NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Herbkersman

November 28, 2012
Phone: 904-905-3408
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire to Join Florida Blue as Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Government and Community Affairs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida Blue, Florida's Blue Cross and Blue Shield company, is proud to announce that Congressman Jason Altmire has agreed to join the company as senior vice president, public policy, government and community affairs. First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006, Congressman Altmire (PA-4) is completing his third term and will be leaving office effective January 3, 2013.

"Serving the people of western Pennsylvania in the United States Congress has been the highest honor of my life. During the past six years, I have worked to represent every constituent in our diverse district and give western Pennsylvania a voice in Washington. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to serve the district and I am proud of the work that we did together," stated Congressman Altmire. "Now that the time has come to move on to the next phase of my life, I am delighted to return to my career roots in health care policy and community affairs."

In his new role, Altmire will be responsible for leading and managing Florida Blue's Public Policy, Government and Community Affairs organization, which includes the BCBSF Foundation. He will be a key spokesperson for the company's health care policy efforts and corporate social responsibility programs that support Florida Blue's vision of comprehensive health care reform – one that reduces overall health care costs, provides universal access to coverage and improves the overall quality of care.

"We believe that Congressman Altmire's career experience will help continue to position Florida Blue as a leader in the ongoing health care reform dialogue and as a trusted partner for health care policymakers, business leaders and community leaders across the state," said Patrick Geraghty, chairman and CEO, Florida Blue. "Jason has spent nearly his entire professional career working to make the U.S. health care system work more effectively through the development of well-crafted health care policy. Florida Blue is very fortunate to have someone with his experience and track record to help shape the future of health care policy in Florida and the U.S."

Altmire said, "I am thrilled to join Florida Blue because of its stellar reputation and forward-focused mission – To help people and communities achieve better health. At this pivotal time for our nation's health care system, I look forward to being part of Florida Blue, a thought leader on the cutting edge of health care industry transformation. Florida Blue is widely recognized for its work in becoming a leading health solutions innovator in the state of Florida – as shown by its efforts to grow the number of nurses through its Generation RN program, attack the causes of childhood obesity through the Embrace a Healthy Florida program and by introducing community-focused Florida Blue centers across Florida."

A nationally recognized leader on health care policy, Congressman Altmire is highly regarded throughout the political and health care community. Prior to his three terms in Congress, he led the department of government relations and community health at the renowned University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Earlier in his career, he served on a health care reform task force, after which he helped lead the legislative effort for the Federation of American Hospitals. Throughout his career, he has built lasting relationships with many of the country's leading health policy decision-makers. During his time in Congress, Rep. Altmire's many legislative successes include: authoring the legislation that ended the late enrollment penalty for low-income seniors participating in the Medicare Part D program, playing a decisive role in preventing a proposed 2007 Medicare budget cut for hospitals and introducing the legislation that became the template for the hospital value-based purchasing demonstration project included as part the Affordable Care Act.

In addition to his leadership of Florida Blue's public policy efforts, Altmire will also be responsible for the company's continued commitment to community affairs and charitable giving. Florida Blue has long differentiated itself from other health insurers in the state through its history of corporate social responsibility. The BCBSF Foundation, the philanthropic affiliate of Florida Blue, is unique among Florida's insurers. Over the past 10 years, the Foundation has given millions of dollars to support community health programs across the state of Florida. This support has enabled many community-based health programs to make a significant difference in people's lives. "I believe that supporting programs that improve the community's overall health is the right thing to do," stated Congressman Altmire.

Altmire earned a master's degree in Health Services Administration from George Washington University and a bachelor of science in Political Science from Florida State University.

Altmire will be relocating to the Jacksonville area and will begin his new role with Florida Blue in January.

About Florida Blue
Florida Blue, Florida's Blue Cross and Blue Shield company, is a leader in Florida's health care industry. Our mission is to help people and communities achieve better health. Florida Blue has approximately 4 million health care members and serves 15.5 million people in 16 states through its affiliated companies. Florida Blue is a not-for- profit, policyholder-owned, tax-paying mutual company. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., it is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information, visit www.FloridaBlue.com.

###

Click here to see this in a .PDF format.