Anthem Blue Cross 2003 Annual Report Download - page 5

ANTHEM, INC. page 3
new customers. By adopting best practices from both companies, we will be able to provide better
access to quality health care, offer more affordable products, and use innovative technology to further
improve service.
At Anthem, we recognize that more needs to be done to make health care more affordable and
to address the needs of the 44 million Americans without health insurance. We believe that through
thoughtful collaboration among all of us—insurers, consumers, medical professionals, business leaders
and government officials—innovative solutions can be found. At Anthem, we have worked hard
to make our products more affordable and to help improve the quality and availability of needed
care. We’re beginning to make a difference through many of the products and programs described
in this report.
Our strategy for managing Anthem’s business is straightforward:
•improve the health of our members while helping our customers get the most value for their
health care dollar;
•provide distinctive service that meets the needs and expectations of our customers; and
•grow enrollment and reduce administrative costs to keep our products affordable.
We do this by putting customers first and running our business so that decisions about products
and relationships are made by associates in local communities, close to our customers. Let me share a
few specific examples with you.
Many physicians and hospitals have enthusiastically embraced our quality programs that recognize
and reward their efforts to improve member health. These initiatives provide extra recognition for
physicians and hospitals working hard to save lives and improve care. During 2003, we continued
to lead the nation in quality improvement initiatives. We increased the number of hospitals and
physicians participating in our collaborative programs that are further improving the quality of care
and the health of all patients, not just Anthem members.
Through our proactive care and disease management programs, we continue to work closely
with members and their physicians to provide important health information that helps members
manage their own health while also reducing medical costs. For our efforts, health plans in eight of
our states are rated Excellent—the top rating—from the National Committee for Quality Assurance,
the industry benchmark for quality of care.
As the company grows, so too does the importance of delivering outstanding, cost-effective
service. Through ambitious but carefully planned investments in technology, we can now process
claims and answer customer questions more quickly and accurately. In addition, investments in
innovative Web technologies provide personalized information and new customer service tools for our
members, employers, physicians, hospitals and brokers.
Our Web site—www.anthem.com—was awarded the Webwatch seal for Web site integrity
by Consumer Reports. We were the only health plan to earn this important designation. Information
Week ranked Anthem 45th on its list of top 500 companies based on technology performance and
innovation, quite an improvement given that just four years ago, we were ranked 444th.