New York State Empire Blue Cross/ Blue Shield Panel Chairman Correspondence Files

Arranged by subject, then chronological.

The Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield Panel was established by Chapter 1, Laws of 1993 (Section 4319 of Insurance Law). Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield, the largest health care financing organization in the United States at the time, served over seven million New Yorkers in twenty-eight counties. The organization came under public scrutiny as a result of an Arthur Andersen and Co. management audit, which found that Blue Cross/Blue Shield had severely depleted its finances due to poor management and inadequate financial performance. A 1993 law required the organization to develop a plan to restore its surplus and otherwise improve operations.

The law forming the special advisory review panel directed it to review the original audit and the criteria for future audits of Blue Cross/Blue Shield; monitor the corporation's six-year plan to restore its financial surplus; evaluate the corporation's administrative expenses and customer services; and obtain information on the financial condition of the corporation. The panel consisted of nine members, three of whom were appointed by the governor, two each by the President of the Senate and Speaker of the Assembly, and one each by the minority leaders of the Senate and Assembly. The panel's legal mandate expired in July of 2000.

This series documents the major activities of the Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield Panel from the perspective of Chairman James J. Barba. The series includes correspondence with other panel members and panel staff; the Governor; State legislators; representatives and officers from Blue Cross/Blue Shield; State agencies, particularly the Insurance Department which plays a major role in regulating the activities Blue Cross/Blue Shield; and concerned outside organizations and citizens. Correspondence often pertains to topics raised at panel meetings or addressed in semi-annual or annual panel reports. The Chairman's files also include press releases, memoranda, copies of legislation, drafts of briefings prepared by panel staff, and information regarding the panel's finances.

Folder list is available at the repository.

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