Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois announced yesterday they have new leadership.
Stephen Harris is now listed on the company’s website as president. Steve Hamman had served in that position since being appointed in 2019, according to another press release on the company’s website.
In the announcement yesterday, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois says they “announced several leadership transitions at Health Care Service Corporation today that reflect a thoughtful and strategic approach to long-term growth and succession planning for the company.”
The regime change comes amid the company recently being fined by the Illinois Department of Insurance for terminating its contract with Springfield Clinic. Leadership from both entities were scheduled to testify before the Illinois General Assembly’s Insurance Committee last week, but was left off the hook after chair of the committee, Representative Thaddeus Jones canceled the meeting at the last minute.
Jones later told WGN-TV Chicago that he wanted more information about the dispute. Both entities returned to the Capitol yesterday and discussed the ongoing rift with lawmakers in front of a separate committee.
WCIA’s Mark Maxwell obtained a copy of an internal memo about the leadership change that say Hamman left Blue Cross Blue Shield “to pursue new endeavors.” Maxwell concluded that Hamman was firedndue to WCIA’s reporting on exposed overcharging of consumers while also cutting down or cutting out the insurance network’s provider options after he spoke with BCBS-IL employees at the Chicago office.
According to Maxwell, Hamman was directly involved in negotiations with Springfield Clinic to remain in the insurance provider’s network. Other sources would not confirm or deny if Hamman was fired.