Every two weeks, I have the distinct pleasure of speaking to a group of Blue Cross’ newest hires in a class we call Health Insurance 101. The crux of the lesson is a simple one: What’s the point of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana? Why are we here?
Early in 2009, my boss directed me to become an expert on the ongoing negotiations in Washington, D.C. that eventually became the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed into law on March 23, 2010.
Fourteen years ago, I was working for a collapsing telecom company that had just shut down the division I worked for and laid off about 70 of us. Three months later, I began my career here at Blue Cross, and as a cancer survivor, you might imagine I was VERY interested in getting health insurance coverage.
How many times have you seen something in the news and been surprised?
Most of us have already been there. Someone very dear to you, a child, parent, brother, sister or spouse gets sick, and then really sick, and you get scared. And of course, it’s 11:30 at night on a Saturday! What to do?
Blue Cross has a new leader. On Feb.16, 2016, the Board of Directors of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana unanimously approved the appointment of a new President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Steven Udvarhelyi (say ‘OOOD-var-high). Seldom can any company boast of finding someone who has done as much in his chosen field as our new leader.
