Highmark Inc. and Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Release 2020-2021 Community Investment Report

Highmark Inc. companies committed $2 million throughout its service areas

PITTSBURGH (September 20, 2021) — Highmark Inc. and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), recently released their 2020-2021 Community Investment Report: Leading Through a Public Health Crisis, highlighting the “all-in” approach from the 35 Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies to support response and recovery efforts for the COVID-19 pandemic — a historic, unprecedented public health crisis — including a collective investment of more than $11.5 billion.

Highmark companies committed $2 million in funding throughout its footprint with emphasis on food insecurity, human services, emergency supports, immediate relief efforts, as well as safety net providers. Each region contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to support organizations focused on helping people in need throughout the state and serving the uninsured and underserved. And Allegheny Health Network and Highmark BCBS took immediate action to support health systems and provider practices in efforts to ramp up capacity, secure supplies, manage their financials, and take care of patients and caregivers

“The pandemic affected all of us in many ways, so it was important to Highmark that we follow the lead of our communities and community-based organizations in identifying the greatest needs and most vulnerable populations,” said Kenya Boswell, Highmark’s senior vice president of community affairs. “We’re all in this together and Highmark is committed to ensuring all of our friends, families and neighbors in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York and Delaware, are safe and healthy.”

Driven by deep-rooted connections to the communities they serve, BCBS companies took immediate, wide-ranging action during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing premium relief, distributing millions of PPE supplies, ensuring access to COVID-19 testing and rapidly increasing telehealth.

A key component of BCBSA’s long-term strategy to drive health equity is the belief that every American deserves a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. To reach vulnerable, underserved populations and accelerate vaccinations, BCBS companies established and supported mass vaccination efforts, funded rides to vaccination sites, identified homebound individuals to ensure access to care and joined forces with AHIP to help vaccinate more than 2 million seniors in America's most at-risk, vulnerable and underserved communities through the Vaccine Community Connectors program. To address vaccine hesitancy, they partnered with Feeding America and its network of food bank to provide trusted information about vaccinations.

In Pittsburgh, Highmark BCBS partnered with the Pittsburgh Pirates to convert PNC Park into a mass vaccination site and turned Highmark clinics into points of distribution for further vaccinations across their service area. In addition, they joined the Vaccine Community Connectors pledge to promote vaccinations for the millions of underserved, at-risk Americans.

In total, BCBS companies collectively contributed more than $315 million to community-based nonprofits to address social issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we continue to confront this unprecedented public health crisis and battle COVID-19 variants, Highmark Inc. and BCBSA remain committed to advancing affordable and accessible healthcare using our unique resources — our people, data, and community roots — to create a long-lasting, equitable health care system that works better for everyone.

To learn more about how BCBS companies are improving the health and wellness of members and their communities, view the report at https://www.bcbs.com/corporate-social-responsibility.