August 05, 2025
Provided Image/Independence Health Group
Kelly A. Munson, above, has been named the incoming president and CEO of Independence Health Group. She will begin her role Oct. 1 and succeed the retiring Gregory E. Deavens.
Independence Health Group has tapped Kelly A. Munson to succeed the retiring Gregory E. Deavens as its president and chief executive officer beginning Oct. 1.
Munson, 53, brings more than 25 years of experience in the health care industry to Independence Health Group, which is the parent company to Independence Blue Cross — the largest health insurer in the Philadelphia region. She currently serves as the CEO of AmeriHealth Caritas, a joint subsidiary of Independence that is based in Newtown Square. She began that role in January 2024.
Munson will maintain an oversight role at AmeriHealth Caritas, a Medicaid managed care organization that operates in 13 states and Washington, D.C., to ensure "continuity and organizational alignment," Independence said in its announcement.
Independence serves more than 7.1 million people in 32 states and Washington D.C., and has more than 14,000 employees.
Munson was chosen after the company's board conducted a national search for Deavens' replacement, Independence said.
"As we look toward the future, I am incredibly eager to continue working with the leadership teams across Independence Health Group and its subsidiaries to grow the entire enterprise through this transformative period in healthcare — with the end goal of ensuring quality healthcare for all," Munson said in a statement. "Independence Health Group plays a vital role in the health care of the Philadelphia region and beyond, and that will never change. We will continue our legacy of civic leadership and our decades-long, heartfelt commitment to the improvement of the communities we serve."
Munson previously served as president of Aetna Medicaid, a CVS Health company, and as executive vice president and chief Medicaid officer at WellCare Health Plans.
Deavens, who has led Independence since 2021, plans to retire at the end of the year. He will remain with Independence through December to assist with the leadership transition.
Deavens called Kelly "an innovative and collaborate leader," adding that "her expertise in business operations is perfectly complemented by her unwavering dedication to our mission.
"Kelly will continue to empower and uplift our communities, and advocate for affordable, accessible, and equitable health care for all the members we serve," Deavens said in a statement.
