direct about what you can expect from G.E.H.A going forward. My commitment rests on three promises:

• Transparency. You should never have to guess about your coverage, your costs or the reasoning behind our decisions. We will communicate more clearly, more often and in plain language.
• Excellence. You deserve faster answers, more reliable claims performance, stronger provider partnerships and modern tools that make care easier to access. That also means continuing to protect the value of your benefits by fighting fraud, waste and abuse, because program integrity is how we preserve affordability.
• Members first, always. Every decision we make will be tested against a single question: does this make things better for the people we serve? If the answer isn't yes, we go back to work.

Trust is not built through statements like this one. It is built claim by claim, call by call, interaction by interaction. That is the standard I have set for our organization, and the one I ask you to hold us to. Honoring G.E.H.A's legacy is not about preserving what was. It is about carrying forward the promise our founders made in 1937 and making sure it is just as true in 2027, 2037 and beyond.

If you have questions or thoughts on how we can better serve you, I want to hear them. 

Thank you for your service to our country, and for the trust you place in G.E.H.A.

We are committed to being worthy of it — and to delivering the affordability, value, service and trust our members deserve and future members should expect.

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