Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) held its ninth National Summit conference this week in Dallas, Texas at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center. The annual convention for the employees of 36 BCBS companies was a great success, filled with innovative learning and anchored by inspirational keynote sessions. With over 1500 vendors and partners in the exhibit hall, there was a wide variety of resources and advancements for providers to explore.
The conference kicked off with a welcome from Scott P. Serota, President and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and a CEO Panel of bold visionaries from the organization, where Mr. Serota was joined by David L. Holmberg, President, and CEO of Highmark Health, Paul Markovich, President and CEO of Blue Shield California, and Paula Steiner, President, and CEO of Health Care Service Corporation.
The discussion ranged from the upcoming election and government healthcare plans to potential solutions for streamlining the healthcare system, in order to keep up with the fast-paced, on-demand shift in our society. Ms. Steiner pointed out that every possible healthcare solution in the world already exists within our country’s portfolio of programs, saying we have the infrastructure to provide access to care, but we can’t agree on how to fund it. Mr. Markovich agreed and said that our system is currently experimenting with the future of healthcare through Medicare and Medicaid. The panel agreed that a visit to the doctor should result in a bill no more complex than a grocery store transaction, but heeded caution in the pace of progress toward this desired end result. “We’re a country that tends to approach social change incrementally,” said Ms. Steiner.
Change was a big theme throughout the BCBS National Summit 2019, as seen in sessions such as Reinventing Engagement: Delivering Exceptional Member Experience, Evolving Traditional Care and Benefits with New Approaches, and a keynote session with the former CEO and Chairman of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, titled Dynamic Change. Ms. Nooyi spoke of her personal and professional growth, pushing for performance with purpose over financial performance, and encouraged attendees to take on the toughest programs and projects, in order to find greater success at work.
Another common discussion topic was the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and the growing demand for benefits built around them. From fitness programs to transportation, the SDOH are an increasingly popular theme for BCBS plan providers as evidenced by their launch of the impressive Blue Cross Blue Shield Institute.
Many attendees at the American Logistics booth spoke about the pain point of missed doctor appointments and acknowledged how appealing transportation benefits are for their Medicare Advantage and Medicaid members. Attendees were impressed by American Logistics’ best-in-class integration with Lyft and customizable provider parameters, built around individual plan’s logistical and financial goals.
American Logistics is looking forward to spreading the word about our seamless transportation benefit management at the Blue Cross Blue Shield National Summit 2020 in Orlando, Florida. If you’d like to discuss the advantages of adding a transportation benefit before then, click the button below to schedule a free analysis and learn more about maximizing the value of your plan.