Courtney Harris, Chief of Staff, Florida Blue
Invest: spoke to Courtney Harris, chief of staff at Florida Blue, to discuss strategic goals, challenges in the healthcare industry, demographic impacts on operations and the company’s efforts in providing affordable care and community support in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida.
What have been some of the main highlights and key milestones for Florida Blue in the Jacksonville and Northeast Florida area?
Reflecting on the past year, we’ve seen significant success, but we also faced challenges. The Jacksonville market, broadly speaking, is one of the fastest-growing metro areas in Florida. From 2010 to 2020, it experienced approximately 12.3% growth. This growth is largely driven by quality-of-life factors—such as access to beaches, an affordable cost of living and a strong job market. Recently, JAXUSA highlighted Jacksonville as the second hottest job market in the U.S. From a demographic perspective, Jacksonville has one of the largest African American communities, representing around 30% of the population, and a 12% Hispanic community. The Hispanic population, in particular, is the fastest-growing segment, with growth at about 23%, while the African American population has increased by approximately 15%.
Currently, Jacksonville is one of the largest markets for our individual under 65 commercial business in the state. Due to the region’s attractiveness, we expect approximately 500,000 more people to move here by 2045, driven by factors like quality of life and job opportunities. This growth is especially evident in St Johns, Nassau, and Clay counties, where housing developments are expanding. One of our significant wins this year was navigating a contentious negotiation with Baptist Health System, the largest hospital system in Jacksonville. The negotiation, which was focused on maintaining affordable healthcare for our members, was challenging and stretched out over several months. The contract was due to end on October 1, and we managed to reach an agreement by September 30, avoiding potential cost increases of more than $1 billion for the community over multiple years. This was a major achievement, especially given that hospital negotiations typically remain private. Ensuring our members could keep their doctors was a top priority, and we’re proud of the outcome.
Could you provide an overview of the current state of the healthcare insurance industry in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida?
One of the significant trends is the shift toward value-based care, focusing on patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness instead of the fee-for-service model. Digital transformation is also pivotal, with more use of electronic health records and telemedicine. For example, we have a joint venture with Sanitas, our care delivery partner, allowing members to access virtual visits through their phones. AI is another transformative element. Internally, we’ve adopted and leaned into A.I. solutions to help drive efficiencies with our enterprise and also promote a better member experience. Unlike many systems, our A.I. tool is housed within our infrastructure, eliminating the risk of data leakage and ensuring robust cybersecurity. Population health management is increasingly important as organizations focus on managing health at a community level, not just individually. Consumerism has also risen, with patients demanding more accessible and affordable care.
What are Florida Blue’s main strategic goals at present?
Our strategic focus includes advancing value-based care, strengthening the bridge between payer and provider—exemplified by our relationship with Sanitas—and enhancing the overall member experience. We’re integrating services through retail centers where members can purchase insurance, understand their benefits, and be introduced to their primary care providers, fostering continuity of care. Affordability is the top challenge. Our partnership with Sanitas and other provider partners allows for cost-controlled, high-quality care through value-based arrangements. This ensures we can maintain affordable premiums while incentivizing high-quality healthcare delivery.
How has the population growth in Jacksonville impacted your operations?
The influx of people benefits us by expanding our potential member base. With around 127,000 uninsured individuals in the area, many may not be aware that affordable options exist. Growth allows us to serve more residents and provide valuable community support and resources. My vision centers on affordability and equitable access to care. In areas like certain Jacksonville ZIP codes, there are significant care access gaps, with high ER utilization rates driven by limited transportation and chronic health conditions. Addressing these disparities is essential for a more equitable healthcare system.
What role do you see Florida Blue playing in shaping the future of healthcare in the next few years?
Our strategy is to continue transforming healthcare by enhancing network partnerships, expanding member access and implementing other innovative health solutions. Collaborations, such as our partnership with Mayo Clinic, have allowed us to introduce a new HMO product for our members, making quality care more accessible. Emphasizing technology and member choice remains a priority. Just to touch on our philanthropic efforts, we funded initiatives like the Deb’s Store, which provides fresh food, financial services and job readiness programs to an underserved community that was once a food desert here in Jacksonville. I’m also involved in various community boards to support local development and educational initiatives for the youth and community at large.
