Blue Cross and Blue Shield: Protecting the image of the 800-pound gorilla.

CHALLENGE: Morris was director of communications at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine during the decade that managed care and rising heath care costs began to seriously impact the state. As Blue Cross was the largest insurer in Maine, the organization was a magnet for media inquiries, both informational and accusatory.

STRATEGY: As primary spokesperson for Blue Cross, Morris made sure that the message and delivery was consistent and worked for the good of the company, whether she or another company officer was interviewed. Tools used to ensure this were:

• A “higher ground” media strategy. Blue Cross was
targeted by health care consumer groups who pulled no
punches in delivering an anti-insurer message – and were
not always scrupulous about fact checking. But as the
leading insurer in Maine, Blue Cross could not afford to
pick on the little guy. Morris made sure that all messages
positioned the company as ethical and fair, and did not
allow the company to stoop to responding in kind to the
slanted attacks.

• Media coaching and talking points for CEO and other
internal industry experts. This ensured consistency of
message and gave management confidence.

• A firm policy of developing trust with media
representatives. Blue Cross officers were encouraged to
treat media with honesty and respect.

• Layman’s language. Health care insurance – especially
the new concept of managed care – was not an easy topic
for the public to navigate. Morris made sure that all
member materials included easy-to-understand language
and a minimum of jargon.

• An “employees first” policy. Nothing reduces employee
loyalty more than not being in the know. An employee who
hears something about their company in the media before
they hear it internally is ripe for dissatisfaction. Morris
developed an electronic and bulletin board program that
gave employees an early heads-up on media interviews -
along with brief talking points - so they had the facts and
the inside information to pass along to friends and families.

RESULTS: Public perception of Blue Cross as a respected community citizen and good value for health insurance increased more than 25% from 1995 to 1999.