Thursday, August 19, 2010
Excellent pick at BCBS
At the risk of appearing to curry favor with our largest insurer, I want to congratulate the Blue Cross Blue Shield board for appointing Andrew Dreyfus to be the company's new CEO. Andrew brings a wealth of experience and judgment to the job. The work he did several years ago as head of the BCBS Foundation provided the data and policy impetus for the MA health care reform act in 2006 that expanded insurance coverage to virtually the entire population. Beyond that, his record in the state government and at the MA Hospital Association demonstrates the kind of knowledge and astuteness that will serve BCBS and its subscribers well. This is a hard time to be in the insurance business, and we all wish Andrew well.
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3 comments:
How does he feel about price and quality transaprency including disclosure of contract reimbursement rates?
Thanks. Doctor, for giving Andrew Dreyfus' background relative to Romneycare. Now we really know whom to blame. And please stop repeating the "expanded to... virutally (the) entire population" propaganda. Massachusetts' residents were always insured to a high degree. All Romneycare did was move the needle from 94 to 97 and now probably back down to 96 (see the DHCFP "May 2010" Key Indicators report issued in the dead of night last Friday, August 13). Although the DHCFP has not updated the percentages, the absolute number insured has dropped like a rock since June 2008. As hard as it tries, the state can't even give away free healthcare insurance.
Dennis Byron
I wish him well too, and agree that more competition with less dominance by a single hospital system would be good (see: http://news.bostonherald.com/jobfind/news/healthcare/view/20100819blue_cross_names_new_ceo_says_insurer_to_lose_money_this_year_due_to_rate_caps/srvc=home&position=also.
However, I find it disquieting that the au courant means of increasing competition is allowing a private equity firm to buy the second biggest hospital system in the state (and associated physician practices). Private equity firms are not known for their altruism or commitment to the health and welfare of patients. They are also sometimes known for jumping into areas about which they know little, with bad results (remember Chrysler)?
Maybe there are better ways to increase competition.
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