Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Mo.) and Highmark, both nonprofit independent licensees of Blue Cross Blue Shield, are planning to affiliate, according to a Dec. 11 news release.
Blue KC will retain its local leadership and headquarters in Kansas City, along with its brand. Financial reserves and earnings will also remain at Blue KC. Highmark will offer administrative support, leveraging its knowledge of provider engagement, population health, technology and data analytics.
“We explored a number of opportunities to build on our commitments to the Kansas City region and be responsive to market needs,” Blue KC CEO Erin Stucky said. “Our evaluation process was comprehensive, and we are confident Highmark is the right partner to help us deliver greater value for our community.”
The agreement is pending regulatory approvals and closing conditions.
The move is the latest in a wave of affiliations among BCBS plans. Highmark affiliated with HealthNow New York in 2021, positioning Highmark as one of the top Blues plans by membership. The insurer ranks fifth out of all Blues plans in terms of capital.
Highmark has 7.1 million core health plan members and more than 3,600 employees. Blue KC brings one million members and nearly 1,200 employees.
