Spotlight On: Tony Jenkins, Market President for Central Florida, Florida Blue

Key points:

• Florida Blue is expanding community partnerships to improve local access, trust, and health outcomes across Central Florida.

• Evolving member expectations are driving more personalized, convenient, and preventive healthcare solutions.

• Digital tools, data analytics, and AI are being leveraged to enhance access, affordability, and care coordination.

January 2026 — Invest: spoke with Tony Jenkins, market president for Central Florida at Florida Blue, about how the organization is expanding community partnerships, responding to evolving member expectations, and using digital tools to improve access and outcomes across the region. “If we keep members at the center, invest in prevention, leverage digital tools, and stay connected to our communities, we can continue making progress in improving access, affordability, and outcomes across Central Florida,” Jenkins said.

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What key milestones and strategic initiatives have defined Florida Blue’s work in Central Florida over the past year?

Florida Blue has been doing business in Florida for more than 80 years, and it’s important that we live out our mission in our communities. Our mission statement is very simple: to help people and communities achieve better health.

Even though our primary business is providing health insurance, we consider ourselves to be operating along a broader spectrum of healthcare. We think of ourselves as a health solutions company, which means being present and active in the communities we serve.

Community development is very important to us. Over the last year, we’ve strengthened relationships and partnerships with key Orlando and Central Florida institutions, including the Orlando Magic and the Orlando Solar Bears. We’re also involved in major community events like the Florida Blue Florida Classic, a football game between two historically and predominantly Black colleges.

We also focus on being visible at the neighborhood level. There’s a youth soccer organization called Sofive in Lake Nona, where we support families and help reinforce the importance of wellness, prevention, and well-being. We believe partnerships are a critical part of building trust and long-term impact.

Another example is Lift Orlando, an organization supporting a transforming area near downtown. We help financially support a health and wellness center there, giving people access to clinicians and services closer to where they live. Healthcare needs to be accessible, and those initiatives have been key milestones in how we support Central Florida communities.

How has demand for healthcare coverage shifted across Central Florida, and what changing member needs stand out the most?

Central Florida is a very diverse community. People are moving here from across the country and from around the world, which has changed the look and feel of the region. That diversity means healthcare needs are increasingly personalized.

We don’t want to put a product on a shelf and say, here you go. We want to understand what matters to individuals, families, and businesses. That includes how people want to access care. Are they interested in virtual care? Do they want more digital access? Those questions matter.

Consumerism has become a defining factor across industries, including healthcare. People can research, compare, and make informed decisions. Consumers have a voice in their care, and our role is to listen and meet them where they are. As the region grows and expectations evolve, our focus is on helping families navigate healthcare in ways that make sense for their lives.

How are expectations around care access, affordability, and preventive health evolving, and how is Florida Blue responding?

I don’t like to use the word challenges, because for every barrier there’s a solution. When someone has a sick child or family member, access becomes critical. We have to be there when people need care.

Convenience is a big part of that. Not everyone can travel 10 or 15 miles to a major hospital. That’s why we’ve invested in GuideWell Emergency Doctors locations, which combine urgent and emergency care. We now have four across the market, helping bring care closer to where people live and work.

Wellness and prevention are just as important. We focus heavily on education, helping people understand how lifestyle, prevention, and early intervention can impact long-term health. Our Florida Blue Centers play an important role here. Members can walk in, speak face-to-face with nurses or customer service representatives, and get guidance without navigating a call center.

We also think deeply about social determinants of health. Factors like housing safety, transportation access, and food availability all influence outcomes. By working with community partners to address these issues, we can help remove barriers that sit outside traditional clinical care but still affect health in meaningful ways.

How is Florida Blue using digital tools, data analytics, and AI to improve the member and provider experience?

Technology has transformed how we live and work, and healthcare is no exception. Digital tools allow us to engage members in ways that are more timely and convenient.

Telemedicine is a strong example. If someone is ill and can’t get to a doctor’s office, they can consult a physician remotely and even receive prescriptions when appropriate. That flexibility matters.

Data analytics is another critical area. We look at population health trends by zip code and community to understand where to focus resources. On an individual level, people also want tools to track their own health journeys.

AI is becoming an important part of that ecosystem as well. We were early adopters, and we see AI as a way to improve efficiency, support physicians, and reduce delays in care. Healthcare will always be high-touch, but these tools can enhance the patient-provider relationship by making information more accessible and actionable.

What pressures do you see across rising medical costs, workforce shortages, regulatory changes, and chronic disease management?

Healthcare is complex. There are insurers, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, providers, and now private equity, all operating within the same ecosystem. Through all of that complexity, our guiding principle is keeping the member at the center.

Affordability is one of the biggest pressures. Healthcare costs can crowd out other household priorities, from housing to education to food. Addressing rising costs requires collaboration across the industry.

Workforce shortages are another major issue. Nursing and physician shortages impact wait times and access, especially as Central Florida continues to grow. Demand for services is increasing faster than some provider systems can staff.

Regulatory uncertainty also plays a role, particularly around how to expand access and support coverage affordability at the federal level. Those conversations are ongoing.

Finally, chronic disease management remains one of the largest drivers of healthcare costs. A relatively small percentage of people account for a significant share of total spend due to conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Supporting those individuals through prevention, education, and coordinated care is essential.

If we keep members at the center, invest in prevention, leverage digital tools, and stay connected to our communities, we can continue making progress in improving access, affordability, and outcomes across Central Florida.

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