InsideBlue (April 2021)

InsideBlue
APRIL 2021
A publication for the employees of the Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield family of companies
Denise Clayton, clinical pharmacist
for Pharmacy and Primary Care Programs,
volunteering at a recent vaccine event
Vaccinate the Natural State
Statewide campaign is helping Arkansans
spread the word about the COVID-19 vaccine
page 2
Redesigned Blueprint
Portal experience
page 6
InBLUEsion initiative
enters second phase
page 7
NWA office puts
best foot forward
page 8

How we’re helping to #VaccinateTheNaturalState
Together, providing help and hope to end the pandemic
News of COVID-19 vaccines began to hit the media at the end of 2020. Immediately, Arkansas Blue
Cross and Blue Shield started to build a coalition of businesses and community organizations to
educate and engage Arkansans about vaccinations. The Vaccinate the Natural State initiative
launched in February, with the goal of getting people to accept the vaccination when it’s their turn.
The initiative has two primary focuses:
Business-to-business engagement,
Community engagement,
helping employers prepare for
reaching individuals
getting their employees vaccinated
statewide with information
and safely back to work
and encouragement
1. 2.
Employees share why
they are ready for the
COVID-19 vaccine
I am more than ready to see life
return to some sense of normalcy for
everybody, but especially families who
are struggling. My social work team
saw the demand for help more than
double during the pandemic, and the
need continues. It’s heartbreaking
to see families struggle with limited
options for help. I leaped at the chance
to participate in a COVID-19 vaccine
study last summer and accepted the
vaccine as soon as possible.
Devon Davasher, LMSW
Case manager for Arkansas
Community Based Social Workers
2 InsideBlue April

How you can support
Vaccinate The Natural State
Brought to you by:
Arkansas Blue Cross
and Blue Shield
In partnership with:
The Arkansas Department of Health,
Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care
(AFMC), Arkansas Minority Health
Commission, Arkansas State Chamber
of Commerce/Associated Industries
of Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas
Council, University of Arkansas for
Medical Sciences and Walmart.
Community partners:
Arkansas Colleges of Health
Education, Arkansas Faith Network,
Arkansas Hospital Association,
Arkansas Immunization Action
Coalition (Immunize Arkansas),
Arkansas Medical, Dental &
Pharmaceutical Association,
Arkansas Pharmacists Association,
Association of Federally Qualified
Health Centers, Community Health
Centers of Arkansas and NYIT College
of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas
State University in Jonesboro.
Dr. Creshelle Nash,
medical director for Utilization
Management and Public Programs
• Add a Vaccinate the Natural
State frame to your social
media profile pics. Follow
these instructions on InsideBlue:
https://insideblue/news/Pages/
VTNSEmailSignature.aspx
• Help spread the word about
the initiative! Visit
VaccinateTheNaturalState.com,
then share the site on social media
• Follow us on Facebook,
Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter;
then like and share our posts.
Also, share the articles on
our Blueprint news hub,
hub.arkansasbluecross.com.
• Add the Vaccinate The Natural
State graphic to your email
signature. Follow these
instructions on InsideBlue:
https://insideblue/news/Pages/
VTNSEmailSignature.aspx
I’m excited [to get the COVID-19
vaccine] because I know the
only way we will ever get back to
normal is if the majority of people
get vaccinated. Also, I have an
older parent, and I want her to be
protected. She’s already gotten
both doses, but I’ll feel better
being around her once I’m fully
vaccinated as well.
Shannon L. Diamond
Customer service representative
with Arkansas Blue Cross and
Blue Shield Customer Service
Research & Correspondence
I’m ready to accept the
vaccine, so I can hug
my family – especially
my grandsons – and get
back to fellowshipping
with my church family
in person.
Stephanie Floyd
Manager of Customer
Accounts for EES
Membership & Health
Advantage Customer
Accounts
InsideBlue April 3

Doing our part
In addition to developing Vaccinate the Natural State, our
company has supported getting Arkansans vaccinated by:
• Serving in the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH)
and Immunize Arkansas COVID-19 Workgroup to provide
input on vaccination initiatives throughout the state
• Funding two vans the University of Arkansas for
Medical Sciences (UAMS) uses for COVID-19 testing
and vaccinations – one in central and south Arkansas
and the other targeting the Latinx and Pacific Islander
communities in Northwest Arkansas
• Sponsoring culture-specific focus groups to guide
efforts to communicate with specific ethnic groups
about the vaccine
• Using our data to identify critical gaps in the
deployment of vaccines and resources
• Working (in December 2020) with ADH to print and
deliver more than 754,225 forms and informational
pieces on the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines
• Connecting community resources such as churches,
minority groups, providers, etc. to help facilitate mass
vaccination events
• Handling logistics for mass vaccine events throughout
the state
• Providing stickers and volunteer T-shirts to be
distributed at vaccine events
• Recruiting Arkansas Blue Cross employees as
volunteers at vaccination events
Documenting our
company’s journey
Arkansas Blue Cross created a threepart
documentary on how our company
took action to protect our employees and members.
Part 3, which will be released soon, examines how the
healthcare industry will change in the future, as a result
of the pandemic, and the role Arkansas Blue Cross will
play in it. You can watch the first two parts of Responding
to the Pandemic on InsideBlue through these links:
PART 1 (8 min) PART 2 (9 min)
• Offering a webinar and distributing information to our
group administrators to answer their questions about
COVID-19 testing, vaccines, “return-to-work” best
practices, etc.
• Developing VaccinateArkansas.com, the businessto-business
website that provides online guidance
and tools for employers
• Designing flyers to promote vaccination clinics
(in English and Spanish)
• Sharing information about vaccination clinics through
social media channels, the Blueprint news hub website
and community organizations
• Developing and printing an 8-page booklet (from a special
section of our member magazine, Blueprint) and distributing
it statewide to answer frequently asked questions
• Providing information and guidance from Creshelle Nash,
M.D., medical director for public programs, and Mark
Jansen, M.D., vice president and chief medical officer
I’m ready for the
vaccine, so I can
protect those around
me. I’m at high risk
for COVID-19, and
I want my kids to be
able to listen to my
corny dad jokes
for decades.
Travis Frey
Customer service
representative II
with Health
Advantage
Customer Service
I am grateful to have received both
doses of the Moderna vaccine while
volunteering at a clinic in Forrest City.
The vaccination clinics throughout
Arkansas are an excellent tool to
make it easier for people to get
vaccinated conveniently in their
hometowns. I am looking forward to
when we can get back to spending
time with family members within each
other’s homes. We need to all get
vaccinated to make that a reality.
Drew Mashburn
Manager of Sales Training for
Regional & Sales Operations
4 InsideBlue April

Your efforts
are helping to
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield employees are known to
be among the first to step up when our communities need help.
And when the company helped to organize COVID-19 vaccine
events in February and March, you were quick to respond.
Here are just a few pictures from recent events.
You can find more photos in our photo albums on
InsideBlue > Company > Publications > Photo Albums
Interested in future volunteer opportunities?
Visit the BlueCares Volunteer page on
InsideBlue > Company > BlueCares Volunteer Program
Penny Raymond, administrative assistant for
Enterprise Customer Accounts & Membership (l)
with her best friend of 22 years, Valerie Goucher
Pictured l to r: Alison Melson, vice president of Corporate Marketing;
Alicia Berkemeyer, executive vice president and chief health management
officer; Damona Fisher, manager of advertising, public relations and
marketing communications; Kristen Lippencott, wellness program
manager; and Luciana Gill-Reed, claims specialist IV
Curtis Barnett, president and CEO, Arkansas
Blue Cross, with Arkansas Department of
Health employees (left to right) Dr. Moises
Moraga, Gloria Bastidas and Michelle Smith.
My family got hit super
hard by COVID-19 last
December, ruining our
holidays and spending a
very long time recovering
– something we never
want to experience
again, so we are taking
all steps possible to
prevent it!
Jordan Mathis, CPC,
Medical risk adjustment
and compliance coder
with Risk Adjustment
Coding Compliance
My husband and I volunteer with Court
Appointed Special Advocates to help
abused and neglected children, so we
qualified in the 1-B group to receive the
COVID-19 vaccine. We took our first
Moderna vaccine dose in February
and the second dose in March. We are
honored to serve children by visiting
them in their foster homes and schools
and being with them in court and
other routine places.
Tammy Waggoner
Quality assurance analyst senior
for Performance Monitoring
Analysis & Reporting
InsideBlue April 5

Coming
soon:
Redesigned Blueprint
Portal experience
Technology doesn’t stand still; Neither do we
View plan information at a glance
Quickly access your ID cards
Having the right information at the
right time and up-to-date tools can help
empower our physical, behavioral and
financial well-being. If you have one of
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s
health plans, you can help test our tools to
ensure they are the best for our members.
Our Blueprint Portal mobile app and
web portal have been redesigned with
enhanced features to help Arkansas
Blue Cross members (like you) to get the
best in health-and-wellness information.
As part of the update, we changed the
name from “My Blueprint” to “Blueprint
Portal,” so it has the same name and look
as other rebranded resources for our
member programs and resources, like
Blueprint member engagement collateral
and videos, the Blueprint member
magazine and the Blueprint news hub.
The updated version includes:
• A new look and layout that
helps you find what you need
more easily
• A new claims feed, so you can
quickly access key information,
starting with your most recent
visits, procedures, etc.
• Real-time access to the details
on your claims, including your
financial responsibility. No more
waiting for your Explanation of
Benefits (EoB) in the mail.
And that’s just the beginning!
Future enhancements will include
the ability to receive personalized
messaging based on your health
needs, integration with other apps
to empower you as you manage
your health and more.
6 InsideBlue Arkansas
Find care and costs
Be part of the
innovation
Later this month, Arkansas Blue
Cross employees who have one
of the company’s health plans will
join Baptist Health employees as
beta testers and will pilot these
new features. You’ll have advanced
access to the Blueprint Portal Beta
mobile app (available through the
App Store and Google Play Store)
and the online portal.
Track your claim status
Access your claims history
Also, by participating as a tester and
providing feedback, you’ll be eligible
for incentives.
Stay tuned to InsideBlue for more
information about when the beta app
will be available, how to get started,
and how to provide feedback.
Let’s work together to make the
redesigned Blueprint Portal app
and online portal the best they can
be to benefit all our members.

In January, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield launched InBLUEsion, the enterprise’s
inclusion initiative, with the vision of creating and maintaining an environment where all
our employees feel welcome, valued and are thriving.
Stephanie Floyd, manager of customer accounts for Enterprise Exchange Services and
Health Advantage Customer Accounts, serves as chair of the InBLUEsion committee.
Stephanie has been with Arkansas Blue Cross since 1989 and has served in numerous
roles in claims, customer service, training and learning and development.
We sat down with her to chat about the beginning of Arkansas Blue Cross’ journey to inclusivity.
Floyd
Stephanie, can you tell us how you became involved
in InBLUEsion and why it’s important to you?
Stephanie: Gladly. Anyone who knows me knows that I
have a passion for developing others and helping them
find their best fit to fulfill their goals and aspirations.
InBLUEsion is all about helping each employee to thrive.
During my 15-year tenure as a learning consultant,
employees often would ask about diversity in our
organization, particularly above the supervisor level.
I’ve been interested in diversity and inclusion for a long
time and how unconscious bias can affect a business.
I shared my interest with Curtis Barnett, including a bit
of my experience as a Black woman. When Arkansas
Blue Cross formed its inclusion committee, I was asked
to join, and at our first committee meeting, I was voted
unanimously to serve as chair. I am honored and humbled
to be in this role.
Where are we now, and what’s next?
Stephanie: We are currently in the information-gathering
phase. As we’ve shared previously, we partnered with
Teleos Leaders, and they facilitated our employee
forums and focus groups. These sessions were designed
to gather information from our employees about their
experiences and expectations relative to diversity and
inclusion. Teleos is compiling this data and will soon
submit their report to the InBLUEsion committee. What
we do next really depends on what comes out of those
findings and recommendations. The committee and
I have heard directly from many employees who are
excited about InBLUEsion and want to build on the
company’s intention to create an environment that
welcomes and embraces each person for who we
are based on our knowledge, skills and abilities.
What is your hope for InBLUEsion?
Stephanie: My hope for InBLUEsion is that employees
recognize that this is not a fad—it’s a paradigm shift.
That shift requires us to nurture a culture where people
of every ethnicity, color, culture, choice and ability are
valued for their talents and abilities and are not excluded
based on any external identifier(s).
Additionally, I hope everyone within our organization
understands that InBLUEsion is not about quotas or
statistics. It is about equity, value, recognition and
equal opportunities for all to succeed.
Lastly, I hope that we will open our hearts and minds
and genuinely value and embrace everyone within our
organization as valued members of the team because
of our differences.
If someone has a suggestion, comment or
question, what should they do?
Stephanie: Feel free to contact me directly or any
InBLUEsion committee member. You can also send an
email to our committee at InBLUEsion@arkbluecross.com
or to info@TeleosLeaders.com.
Stay tuned to the
InBLUEsion page for
information on next steps.
InsideBlue > Company >
InBLUEsion
InsideBlue April 7

NWA office puts
best foot forward
New Springdale facility is
a progressive step toward
a flexible, functional future
Buildings can’t walk. But they can
take big steps forward.
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s
new Northwest Arkansas Corporate
Office is expected to be ready for
occupancy by early September.
The four-story, 81,000-squarefoot
building, currently under
construction, is near Interstate 49 in
southwest Springdale (near Arvest
Ballpark). And its design, systems,
furnishings and technology include
great strides forward in terms of
sustainability, flexibility, workspace
functionality, team dynamics,
employee amenities and futurefocused
adaptability.
When complete, the facility will
compare favorably with those of
many of our industry-leading clients
and prospects. And the building will
follow contemporary best practices
for corporate work environments.
Employees who have worked
in the South Gaines building in
Little Rock will readily recognize
much of what they see inside the
Northwest Arkansas building. The
new facility is using that building’s
transformation as the baseline
for its interior configuration and
furnishings – but it expands those
concepts in exciting new ways.
What you will see
Here’s a sampling of what you’ll see
when the new Northwest Arkansas
Corporate Office is completed:
• Lots of windows, natural light and
great views – thanks, in part, to the
massive banks of glass “curtain
walls” on the exterior
• A scenic outdoor space and
pavilion area
• Dedicated training classrooms
• Efficiently grouped and
configured workstations for
optimal workflows
• Floor plans that are highly
functional and flexible
• Meeting and presentation areas
that are impressively decorated
and equipped with high-tech
systems to maximize multi-media
capabilities and collaboration
• An electronic signage/scheduling
system for meeting spaces to
show availability in real time
• High-visibility offices for
managers/directors and above –
a best practice that meets Human
Resources, compliance and
safety considerations
• Amenity-filled canteen and
break areas
• Hoteling areas for visiting
staff/vendors
Artists rendering
• Special areas for private
personal space
• Secure storage for personal items
Whom you will see
Teams that will be represented in the
new NWA Corporate Office include:
• Claims
• Customer Service
• Group Sales & Service
• Human Resources/Training
• Information Technology
• Medical Management
& Population Health
• Network Management
& Provider Services
• Regional operations/reception
A total of 114 positions have been
identified as eligible to be based
at the new NWA Corporate Office.
So stay tuned ... details about
transfer requests, etc., will be
coming in the near future.
InsideBlue
A publication for the employees of the Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield family of companies
00003.01.01-0421
EDITOR Katie Eisenhower (5 BC/S) DESIGNER Ryan Kravitz PHOTOGRAPHER Chip Bayer
CONTRIBUTORS Chip Bayer, Jennifer Bridgeman, Suzi Parker, Greg Russell and Marie Trotter
VICE PRESIDENT of CORPORATE MARKETING Alison Melson