March 3, 2026 ~ Lucy Ann Lance is joined by Andy Hetzel, VP of Corporate Communications at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan! Andy discusses BCBSM’s efforts to make healthcare affordable, moving beyond identifying cost drivers to offering real solutions. The organization addresses rising costs through initiatives like making prescription drugs more affordable, implementing new payment contracts with doctors and hospitals focused on patient outcomes, and reducing administrative costs by $600 million over three years. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
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Transcript
It's always exciting when we get to talk with our next guest,
Andy Hetzel from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Hi there, Andy.
Well, hello, Luciana.
And I just want to take a point of personal privilege
and wish my daughter, Zoe, a happy-belated birthday.
She turned 22 yesterday, and I can't believe it.
I can't believe that, either.
My goodness.
You look great, Andy.
I haven't had this other a long time, yeah.
Well, happy birthday, Zoe.
Andy, something is happening on Blue Cross's amazing website.
M-I-BlueDaily.com slash affordability.
You're talking about real solutions
that are helping to make healthcare more affordable.
And you're moving the conversation forward
to go beyond pointing out drivers of cost
in the healthcare system.
Absolutely, Luciana.
It's a complex and complicated topic,
but it's an important one.
It's important to have a clear picture
of why healthcare and health insurance costs
are rising so dramatically
because they impact everyone.
We are engaging now with our members,
customers, and communities.
Do they better understand
how upstream factors in cost end up downstream
in their premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare?
But at Blue Cross, we also have a responsibility
to address these factors,
playing a role in system-wide efforts
to bring healthcare costs better under control.
Andy, the conversations you and I have each week here
have helped in understanding why.
But as you know, they've also pointed
to an important question.
What are you doing to make healthcare more affordable?
That is true, Luciana.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
has answers to that question.
Not just one answer, but many.
Healthcare is expensive.
That's a given.
But we're already delivering real results
that are helping to make it more affordable.
That's what we're seeing on
MIBlueDaily.com slash affordability, right?
Yes, it is.
And we're talking about things
like making prescription drugs more affordable.
We're talking about groundbreaking payment contracts
with doctors and hospitals
that change the way we pay for healthcare
to focus on better patient outcomes and results.
And we're talking about reducing at Blue Cross
our own administrative costs by $600 million
over three years,
while also at the same time,
improving the way we do business
on behalf of our members and customers.
Wow, that's incredible.
So you're also highlighting
the work Blue Cross does to promote preventive care
and the various resources you've introduced
to help your members live their healthiest lives.
That's right.
And it's all there for your listeners
on MIBlueDaily.com slash affordability.
There are so many great stories
about how Blue Cross and our partners in healthcare
are innovating, partnering,
working every day to make healthcare
much more affordable.
We're going to keep telling those stories
and we're going to keep doing that important work.
I'd love for our listeners
to check out that site, Andy.
What is that again?
MIBlueDaily.com slash affordability.
All right, thank you so much.
Great information today from Andy Hetzel
at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
We appreciate you, Andy.
Thanks.
Thank you for the time.
Andy Hetzel with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
