BCBSNC President and CEO Brad Wilson has issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s decision today to uphold the majority of the Affordable Care Act.

“The fact that we exceeded the federal requirement for health care spending in 2011 means that we spend at least an extra $230 million on our customer’s health care than our competitors who are issuing rebates,” BCBSNC President and CEO Brad Wilson said. “BCBSNC continues to lead the way in improving access to quality health care and better health outcomes for our customers.”

“We received a great response to our call for innovative ideas, which we hope will help improve the overall health of North Carolinians and reduce the obesity rate in North Carolina,” said Sean Kerns, BCBSNC vice president of Diversified Markets. “This challenge gave us the opportunity to tap into the vast depth of knowledge of individuals across our state to influence and impact change.”

“The Patient Care Summary gives us a snapshot of our patients’ health care experience and allows us to better manage their care,” said Dr. Tom Warcup, medical director at Carolina Advanced Health, an innovative primary care practice, created by BCBSNC and UNC Health Care, focused on managing chronic conditions for BCBSNC customers. “BCBSNC provides this information in an easy-to-access format, which allows us to address potential gaps in care before they become larger problems.”

“Graduates from the NCCU Department of Nursing come from diverse backgrounds, and most of them remain in North Carolina and serve the health needs of the communities they grew up in,” said Kathy Higgins, vice president of corporate affairs at BCBSNC. “Our company is thrilled to support this local university as it trains the health care professionals our state will need as we seek to improve access and quality while controlling costs.”

“Lisa’s years of experience in clinical research and deep knowledge of the health care industry make her an excellent addition to our board,” said BCBSNC President and CEO, Brad Wilson. “Along with her notable medical accomplishments, Lisa is a leader in her community and is devoted to improving the lives of North Carolinians. These strengths will benefit our company and our customers.”

“This expansion of the Farm to School program provides even more students with healthy, North Carolina-grown options, nutrition education and helps children connect their food to the farms where it grows, which are all important steps in preventing and reducing obesity,” said Kathy Higgins, BCBSNC Foundation president. “Our state’s child nutrition services focus on health and quality for our students and local, fresh food is an important component.”

“Our work with SAS addresses an issue that’s at the crux of the health care challenges we face today: improving health in order to reduce costs for our customers,” said BCBSNC Chief Medical Officer Don Bradley. “Traditionally, we’ve based health plan designs and care management programs on conventional research. Now we can look through a new lens at readily available data to create health plans better targeted to consumers’ needs. And, more importantly, we can offer more personalized care management programs, which individuals are more likely to respond to – making it more likely that these efforts will improve their health.”

“Working with Cisco and the Food Bank gives us the opportunity to provide nutritious food to North Carolinians in need, which is critical to a healthy lifestyle,” said Brad Wilson, BCBSNC president and CEO. “Ensuring everyone has access to healthy food will help us meet our goal of improving our state’s overall health while also giving back to the community.”

“This challenge is not only a great opportunity for us to help impact the overall health of North Carolinians and reduce the obesity rate in North Carolina, but it also supports local companies, entrepreneurs and our economy,” said Sean Kerns, BCBSNC vice president of diversified markets. “BCBSNC supports improving the health and wellness of our state, and we are excited to collaborate with Bull City Forward, Queen City Forward and the Institute for Emerging Issues to offer this challenge.”