Member News

Rochester, NY – Healthcare costs remain one of the most significant challenges facing businesses of all sizes. At the same time, employees, business owners, and their families often face a healthcare system that can be difficult to navigate

Part of the challenge lies in a healthcare system that has traditionally rewarded the volume of services delivered rather than greater integration leading to higher quality and better outcomes. Real progress requires stronger alignment between health plans, physicians, hospitals, and community organizations, all working toward the shared goal of helping people stay healthy.

That's why partnerships between health plans and local providers are becoming increasingly important. When healthcare organizations work together, they can help create a more connected experience that improves access to care and helps manage long-term costs for employers.

A local approach matters because every region faces unique healthcare challenges. Organizations that live and work in the same communities they serve have a deeper understanding of local needs and a greater opportunity to collaborate on meaningful solutions.

Few people understand this opportunity better than Dr. Martin Stallone, Executive Vice President, Chief Healthcare Services Officer of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. Having served as a practicing physician, a health system CEO, and now a health plan leader, he has seen firsthand how stronger collaboration can benefit patients, providers, employers, and communities alike.

Below, Dr. Stallone shares his perspective on how deeper partnerships can help create a healthier, more resilient business community.

Q: Why should business leaders care about stronger provider partnerships?

Dr. Martin Stallone: Every business depends on a healthy workforce. Yet healthcare is often experienced as a series of disconnected touchpoints, from primary care and specialists to hospitals, pharmacies, and health plans. When those pieces aren't working together, individuals can face confusion and unnecessary challenges obtaining care.

Stronger provider partnerships help create a more integrated healthcare experience. When providers and health plans collaborate, individuals receive better support throughout their healthcare journey, which can lead to better outcomes and more effective management of healthcare costs.

Q: How can greater collaboration help address rising healthcare costs?

Dr. Martin Stallone: Healthcare affordability is a priority for businesses of every size. Providers and health plans share many of the same goals: improving outcomes, expanding access to care, and making healthcare more affordable.

There is opportunity in aligning our collective efforts around prevention and long-term health. When providers and health plans work together, they can focus on helping people avoid major health events rather than treating illness after it occurs.

Better integration can reduce unnecessary emergency department visits, duplicative testing, and preventable hospitalizations while improving management of chronic conditions. Ultimately, controlling costs isn't about shifting expenses from one stakeholder to another; it’s about creating a healthcare system that delivers better outcomes and greater value for the communities we serve.

Q: What does a more connected healthcare experience mean for employees and families?

Dr. Martin Stallone: People want healthcare to be easier to access and easier to understand. Too often, they find themselves coordinating between multiple providers, repeating the same information, or navigating different systems on their own.

A more connected healthcare experience can reduce many of those frustrations. When healthcare organizations work together more effectively, individuals gain better support, clearer guidance, and a smoother path to receiving the care they need. The easier healthcare is to navigate, the more likely people are to seek timely care and stay engaged in their health.

Q: How does this affect workforce productivity and economic vitality?

Dr. Martin Stallone: Healthcare challenges don't stay outside the workplace. When employees are managing unresolved health issues or struggling to access care, it can affect productivity, engagement, and overall well-being.

Better-coordinated care can help people spend less time navigating healthcare and more time focusing on their health, families, and careers. For employers, that can mean fewer avoidable absences, healthier employees, and a more positive benefits experience. At a broader level, healthier residents contribute to stronger businesses, more vibrant communities, and a more resilient regional economy.

Q: What does success look like for the broader business community?

Dr. Martin Stallone: Success means creating a healthcare system that is easier to navigate, more affordable, and more effective at keeping people healthy.

For businesses, success means having confidence that healthcare investments are delivering value through improved workforce health and more sustainable costs. For communities, it means stronger partnerships that improve access to care and support long-term economic growth.

No single organization can solve healthcare challenges alone. By fostering deeper collaboration among health plans, providers, businesses, and community organizations, we can build a healthcare system that better serves our region for years to come.

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a nonprofit health plan with about 1.5 million upstate New York members. The company's mission is to help people live healthier and more secure lives through access to high-quality, affordable health care. Its products and services include cost-saving prescription drug discounts, wellness tracking tools and access to telemedicine. With more than 4,000 employees, the health plan is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce to foster innovation and better serve its members. It also encourages employees to engage in their communities by providing paid volunteer time off as one of many benefits. To learn more, visit ExcellusBCBS.com.