Dear Valued Partner,
I am extremely excited to share this significant milestone as we officially launch Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in our downstate market and Anthem Blue Cross upstate.
Becoming Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem Blue Cross reflects our dedication to elevating the customer experience.
We’ve been working to reduce complexities in the market and streamline the way we do business. As the Anthem name is one that is nationally recognized, this will be extremely beneficial to our members who live out of state and work for New York-based companies.
Easy access to quality care remains essential. Our long history of collaborative partnerships and the local depth and expertise of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield brands ensure that New Yorkers can continue to access a diverse network of local health professionals and high quality care.
What you can expect next
As we begin our new chapter, our continued focus is on improving affordability, healthcare access, and convenience through digital innovation:
- Affordability is imperative in New York’s complex regulatory environment. To address this, we’re advancing value-based health plan models, care coordination, and innovative plan designs that optimize site-of-care options and leverage technology, focusing on expenditures that drive up premiums and out-of-pocket costs. In addition, our SydneySM Health app offers cost-transparency features to help members become savvy healthcare consumers.
- High-performing providers in our networks are tied to value-based care, an arrangement that emphasizes care coordination, positive health outcomes, and appropriate costs. Our accountable care organizations help drive this model of accountable, patient-centered care that's focused on keeping populations healthy over the long term.
- Digital innovation is helping members be more engaged with their health. Through our Sydney Health app, members have quick and easy access to primary care, mental health support, and management of chronic conditions. We continue to expand the app’s capabilities to be more intuitive to become a convenient “front door” for benefits information and care.
On behalf of the entire New York team, I want to thank you for being our trusted partner in health. We have been on a mission to strengthen our communities and improve the whole health of all New Yorkers for 90 years and are excited to continue that mission as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem Blue Cross.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, we are here for you. To learn more, please read our FAQ (downstate/upstate). You can now follow us on LinkedIn (downstate/upstate).
Victor DeStefano
New York Plan President