Blue Cross and Blue Shield funds UF effort to improve access to health care statewide

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida and the University of Florida have joined forces to improve access to affordable health care for all Florida residents.

UF announced today a $1.2 million gift from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida to the UF College of Health Professions to create a professorship in health-care policy. The gift, eligible for state matching funds, establishes the first full professorship for the college.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported in September 2002 that the number of uninsured Americans in 2001 had risen to 41.2 million, an increase of 1.4 million over the previous year. Nearly 18 percent of Florida’s residents do not have health insurance.

“We are pleased that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, a leader in Florida’s health community, has partnered with UF to create a professorship focusing on how to assure that all Floridians have access to health care,” said Robert Frank, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health Professions. “No family should worry about health care for a loved one, and this gift allows us to join with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida to look at pragmatic solutions to this problem.”

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Professorship in Health Services Administration will support the appointment of a nationally known scholar of health policy to establish a network of programs and activities dedicated to finding solutions to the widespread lack of affordable health coverage.

“We are honored to work with the University of Florida to create the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Professorship in Health Services Administration endowment fund,” said Michael Cascone Jr., chairman and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. “Our support is one way we fulfill our mission to advance the health and well-being of Florida’s citizens, especially the uninsured and underserved. We believe programs aimed at health-care awareness and training, health education, research and policy initiatives, and workforce preparation can make a positive difference in our communities.”

The professorship appointee will establish a research program on critical areas affecting health-care access, health insurance, financing of health care and public-private health partnerships, and will bring national experts to UF as visiting faculty.

“As studies by our faculty have demonstrated, health-care access is an increasing problem in Florida that has economic and social justice implications,” said Niccie McKay, Ph.D., an associate professor and chair of the UF department of health services administration. “We are privileged to collaborate with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida to address this critical problem.”