Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has stated that James R. Reed has been appointed CEO and its parent organization, The Lifetime Healthcare Companies.
- An old hand: Reed served as president and CEO-elect since July 2020 and succeeds Chris Booth, who retired recently after leading the company since 2013. Reed joined Excellus BlueCross BlueShield in January 1996. His roles included executive vice-president of marketing and sales and central New York regional president.
- A man of mission: “Jim is strategic in his approach, has a strong sense of mission, and brings a wide array of experience to the job,” said Marianne Gaige, chairwoman of the company’s board of directors. “He has been a leader in this company for 25 years and has been instrumental in shaping the company’s future in today’s ever-changing health insurance industry.”
- Community involvement: Reed has been involved in the community through various non-profit organizations. He serves on multiple committees and boards in the regions, including the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, and the BlueCross BlueShield Association. Reed earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and his master’s degree in business administration from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York
- Aim for better outcomes: “Our focus remains on providing access to high-quality health care to as many people as possible at a price they can afford,” Reed said. “As a locally-based health plan, we are partners with those who provide care and those who pay for it and we want to build on that going forward.”
- An excellent BCBS platform: The Lifetime Healthcare family of companies includes its nonprofit health plan with 1.5 million members in 39 New York counties and about 3,900 employees. The health plan does business as Excellus BlueCross BlueShield across the Rochester region, central and northern New York, the Utica region, and the southern tier and operates as Univera Healthcare in eight counties surrounding the Buffalo area.
