HJBR Jan/Feb 2024

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  JAN / FEB 2024 13 Steven Udvarhelyi, MD, joined Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana as president and CEO in 2016. He is a board-certified internist with more than 30 years of experience in the health insurance industry. Prior to joining BCBSLA, Udvarhelyi held leadership roles at Independence Blue Cross in Philadelphia for almost 20 years. Earlier in his career, he served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School with a clinical practice at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He received an AB degree from Harvard College, a Doctor of Medicine from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and a Master of Science in health services administration from the Harvard School of Public Health. integrated, whole health management plat- form for supporting physical health, mental health, and social health. As part of Elevance Health, we will be able to leverage digital technologies to deliver proactive and personalized services that help enhance an individual’s healthcare journey. These digital technologies also give people increased access to the spectrum of care — digital, virtual, in-person, and at- home — where, when, and how they want them. Examples of services we’ll be able to quickly provide here in Louisiana include: • Palliative care. • Concierge, or navigation, support for people with cancer and serious illnesses. • Expanded behavioral health programs that are integrated with support of physical illnesses, which we know matters since many people with serious illness have depression. • Comprehensive and broader pro- grams to manage pharmacy costs and improve medication adherence. • An integrated digital platform that allows members to manage their healthcare experience. • Broader support for transitions in care (e.g., care following hospital- ization, ambulatory, and in-home support for members with chronic illnesses). On top of these new offerings, the combi- nation with Elevance Health will also result in a non-profit entity that will be narrowly focused on improving the health and lives of the people of Louisiana, a fitting legacy for BCBSLA’s 90-year, mission-focused his- tory in the state. During this last year, we have diligently listened to our partners, members, and community leaders across our great state. We have answered questions and addressed concerns. And throughout these conversa- tions, it has become even clearer that joining Elevance Health is the right move to ensure BCBSLA remains a vibrant, local company long into the future. A company that can help improve the health outcomes of the state we all love. A company that Louisian- ians deserve. n