The Arab American News - page 7

June 2010 - sahtak
7
of the Service Dealers Association, I
get it, when it comes to the insurance
needs of small business and entrepre-
neurs.
"We want to eliminate the myth
that BCBSM is for the big guys only.
We are working harder than ever to
understand the needs of small busi-
ness in the Arab and Chaldean com-
munities. We are working to provide
many different ways to make insur-
ance affordable and accessible to
small businesses and entrepreneurs.
This could be benefit design or value-
based products that don’t require co-
pays for things like insulin. Plans that
focus on wellness and personal ac-
countability will be key in Arab and
Chaldean communities and else-
where. Products that provide incen-
tive for healthy choices like Healthy
Blue Living and Healthy Blue Out-
comes will be important."
With 2009 and its economic night-
mare behind us, Loepp is optimistic."
As difficult as our current circum-
stances are, we are better positioned
now than one year ago.The U.S. econ-
omy is showing signs of improvement.
GM and Chrysler were the 1st and
3rd largest industrial bankruptcy fil-
ings ever, but they have emerged in-
tact. The resurgence of the American
auto industry is astounding – and sig-
nals that good things are ahead for
both Michigan and the nation.We are
on the last legs of a job decline trend
that started in 2000. Growth is ex-
pected as soon as next year in indus-
tries like construction.
"One real economic bright spot
here in Michigan during the whole
time has been health care.According
to the Michigan Health & Hospital As-
sociation Economic Impact study, re-
leased last month, health care jobs
and jobs indirectly related to the in-
dustry employed more than 900,000
people in Michigan last year and con-
tributed more than $45 billion to our
state economy in wages, salaries and
benefits."
And committed to Michigan and its
families as it has been for more than
70 years, Loepp says BCBSM did its
part. "Across the state, the Blues
pumped more than $20 billion back
into the Michigan economy last year
in the form of medical and pharmacy
claims payments. Blue Cross alone
paid $54 million per day back into
Michigan health care; that's $2.2 mil-
lion every hour of every day to pro-
vide health care for people."
2009 held challenges for the Blues,
as well, Loepp said. "Blue Cross lost
nearly a quarter-million members in
2009 alone. More and more individu-
als who can't get health insurance
from employers need to find it on
their own. And in Michigan, if they
have pre-existing conditions, they can
only find health coverage at Blue
Cross.We remain the only insurance
company that accepts all applicants
regardless of their health status."
And that's one reason Loepp is
very supportive of the recently
passed health care reform bill.
"From the start, Blue Cross has ad-
vocated for reform. Michigan is a shin-
ing example in improving quality and
efficiency of health care delivery. Blue
Cross stands as a model for ensuring
access to care through guaranteed
issue and not denying anyone cover-
age due to pre-existing conditions. In
2009, Blue Cross reaffirmed our sup-
port of the MHA Keystone Center,
providing financial support for hospi-
tal-based quality assurance programs
that have saved more than 1,800 lives
and $271 million.
"The Blues launched the nation's
largest Patient-Centered Medical
Home program in the nation with
more than 1,200 physicians involved.
These doctors are changing health
care by focusing every effort on the
health and well-being of the patient.
This program is delivering positive im-
pacts to nearly 2 million Michigan res-
idents today.
"The Blues is also a driving force in
physician adoption of ePrescribing,
which reduces errors and improves
efficiency, Loepp said. In this effort, we
work as partners with other health
plans and with pharmacies and health
systems. Michigan is ranked #3 in the
nation for this initiative. So many
things are happening in Michigan that
should stand as examples for the
post-reform world of health care."
So what does Loepp have to say
about the Obama-championed Pa-
tient Protection and Affordable Care
Act?
"For consumers, there will now be
no lifetime cap on benefits, no unrea-
sonable annual limits, there will be
protections that keep insurers from
terminating coverage without just
cause," Loepp said. "There will be no
cost-sharing for certain preventive
services and coverage will be ex-
tended so dependent children can
stay on their parent's insurance until
they are 26 years old. Those things
are immediate or in the very near fu-
ture. Other reforms like guaranteed
issue (accepting everyone regardless
of health status), adjusted community
rating, guaranteed renewal and elimi-
nation of pre-existing condition wait-
ing periods … will take effect in
2014."
What impact will reform have on
the insurance industry? "Blue Cross
Blue Shield of Michigan has long been
preparing for reform and is well posi-
tioned to be successful in the post-re-
form environment. Reform legislation
represents a profound change for
other insurers because they will ulti-
mately be required to do as we al-
Left: ACC President and CEO Dr. Haifa Fakhouri with President and CEO of
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Mr. Daniel Loepp.
Above: ACC’s Board of Director and Advisory Board joined community
leaders at ACC’s Youth Recreation & Leadership Center for a meeting with
Mr. Daniel Loepp, President of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
"We've learned where
opportunities exist
for outreach between
BCBSM and
Arab/Chaldean com-
munities; how to be
more responsive to
the community's
needs; that we need
to knock down lan-
guage barriers; we
need to establish
links with pharma-
cists serving this
community; we need
to strengthen ties
with Arab and
Chaldean families;
and we need to con-
sider vendor relation-
ship possibilities."
— Daniel Loepp
President and CEO
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
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