Nickalas Watsula

Chief HealthChoices Officer, UPMC Health Plan Chief Operating Officer, State Contracts

Mr. Watsula has more than 20 years of experience in both finance and health care at UPMC. He has been employed with UPMC Health Plan since January 2000 and held concurrent leadership roles at the Health Plan. Mr. Watsula’s previous leadership roles include the Executive Director for UPMC for You and UPMC for Life, as well as the Vice President of UPMC for You and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a role he held since 2013. He is currently the Chief HealthChoices Officer, UPMC Health Plan, and the Chief Operating Officer, State Contracts.

In his current roles, Mr. Watsula executes strategic planning across products and directs and manages product line performance and overall profit/loss accountability. His responsibilities include membership and revenue growth, maximization of product performance, data and risk adjustment analysis, analyzing impact of proposed program changes, monitoring the products’ operating performance, and coordinating all financial requirements and filings, as necessary. He is also responsible for UPMC Insurance Services Small Diverse Business requirements.

Mr. Watsula serves on the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee (MAAC) and routinely attends the Medical Assistance Consumer Subcommittee meetings. Since 2019, he has held the position of treasurer of the PA Coalition of Medical Assistance MCOs (PAMCO), and as of 2023, serves on the board for PAMCO. He also serves on the board of Medicaid Health Plans of America (MHPA) and for the March of Dimes (Western and Central PA market).
Education/Training:
  • Maintains a leadership certificate from the University of Pittsburgh Katz School of Business
  • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
  • Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Vincent College