Q&A with Matt All

Q: With so many people now working from home, how has that impacted workflow and timing? How much has COVID-19 affected how the company operates?

A: It’s affected our work less than I thought it would. We have 1,600 employees, and we had to send the vast majority of them home when the pandemic began. That required a monumental effort by everyone in the organization. I’m tremendously proud that our team has been able to continue to provide great service and get everything done under very challenging circumstances. I think it speaks to the strength of our culture and the character of our employees.

Q: In the ways that the company has had to evolve, do you see any of these changes staying for the long-term?

A: It remains to be seen. I’ve read a lot about how work-at-home is the “new normal,” and that this will fundamentally change the way we structure our work. But I think there are a lot of people who are eager to get away from Zoom and actually see their colleagues again. I think we lose something when we’re not together physically. You can’t build the same relationships virtually that you can in person. Perhaps, then, it won’t be the seismic change some are predicting, but more of a subtle change with greater flexibility from day to day.

Q: Are rates going to increase next year because of COVID-19?

A: I don’t believe so. COVID has had less of an effect on health costs than you might think. In fact, in some ways it lowered costs temporarily as people delayed getting care. That’s not how we want to lower health costs, though. We want people to get things like check-ups and preventive care and behavioral health care. When people delay needed care, it tends to lead to worse outcomes in the long run. So, we’re hoping people get back in the habit of going to the doctor and staying healthy.

Q: Among BCBSKS customers that have experienced job loss, have you found that they have been able to keep up with paying their premiums or have some fallen off the insurance premium radar?

A: When the pandemic began, we knew our members were going to struggle to keep up. We knew we needed to be as flexible as possible with premium payments – extending grace periods, allowing different methods of payment, and so forth. We think that’s helped people maintain coverage, which is so important in times like these. I am concerned, though, about what’s going to happen as federal aid expires. We have a lot of people that need help, and we need to be there for each other. We’ll do our best to support our members and our communities as we get through this together.