Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), an independent licensee
of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is Arizona’s largest
locally-based health insurance company. Founded in 1939, BCBSAZ is a
not-for-profit tax-paying organization that provides health
insurance products, services and health care networks to 1.3 million
individuals. With offices in Phoenix, the East Valley, Flagstaff and
Tucson, we employ more than 1,300 Arizonans.
It is our MISSION to provide the best value in health insurance and
improve the quality of life for Arizonans. By investing in our
community, BCBSAZ helps to make Arizona an attractive and vibrant
state where we all can thrive. The initiatives and activities
mentioned here are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of BCBSAZ’s
commitment to the community and to the state.
As we celebrate 75 years of service to Arizona, we are pleased and
honored to support The Arizona We Want 2.0. The goals of The
Arizona We Want 2.0 are our goals, too.
Education
Prepare Arizonans of all ages for the 21
stcentury workforce.
BCBSAZ RESPONSE TO THE ARIZONA WE WANT GOAL 1
WHAT CITIZENS WANT?
Graduate high school students who are “college-career” ready.
Align graduation requirements to national and international standards.
Customize education to meet student goals.
Key Gallup Findings:
19% of Arizonans rate their community highly for the quality of its public schools.
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT BCBSAZ?
NEXT STEPS FOR BCBSAZ
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Nearly 300 Teach For America corps
members, recruited nationwide from the
ranks of our most promising future leaders,
are teaching in more than 90 of Arizona’s
highest need schools. They are joined by
some 700 Teach For America alumni in
Phoenix.
BCBSAZ continues to look for ways to provide sustaining support for education. For
example, we recently committed to covering the ongoing annual costs of NAU’s Healthcare Library and Curriculum Resources, supporting the research needs of advanced health science students in Northern Arizona. BCBSAZ supports organizations that focus on early
education and quality childcare, including Head Start, Chicanos Por La Causa, the Children’s Action Alliance, and the Urban League.
In the past year, BCBSAZ has enabled groups across the state to provide more than 25 higher education scholarships to deserving students.
BCBSAZ supports a number of programs in the state’s public universities and numerous educational foundations.
BCBSAZ supports higher education and reimburses its employees for education costs. Since 2012, our employees have received 22 college or graduate degrees. In addition, BCBSAZ provided 15 scholarships for BCBSAZ dependents in the past year.
BCBSAZ is committed to the ongoing funding of a scholarship for 3rd and 4th year students of
actuarial science at Arizona State University.
“BCBSAZ’s long time commitment to
our work has been critical to growing
our impact across the Valley. As a
result of their generous support over
the past decade, we have been able to
grow the size of our teaching corps
and alumni base and now are
impacting the lives of over 20,000
children growing up in low income
communities every day.”
-
Lindsay Wheeler DeFrancisco Executive DirectorTeach For America - Phoenix
Teacher Ivan Yocum and his class at Doolen Middle School in Tucson receive the BCBSAZ award that recognizes their outstanding efforts in STEM.
Engaging students at Valley View Elementary School in Phoenix
BCBSAZ supported science, technology engineering and math (STEM)
education through a SciEnTek grant to a teacher in Pima County.
Job Creation
Create quality jobs for all Arizonans.
BCBSAZ RESPONSE TO THE ARIZONA WE WANT GOAL 2
WHAT CITIZENS WANT?
Increased job opportunities.
Job training programs for Arizonans of all ages.
Lower business taxes.
More investments in renewable energy.
Key Gallup Findings:
• 96% of Arizonans do not rate their community highly for economic conditions.
• 76% do not believe the next generation will have a higher standard of living than we have today.
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT BCBSAZ?
UMOM New Day Centers, the largest
shelter for families in Arizona, provide
educational and workforce skills training
that enable families to succeed as they
transition to affordable housing. With
support from BCBSAZ, UMOM continues to
develop innovative workforce solutions.
One example is the Helpings Café Catering
& Market, where residents learn
transferable skills, including barista skills,
cashiering, customer service and food
service. The café not only provides
training and job readiness skills but creates
revenue to allow UMOM to reinvest
services for families in need.
BCBSAZ is proud to support UMOM’s
career development programs that help
individuals become and remain employed.
Statewide, BCBSAZ supports chambers of commerce and economic development organizations. Recently, BCBSAZ chaired a committee for the Tucson Regional Economic Organization (TREO) that shaped key
recommendations for southern Arizona to become “America’s Healthiest Region,” a key component of the region’s 2014 Economic Blueprint Update. BCBSAZ provides ongoing support, including board
service, to TGen (the Translational Genomics Research Institute) for its innovative work in health care research.
BCBSAZ supports job skill development and employment training through organizations such as Arizona Women’s Education & Employment (AWEE), UMOM, and Goodwill of Arizona.
NEXT STEPS FOR BCBSAZ
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
BCBSAZ is committed to helping small businesses thrive and providing affordable health insurance to employees. BCBSAZ will offer health insurance options to small businesses on the small employer public health insurance exchange (SHOP) in 2015. In addition to providing paid internships for high
school and college students, BCBSAZ partners with the City of Phoenix to offer summer employment to more than a dozen at-risk youth - both high school and college students - in positions throughout the company.
With more than 1,300 employees, BCBSAZ prides itself on attracting and retaining a strong, steady workforce with exceptional tenures of service.
Building A Strong Labor Force
Recent UMOM Food Service Graduate
Environment & Infrastructure
Protect Arizona’s natural environment, water supplies and open spaces and build
a modern , effective transportation system and infrastructure
BCBSAZ RESPONSE TO THE ARIZONA WE WANT GOALS 3 & 4
WHAT CITIZENS WANT?
Water management plans for all regions of Arizona—statewide, regional and municipal. Policies that balance population growth with
preserving open space.
Mass transit systems that connect communities throughout the urban regions of the state. New highways and roads to reduce congestion. Improvements in airports and rail systems to
support trade.
Statewide high-speed broadband.
Key Gallup Findings:
Of 14 features, Arizonans rate the state’s natural beauty, outdoor parks and trails as its greatest assets.
22% of Arizonans rate their community highly for its highways and freeway system.
NEXT STEPS FOR BCBSAZ
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Blue
Goes
Green
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT BCBSAZ?
BCBSAZ is pleased to support the Fresh Express, a mobile market on wheels which makes fresh produce available to consumers in underserved areas. This initiative provides easy access to individuals to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables in their immediate neighborhood.
BCBSAZ will partner with organizations that work to conserve and promote our desert
environment, ranging from seed bank collection to environmental clean-up.
BCBSAZ supports the Desert Botanical Garden, including the Central Arizona Conservation Alliance, a Five Communities project which will engage community members to study, restore and promote the desert mountain parks of metro Phoenix.
BCBSAZ supports The Nature Conservancy, working with local communities across the state to protect our land and water.
BCBSAZ launched a telework program
for employees in 2008 that has grown
to include 30% of its workforce. BCBSAZ
has been called upon by various
organizations to share best practices.
Combined with the vanpool, ride-share
and Compressed Work Week programs,
telework helps reduce the company’s
carbon footprint while providing
flexibility and improved quality of life to
employees.
BCBSAZ prides itself on its green
facilities. Solar panels at the company’s
Phoenix headquarters have resulted in
significant energy savings. Water
conservation and recycling have become
an important part of integrating
environmental responsibility into our
business practices. BCBSAZ strives to be
a considerate energy consumer, running
our data generators at off-peak times to
take pressure off the energy grid for
neighboring homes and businesses.
And finally, BCBSAZ constructed a facility
with state-of-the-art environmentally
sound features to house its technology
department.
For more than a decade, BCBSAZ has made a significant commitment to going paperless, with over 94% of health insurance claims currently received electronically. In addition, over 50% of benefit statements are now electronic and 40% of our members receive their benefit books
Healthcare
Provide health insurance for all, with payment assistance for those who need it.
BCBSAZ RESPONSE TO THE ARIZONA WE WANT GOAL 5
WHAT CITIZENS WANT?
Health insurance that is publicly available to all Arizonans with payment assistance for those who need it.
Healthcare discounts for people who adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors.
More doctors and healthcare professionals to provide primary healthcare services.
Key Gallup Findings:
Only 23% of Arizonans rate their community highly for accessible healthcare.
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT BCBSAZ?
NEXT STEPS FOR BCBSAZ
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Through our newly created Community
Outreach Unit, BCBSAZ is working with
several community organizations to
educate individuals about the Affordable
Care Act (ACA) and improve health
literacy. Some of the groups we partner
with include:
• Wells Fargo –
BCBSAZ participates in
the bilingual “Hands on Banking” and
financial literacy program
• Fresh Start Women’s Foundation –
BCBSAZ conducted workshops to assist
Fresh Start in better serving their
clients
• St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance –
BCBSAZ participates in the Community
Kitchen curriculum and life skills
program.
BCBSAZ supported efforts to expand access to affordable, quality health care for Arizonans by playing an advisory role to all parties during the recent legislative process that ended with the expansion of Medicaid.
BCBSAZ educated consumers throughout the state about the ACA, partnering with Chicanos Por la Causa (CPLC) and other local groups to develop awareness. BCBSAZ was among the first organizations to support a statewide infrastructure for health care providers to share electronic health information. BCBSAZ actively supports Arizona Health-e Connection (AzHEC ) and the Health Information Network of Arizona (HINAZ). BCBSAZ supports primary care physicians through
innovative arrangements that allow them to earn additional compensation for delivering quality care.
BCBSAZ will broaden educational efforts to ensure more Arizonans are aware of the coverage options available to them through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion. BCBSAZ will continue to support legislative
initiatives that contain costs for Arizonans and maintain state control over health insurance, and will serve as a trusted advisor for state and federal officials as we move forward with healthcare reform.
In partnership with CPLC and the Hispanic Women’s Corporation, BCBSAZ developed Los Medicos, a scholarship program for medical students at the University of Arizona. BCBSAZ also funds a scholarship through Northern Arizona University for nurse practitioners willing to practice in rural Arizona.
BCBSAZ leaders serve on many government task forces and public coalitions to improve the state of healthcare in Arizona. One such effort is The Arizona Partnership for Immunization (TAPI), whose goal is to ensure Arizonans receive immunizations.
BCBSAZ Staff at the CPLC Health & Wellness Fair
Young Talent
Make Arizona “the place to be” for talented young people.
BCBSAZ RESPONSE TO THE ARIZONA WE WANT GOAL 6
Sidebar Success Story
WHAT CITIZENS WANT?
Quality jobs.
More “places” where young people can gather. Protection for the environment.
Culture of openness and opportunity for all.
Key Gallup Findings:
Only 6% of young Arizonans believe their community offers good job opportunities. 19% rate their community highly for its nightlife;
20% believe it’s a good place to meet people. 42% give high marks to Arizona’s open spaces. Young Arizonans believe leaders need to be
“willing to listen.”
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT BCBSAZ?
As a founding donor and the very first
corporate sponsor for Be A Leader
Foundation (BALF), BCBSAZ has been
committed to the ongoing success of this
growing organization from day one.
BALF’s President/CEO Gary Trujillo noted:
“BCBSAZ provided essential support in
helping us move BALF from a family
foundation to a 501(c)3 many years ago.
This was a significant step forward in
allowing us to grow and serve more youth.
BCBSAZ has been there every step of the
way, with funding as well as hands-on
support. Rich Boals and other leaders at
BCBSAZ have personally supported and
mentored many of our program graduates.
As an indication of our gratitude for the
many years of support, a group of us are
funding a scholarship through ASU’s
Hispanic Business Student Association in
Rich’s name.”
BCBSAZ supports a wide variety of arts and culture organizations, from the Flagstaff Symphony to the Tucson Museum of Art. Many of these investments have multiple benefits. For example, in addition to adding historic richness to the community, the Heard Museum serves as a launching pad for young Native American artists.
As the state’s youthful Hispanic population continues to grow, BCBSAZ provides funding and program support to groups including AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute, the ASU Hispanic Business Student Association and the Hispanic Women’s Conference.
NEXT STEPS FOR BCBSAZ
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
BCBSAZ is committed to creating an
environment that fosters young Arizonans and enhances the attractiveness of our state through investments in schools, and arts and cultural organizations.
BCBSAZ supports Phoenix Day, an early education and youth center in South Phoenix, with a technology sponsorship that includes 12 new computers, charging station, tables, chairs, WIFI and educational software to be used during the summer youth program and by afterschool students throughout the year.
Be A Leader Foundation
Mike Trejo, BALF Alumni, at his graduation with mentors Rich Boals, BCBSAZ President & CEO and Gary Trujillo, BALF President & CEO. Mike received a dual degree in 2013 - an MBA
from Harvard Business School and a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.
This is particularly important for today’s youth as they are preparing to compete in a society driven by scientific and technological innovations. Long term, BCBSAZ’s contribution will support a more educated workforce prepared to compete in the global market.”
- Karyn Parker, Executive Director, Phoenix Day
“Providing access to a computer lab outside of school hours enriches and builds upon knowledge gained in the classroom, especially for students who may not have access at home.
Civic Engagement
Empower citizens and increase civic engagement.
BCBSAZ RESPONSE TO THE ARIZONA WE WANT GOAL 7
WHAT CITIZENS WANT?
Increasing citizenship participation in all aspects of citizenship.
Leaders who understand complex issues and work across party lines.
Key Gallup Findings:
10% of Arizonans believe that elected officials represent their interests.
24% believe the next generation will have a better standard of living than we have today.
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT BCBSAZ?
NEXT STEPS FOR BCBSAZ
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
With input from the ASU Center for Race and Democracy, we plan to develop a diversity council for our employees, building on the strength of diversity already present within our organization.
Continue to support community activities that promote civic engagement on all levels and encourage the development of responsible government leaders.
BCBSAZ supports Valley Leadership, with the conviction that helping young professionals engage with each other and with key community issues is a “win/win” for Arizona. BCBSAZ supports the principles of civil
discourse of the O’Connor House and helps enable this important Arizona institution through funding and board membership. BCBSAZ supports the Joe Foss Institute, helping
to fund civics lessons in K-12 schools. BCBSAZ is a long-time supporter of the
Anti-Defamation League, as part of its commitment to broaden diversity and build coalitions in communities.
Arizona Town Hall
Rich Boals receives the 2014 Shirley Agnos Legacy Award from J. Scott Rhodes, Arizona Town Hall Board Chair, as Shirley Agnos looks on.
BCBSAZ supports Valley Leadership and the opportunities they provide to learn about community issues. Nine BCBSAZ staff members are graduates of Valley Leadership’s flagship program, the VL Institute.
BCBSAZ has been a long-time supporter
of Arizona Town Hall for their efforts to
promote public dialogue about
important state issues and build
consensus through its members for
creative solutions.
Rich Boals, President and CEO of
BCBSAZ notes, “What I appreciate most
about Arizona Town Hall is that you can
count on hearing perspectives from all
professions, from all corners of the state
– it may be from a school administrator,
a rancher, a legislator, a farmer, a
lawyer or a teacher. In the end, you’ll
have a 360-degree view of issues that
affect every aspect of living and working
in Arizona: water rights, education, and
healthcare, to name a few.”
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Community Involvement
Foster citizen well-being and sense of connection to one another.
BCBSAZ RESPONSE TO THE ARIZONA WE WANT GOAL 8
WHAT CITIZENS WANT?
A deeper sense of community connection.
More “neighborliness.”
Key Gallup Findings:
25% believe Arizona is a good place to meet people.
37% believe they are treated with respect at all times in their community.
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT BCBSAZ?
When the 42 year old mobile home
owned by disabled veteran Gabriel and
Elizabeth Barreda of Sahuarita Heights
was beyond repair, Habitat for Humanity
secured a donation of a nearly new
mobile home for them. The next
challenge was to move the new home to
the site and haul the old one to the
landfill, a costly proposition.
BCBSAZ stepped up and paid for the
move including painting, minor repairs,
landscaping and fees to turn on the
utilities. Several BCBSAZ employees in
Tucson helped paint, landscape and get
the home ready for occupancy.
This effort is part of a statewide BCBSAZ
campaign to commemorate 75 years in
business and to acknowledge and
support those organizations that work to
improve the lives of Arizonans.
Gabriel Barreda, proud new home
owner, summed it up: “How do we
express our gratitude? The community
has just come through for us in so many
ways.”
Each year, approximately 30 BCBSAZ executives serve on more than 70 boards for non-profit organizations. The employee-driven Cares Club continues to keep
the BCBSAZ heritage of service alive and has dedicated thousands of dollars and volunteer hours to a wide variety of local charities.
In response to a recent initiative, 57 employees participated in the HandsOn Greater Phoenix Serve-A-Thon in three separate community events.
NEXT STEPS FOR BCBSAZ
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
BCBSAZ continues to look for opportunities to support local neighborhoods and community groups. We are committed to remaining a local, independent Blue plan with strong roots in Phoenix and Arizona.
BCBSAZ supports groups that help our youth: Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Clubs and the Girl Scout Councils.
BCBSAZ supports organizations working to improve Arizonans’ health and quality of life: the Banner Alzheimer Institute, the Southwest Center for HIV and the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC).
BCBSAZ launched the award winning Walk On! Campaign, which has become part of the national campaign to reduce childhood obesity. Now in its ninth year, more than 70,000 Arizona students have completed the WalkOn! Challenge.
Veteran Gets New Home
Employees help feed the homeless
BCBSAZ is a strong supporter of Valley of the Sun United Way, reaching the $1 million mark in contributions every year since 2006. In 2013, BCBSAZ was ranked #1 in its size category for employee and corporate giving.
