In 2023, the World Health Organization officially declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also the first full year that our global population remained steady at 8 billion people, with more young people alive today than ever before in history. As a global society we experienced the hottest year on record, indicating that climate change is no longer a future threat — it is a current one. We also saw the introduction of generative artificial intelligence through technology like ChatGPT and witnessed violence and death as war continued in Ukraine and flared in the Middle East.
Global health, demographic shifts, climate change, advancements in technology, and war and conflict — these are the events that marked 2023 for all of us around the world. In reflecting on the past year and the challenges and successes we have had at Blue Shield of California, I am reminded of our core values of being human, honest and courageous. To me, these values are more important in the world we are living in today than ever before, and I remain very proud of how we personify them every day.
In 2023, we remained unwavering in our pursuit of creating a healthcare system that is worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable for everyone. We are leading the way to “well ahead,” and we have a lot to be proud of. As an organization, we orchestrated a financial turnaround of more than $1 billion. That is no coincidence. It happened because of the will and disciplined execution by our more than 7,000 employees. As of year-end, we achieved our highest average Net Promoter Score on record, indicating Californians continue to choose Blue Shield of California. And, in August, we announced our plans to flip the script on pharmacy care through our Pharmacy Care Reimagined initiative — making national news, influencing the industry and garnering attention from many interested stakeholders.
For us, this effort is just the beginning of the positive disruption we are bringing to the healthcare system. These achievements are notable and provide a solid foundation to proceed in our mission with accelerated vigor. We are, however, not without challenges. We put a lot of high-quality work into achieving our mission, yet in the health insurance industry, the results are not always immediately apparent. While this may cause some outside our organization to wonder whether our transformational vision can actually happen in a system that has been dysfunctional for so long, we are convinced that with our resilience and persistence, it absolutely can.
I am incredibly proud of where we stand today. We have significant momentum and a very thoughtful, carefully laid out plan with the opportunity to make significant advances through our transformational strategy. We must remain focused on the outcome and continue to bring forward our passion, vision and discipline to realize a healthcare system that is truly worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable. Here’s to another year in which we experience the fruits of our labors and proudly own the label of being “rebels with a cause.”
Paul Markovich
President and Chief Executive Officer
Read Blue Shield of California's 2023 Mission Report, "Leading the Way to Well Ahead."
