Issues & Initiatives

“Investing in our employees and their families, allowing them to build a bond with their new additions, not only lowers health care costs to our employees and our customers, but it’s the right thing to do,” states Fara Palumbo, senior vice president and chief human resources office for Blue Cross. “Reports show there is a connection between paid leave, employee retention and the health of parents and their children.”

The issue of rising medical costs is complex and affects every one of us. That’s why BCBSNC began the Let’s Talk Cost project in 2011. This effort helps North Carolinians gain a better understanding of the everyday factors that drive up medical costs, and it shares how BCBSNC is finding ways to rein in costs through collaboration.

BCBSNC empowers consumers to be secure and confident when it comes to making decisions about their health and their family’s health. That, in turn, allows them the freedom to live their lives to the fullest – to “Live Fearless.”

GO NC! is a four-year initiative to build healthy lifestyles by encouraging North Carolinians to get outside and get active through the advancement of North Carolina's greenway systems, increased access to public bicycles and the overall promotion of outdoor physical activity.

To address this Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) and the North Carolina Recreation & Park Association (NCRPA) have joined forces to establish a community garden in all 100 counties by the end of 2013.

If defibrillation is administered within three minutes of an event, survival rates can be as high as 74%. That’s why Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) initiated Strive to Revive – a program that distributes AEDs and provides training free of charge.

This program will build on the medical experience and training that Special Forces Medical Sergeants receive during their service and provide opportunities for veterans who want to transfer their unique and hard-earned skills into the health care system. This collaborative effort will improve health care access for North Carolinians by reducing the shortage of health care professionals in our state.