Looking back… and looking forward
Dear friends and associates,
In 2008, Independence Blue Cross celebrated 70 years of caring for the Philadelphia region. On this anniversary, we look back with pride on seven decades as the preferred health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania, and we look forward to the next chapter of building the health of our members and the well-being of our community.
At a time when economic turmoil is creating instability among many historically solid institutions, Independence Blue Cross remains a financially stable, trusted business partner and a consistent innovator. Today, Independence continues to provide the responsive service, reliable health care coverage, and progressive products that have been our hallmark since we issued our first Blue Cross identification card in 1938. Our founder, entrepreneur E.A. van Steenwyk, launched the company with $30,000 and four employees. He quickly contracted with 37 local physicians and began registering members for his three-cents-a-day health plan. Our first member was Philadelphia’s then-Mayor S. Davis Wilson, and our first customer was a group of five Independence Hall employees.
Since then, we have been here for our members every step of the way, in war and peace, through recession and prosperity, from Benny Goodman to Bruce Springsteen. The Independence Blue Cross ID card is an enduring symbol of responsibility and a source of reassurance. As 2008 brought an increasingly unsteady economic environment and mounting attention to health care reform, Independence pushed forward to address the immense challenge in health care today: reducing the cost and increasing the quality of care to keep people more healthy.
One important development was the decision of Independence and Highmark Inc. to withdraw their applications to combine the two companies. After a 21-month review with 10 public hearings, it became clear early in 2009 that the state would not approve the transaction unless the new company relinquished either the Blue Cross® or the Blue Shield® brand, which was unacceptable to Highmark and Independence. The companies spent more than 70 years developing their brands’ value, and the Cross and Shield are an integral part of our corporate identities. Giving up one of the brands would have made it impossible for the new company to deliver the full benefits to its customers, communities, and the commonwealth.
While we are disappointed that we cannot provide the advantages to Pennsylvania that the consolidation promised, we did not stand still during the Pennsylvania Insurance Department’s review process. We continued to execute our strategic plan and serve our community, keeping the needs of our members and customers paramount.
For example, inside this report, you will read about our Keys to Wellness program and Diana Mattera, whose life was changed forever when one of this initiative’s nurses reached out to her. You will meet Akpene Sebuabeh, whose conversation with one of our 160 Health Coaches inspired her to eat healthier. You will hear from David Pride, who believes that we may have saved his life by urging him to have a colon cancer screening. We were here for Diana, Akpene, and David, as we strive to be for all our members, with innovative, cost-effective ways to build health, every step of the way.
In our 70-year history, we have negotiated through challenging times, while always keeping a steady eye on improving the health of our members and our community. That distinguishes us from many health insurers, whose focus is on satisfying the demands of Wall Street. For seven decades, Independence Blue Cross has remained true to its mission: Building the health of our members and strengthening the well-being of our community by improving access to affordable, quality health care.
