BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee was created more than 70 years ago in response to a pressing issue facing the people of our state: the need for affordable access to quality health care.
That need still drives our mission today.
And though we work to keep our coverage as affordable as possible, hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans still do not have health insurance.
So we will continue to advocate for expanding coverage in our state.
While we believe access to insurance is important, it’s not the whole story.
What does it take for everyone to get the right care at the right time, achieving better physical and mental health?
Improving access is ultimately about reducing health disparities, particularly among vulnerable populations in both urban and rural areas throughout Tennessee.
You can learn about three key factors that can affect access — affordability, geography and culture — in this issue of Better Tennessee.
As we pursue better health for all Tennesseans, it’s critical that we understand these issues and support the people working to address them.
Likewise, the purpose of this magazine is to share the stories of the organizations making a difference on all of these fronts, while creating a deeper understanding of the underlying challenges we face.
I trust that as you read this issue, you’ll come away better informed about these topics and more inspired by the work already underway.
We can rise to meet these challenges only by joining together, and I hope Better Tennessee will help in that effort.
