Leadership View
There’s a saying Montana is really one big, small town. Everyone knows each other, neighbors help each other, and a strong sense of community is rooted in all of us. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana takes great pride in supporting communities across our state to improve access to quality, affordable health care.
I am proud of BCBSMT’s continued efforts to positively impact health care and address social determinants of health. Our goal is to create healthier populations and lower the cost of health care. We made great strides toward that goal in 2023.
Our Care Van® program added a staff member, and our small-but-mighty team of three zig-zagged across Montana to provide access to life-saving immunizations, dental services, sports physicals, and other preventive health screenings in nearly every county. That’s a lot of miles!
BCBSMT awarded more than $1,000,000 in grants and sponsorships, including nearly $460,000 in major grants funded through Blue Impact℠. Four of the grant recipients used the funds to help improve pediatric behavioral health, with the goal of improving community wellness and outcomes.
In June, Mother Nature welcomed a perfect day for running the 49th annual Governor’s Cup – Montana’s premier race – as participants created lasting memories by toeing the start line for the marathon, marathon relay, half-marathon, 10K and 5K races. The Kids Marathon program once again shined – with another 2,000 children from local elementary schools culminating six weeks of training in the Fun Run at Centennial Park in Helena. This year, the Governor’s Cup raised more than $85,000 for the Caring Foundation of Montana.
BCBSMT employees continued giving back to the communities we all live, work, and play in. This past year 102 employees rolled up their sleeves and donated 4,600 hours of their time to local organizations through our Blue Corps℠ program, with a cash equivalent of nearly $150,000 injected into local nonprofits. Our employees truly have a heart of (blue and) gold.
In an ever-changing world, we remain committed to standing with our members, in sickness and in health. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish in the future, together.
We’ll be there for you.
Through it All®
Sincerely,
Lisa Kelley
President, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana