CareFirst Invests Locally to Create a Healthier Community

Employees volunteer 17,500 hours, donate nearly $1 million to community projects

Baltimore, MD (June 27, 2016) - Employees of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) volunteered more than 17,500 hours and donated nearly $1 million to community projects in 2015, according to the eighth annual Investing in America’s Health (IAH) report. This investment of time and funds was in support of community health partners, including American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake, Boys and Girls Club, and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

In all, CareFirst and its employees gave $40 million in 2015 to increase the accessibility, affordability and quality of health care throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The IAH report highlights the Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) System’s ongoing commitment to improving the health of all Americans, an effort that contributed to a national total of nearly 400,000 volunteer hours and $10 million in community project funding across all BCBS companies and their foundations.

CareFirst is dedicated to investing time and resources toward helping communities live healthier, safer and more productive lives. This commitment was illustrated in 2015 through more than 416 grant awards and numerous employee volunteering initiatives throughout the year, including:

  • $635,000 in employee donations to United Way organizations in Maryland, D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia;
  • $115,000 to Restore Baltimore efforts, including $50,000 to the Baltimore Community Foundation’s Fund for Rebuilding Baltimore and $50,000 to the United Way of Central Maryland’s Maryland Unites fund, following the unrest in Baltimore in April 2015;
  • Participation of more than 350 associates in The 6th Branch’s fourth annual “Together We Serve” day of service with six other Baltimore-area companies; and
  • The announcement of a three-year $3 million telemedicine initiative for regional programs utilizing telemedicine to alleviate barriers to health care services.

“At the core of our mission as a not-for-profit insurer is meeting the health care needs of both our members and those individuals and families within our service region who are under- or uninsured,” said Maria Harris Tildon, CareFirst Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Community Affairs. “We will continue to work with public and private entities to target our efforts toward the most vulnerable populations in our service region, funding innovative programs in communities lacking adequate access to basic and critical health care services.”

Released by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), the IAH report details the efforts made by all 36 independent, community-based and locally operated BCBS companies and their foundations in 2015 to improving health care quality and affordability in the individual communities they serve.

“The commitment of BCBS companies and their employees to improving the health and wellness of the people they serve cannot be understated. As America’s health care leaders, BCBS companies take great pride in building on our 87-year legacy as true health care pioneers and trusted partners to the communities we serve,” said Scott P. Serota, BCBSA’s CEO.

To learn more about how BCBS companies are improving the health and wellness of members and their communities, view the report here.

About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

In its 78th year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.4 million individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2015, CareFirst contributed nearly $40 million to improve overall health, and increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit our website at www.carefirst.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram or Google+.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for more than 107 million members – one in three Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit our site. We encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out The BCBS Blog for up-to-date information about BCBSA.