Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) honored Dr. Vivian Ho last night with the first Justin F. Kimball Patient Protection Award. The new award is given to people with the same spirit and commitment to their community’s health as Blue Cross’ founding father Justin F. Kimball.
Kimball, originally an educator, developed several innovations that improved the quality of life for students and teachers during his time as superintendent of Dallas public schools. In 1929, when Kimball moved to Baylor University Hospital to help restore the institution to financial health, he designed an individual hospital prepayment plan, expanding on the success of similar program he started in the school system. This idea of “group hospitalization” grew to become the national system of Blue Cross and Blue Shield and into the insurance plans known today.
“This award seeks to recognize and raise awareness around health care professionals who have an innate drive to provide better access to high-quality, affordable health care for patients,” said Dr. Dan McCoy, president, BCBSTX. “We are thrilled to announce Dr. Vivian Ho as the inaugural award winner.”
Dr. Ho, a nationally-renowned health care researcher and economist, continues that innovative spirit. Dr. Ho serves as the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at Rice University. Her research there examines the effects of economic incentives and regulations on the quality and costs of health care and is widely published in research journals.
“Dr. Ho’s contributions to public health and her role in protecting Texans follows Justin Kimball’s spirit of innovation and commitment to protecting her community,” McCoy continued.
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About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) — the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas — is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 80,000 physicians and health care practitioners, and 500 hospitals to serve 5 million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma and New Mexico), the country's largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth-largest health insurer overall. Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.