New Leadership at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont Amid Challenges
Beth Roberts has officially taken on the role of president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont as of Saturday.
Just shortly after her appointment, the window for applications for the Affordable Care Act marketplace plan closed, a program that significantly helps thousands of Vermonters afford insurance thanks to federal tax credits.
It’s clear that Roberts steps into this position during a challenging time; the healthcare industry, particularly her new organization, is confronting some serious difficulties.
In a conversation with VTDigger, Roberts expressed her optimism regarding the potential for improving affordability in the state.
“My career has been built on running to the fire,” she shared. “We’re in a very complex situation here, and medical care is in a complicated place at the moment, but I truly believe there’s a lot that can be accomplished.”
Before taking the helm at Blue Cross Blue Shield, Roberts held a prominent role at Beth Israel Lahey Health Performance Network in Boston, where she gained insights into healthcare contract negotiations. This experience has motivated her to foster a better collaborative environment with the University of Vermont Health Network, which has historically faced adversarial interactions with the insurer.
In October, a new leadership team took charge at the health network under Steve Loeffler, who officially became CEO in January, stepping in after Sunny Eappen’s departure last fall.
Roberts joined Blue Cross Blue Shield on November 10, working alongside the previous president, Don George, to ensure a smooth transition during a two-month overlap.
Negotiations between the new leadership at UVM and Blue Cross have resulted in new contracts for 2026, which Roberts described as “a better deal than we expected,” although she refrained from providing details. This negotiation process was a crucial part of her early days in the role.
She noted, “I think there was a strong desire from both BlueCross BlueShield and UVM Health networks in Vermont to approach things differently.”
Roberts also sees potential for collaboration beyond UVM, suggesting a potential to simplify policies across various providers and insurers, allowing them to focus less on fine-tuning rates for individual plans. There’s a shared belief that they could leverage each other’s resources more effectively, such as utilizing care managers and quality specialists more efficiently.
As the landscape shifts, both insurers and hospitals are bracing for the reduction or removal of federal premium tax credits, which currently help make marketplace plans accessible for many Vermonters. Recent data reveals over 2,000 individuals have lost their coverage through these plans.
Roberts acknowledged her commitment to finding affordable options for those impacted by the loss of these subsidies. She is in discussions with state lawmakers and regulators to explore adjustments that could lead to lower premiums.
Furthermore, she is researching whether there is a need for more affordable plans that offer basic preventive care, with limited coverage for some necessary medical services.
While “affordable” has become a trending term within Vermont’s healthcare discourse, Roberts adds another concept to this: “sustainable.” She recognizes the uphill battle to make healthcare costs manageable again in the state.
“In Vermont, healthcare spending takes up 19.6% of household income, which is far from feasible,” she pointed out. “It’s going to take time – years, perhaps – to bring that number down to something more reasonable, so we really need to focus on this for a while.”
