How Blue Cross Blue Shield Lives United
Blue Cross of Massachusetts was formed in 1937 as the Associated Hospital Service Corporation to help assure that hospital care would be available and affordable to working people. In 1941 Blue Shield was added to help cover the cost of physicians' services. Today, total membership is three million. For more on the company's history, click here.
Blue Cross Blue Shield's commitment to the community extends beyond its core business of providing health coverage. The company partners with Boston and Quincy schools, the Private Industry Council, United Way, and Boys and Girls Cl0ubs of Boston to provide summer employment and academic support to high school students. This work supports United Way's efforts to ensure that youth stay engaged in learning and graduate from high school ready to compete.
Another key area where Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Way align is healthy child development. With the Alliance for Health Care Improvement, the company sponsors the Parent Resource Network (PRN) Line. PRN provides information to parents about child mental health services, information, and support. The organization's employees also get involved through the Blue Crew, Blue Cross Blue Shield's employee volunteer program. The Blue Crew places 1,000 employee volunteers in a wide variety of community activities. Blue Cross Blue Shield is also represented on the Executive Committee of United Way's Young Leaders.
In addition to these corporate activities, the company has created the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation. Founded in 2001, the Foundation's mission is to expand access to health care for vulnerable individuals and families through grants, research, and policy initiatives. The Foundation operates separately from the company, and its goals are to increase awareness and understanding of health care access issues; support community-based policy development; identify and support successful models for serving low-income populations; and, encourage innovative program development. Last year, the Foundation made over $5 million in grants.
Blue Cross Blue Shield directly supports the work of United Way in a variety of ways. Executive Vice President for Health Care Services, Andrew Dreyfus, serves on United Way's board of directors. The company is a lead sponsor of the Kevin Stone Leadership program, and made combined employee and corporate contributions to United Way of over $2.5 million in the 2008-09 campaign.
