CEO: Surging Use of an Expensive System Challenges Affordability
Tricia Keith
| 2 min read
Tricia Keith is President and CEO of Blue Cross Blue...
Our progress in health care means people are living longer lives. It is a testament to brilliant individuals and advances in care, innovation and technology. And with longer life comes a natural increase in the need for health care services, from routine screenings to managing age-related conditions.
At the same time, as a society, we are facing a significant increase in chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Managing these chronic conditions leads to more intensive and long-term health care needs for people.
Together, these two drivers — an aging and unhealthy population — are leading to surging use of an expensive health care system. The proof? Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan paid $3 billion more for medical and pharmacy services for our members in 2024 than we did the year prior. This surging demand is putting immense pressure on health insurance affordability — because health insurance prices lie downstream and reflect the costs incurred in the health care system.
At Blue Cross, we are committed to navigating the challenges to affordability. We are investing in preventive care to help our members detect and manage chronic conditions early, while also building smarter, more coordinated care opportunities. We’re strengthening partnerships with doctors and hospitals and leveraging innovative technologies to create a system that is both efficient and responsive to these emerging challenges. But a system-wide problem requires system-wide solutions. We need everyone — doctors, hospitals, insurers, regulators and policymakers — to do their part. And we all need to consider how our own health impacts the costs we all pay.
It's very challenging for anyone to access quality medical care without affordable health insurance of some kind — whether it’s commercial insurance or government programs like Medicaid and Medicare. This is a moment for the entire health care system to come together to rally around the need to provide affordable access to care. We need to partner to create change. We, as individuals, must take accountability for our health and our use of health care services.
To learn more about how we’re addressing these issues and shaping a future where quality care remains accessible and affordable, I invite you to visit MIBlueDaily.com/Affordability. Together, we can ensure that the promise of longer, healthier lives is met with a health care system that is affordable and accessible for everyone.
Related:
- Report: Michigan Hospital Costs, Consolidation Putting Pressure on Health Care Affordability
- Prescription Drug Prices Are Driving Up Health Insurance Costs—Here’s What We Can Do
- Why Is My Health Insurance So Expensive?
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