Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and Fairview Health Services Announce “Strive” Product Portfolio for 2019

PR Newswire

MINNEAPOLIS and EAGAN, Minn., Oct. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) and Fairview Health Services (Fairview) are joining together to offer a unique suite of consumer-centric health insurance products for 2019 under the name Strive.

Designed as a focused approach for delivering highly coordinated and personalized care, Strive will be available to large employers (50 or more employees); Medicare Advantage beneficiaries; and individuals who purchase insurance coverage on their own.

The eight counties where all three Strive offerings will be in 2019 are: Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey and Washington.

Scott County is also part of the service area for Strive employer and individual plans, but not for the Strive Medicare Advantage plan.

All Strive products feature the same comprehensive network, offering a vast array of providers that address the full spectrum of care. With primary and specialty care doctors from Fairview, University of Minnesota Health and other community providers, Strive makes it easy for members to stay in-network and get the care they need. Collectively, the Strive network includes 5,000+ affiliated providers, 12 hospitals and medical centers, nearly 150 primary and 450 specialty clinic locations, and 40+ retail pharmacies. In addition, Strive members have access to a set of wellbeing programs and online tools that can further empower them to take charge of their health.

The name Strive comes from the shared commitment between Blue Cross and Fairview to meet each individual where they are and help guide them to their best health. That commitment begins with a call to welcome new members and help them find a doctor, move medical records and transfer prescriptions. From there, Strive offers a single customer service line where enrollees can ask health plan questions, talk with a nurse or schedule an appointment.

"Minnesotans rightfully expect to receive high quality care at an affordable price. Blue Cross and Fairview believe that Strive delivers on those expectations," said Glenn Pomerantz, MD, chief medical officer at Blue Cross. "We want to streamline the way that people experience health care. We're confident that Strive provides a path to get to the best possible health outcomes while also making an impact on the overall cost of care."

"As one of the state's most comprehensive and geographically accessible health systems, it's our privilege to care for the members of our communities each day – whatever their health care need," says Mark Welton, MD, MHCM, chief medical officer at Fairview. "We're excited to partner with another great Minnesota organization to bring our full spectrum of health care services closer to home for the people of our region. Together, we're working to make accessing and using health care easier and simpler through these Strive health insurance products."

All three Strive offerings will be available during the respective 2018 open enrollment periods for coverage starting as early as January 1, 2019. Strive individual plans are administered through Blue Plus, the nonprofit HMO subsidiary of Blue Cross.

About Blue Cross
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with headquarters in the St. Paul suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota's first health plan and continues to carry out its charter mission today: to promote a wider, more economical and timely availability of health services for the people of Minnesota. A nonprofit, taxable organization, Blue Cross is the largest health plan based in Minnesota, covering 2.9 million members in Minnesota and nationally through its health plans or plans administered by its affiliated companies. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, headquartered in Chicago. Go to bluecrossmn.com to learn more.

About Fairview Health Services
Fairview Health Services (fairview.org) is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit health system driven to heal, discover and educate for longer, healthier lives. Founded in 1906, Fairview provides exceptional care to patients and communities as one of the most comprehensive and geographically accessible systems in Minnesota. Through a close relationship with the University of Minnesota, Fairview offers access to breakthrough medical research and specialty expertise as part of a continuum of care that reaches all ages and health needs.