National Labor Office

The Blue Commitment to Labor: Better Care for America's Workers and Their Families

The National Labor Office (NLO) is the liaison between unions and the 38 independent Blue companies, acting to ensure that Blue products meet the labor community's needs and bargaining objectives. Collectively bargained contracts account for approximately 20 million Blue company members—approximately one-fifth of the Blue System's national enrollment. BCBSA established the National Labor Office (NLO) in 1965 to demonstrate its strong commitment to building successful partnerships with organized labor.

The objectives of the NLO are to represent Blue Cross and Blue Shield on a national level by managing relationships with international unions and to keep labor informed of Blue Cross and Blue Shield products, policies and positions.  By understanding the unique politics and changing organizational structures of the labor movement and healthcare policy, the National Labor Office demonstrates a strong commitment to labor. 

Working to be organized labor's healthcare partner of choice

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are the proven leaders in the financing and delivery of healthcare for organized labor. We cover one of every three Americans—including nearly 20 million unionized workers, families and retirees—who rank the Blues number one in customer satisfaction. By our estimates, more union households make the Blues their healthcare partner of choice than the three next largest insurers combined.

Virtually all Blue companies have strong relationships with labor unions in their states, and most companies dedicate representatives or entire departments to working with the local labor community.  These representatives and their departments are responsible for developing union contacts, marketing products and servicing labor-related customers.

Delivering better healthcare coverage and value to union members

When unions select the Blues as their healthcare partner, they receive the best coverage and value in healthcare. The Blues' network of healthcare providers is the industry's largest, including 88 percent of all doctors and 99 percent of all hospitals in the United States. That means easier access to the best care for union members nationwide.

As today’s healthcare system becomes more complex, the NLO, through educational programs and services, can help Blue companies, union representatives, and strategic alliances understand new health plan options and gain access to critical information that satisfy the needs of labor, management and health plans alike.

The NLO provides a broad range of educational programs for the BCBS companies, labor representatives and strategic alliances.  The NLO educational programs are as follows:

• The Healthcare Symposium, held annually in the fall, updates labor representatives on critical healthcare policy and legislative issues. This event also helps the Blues better understand labor’s position on critical issues and fosters networking and improved relationships between all healthcare stakeholders.
• Virtually Blue, The E-Learning program  – In partnership with the Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA) at the University of Illinois, the NLO offers bi-monthly webinars and online learning sessions specifically designed for BCBS companies labor representatives. This series expands participant knowledge of specialized and timely topics in labor and employment relations, and features labor experts from the University of Illinois, Rutgers University, Penn State University, Michigan State University, and others.
• The Labor / Management Healthcare Strategies Meeting (HSM) – Held annually, this meeting gives attendees a comprehensive look at the labor economy, healthcare reform developments and future healthcare issues for labor.  Academics, business and union leaders also speak on political and policy developments, behavioral strategies for achieving member wellness, and the characteristics of a future high-performing healthcare system for labor.

Resource Links

Health and Human Services Web Portal

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

The Federal Register – links to rules, regulations, updates related to health care and other cites for professionals

Setting Health Care/Service or Benefits Limits

OIG -- Legal issues and governmental affairs, reports, etc.

Retiree Reinsurance Program

CQ (Congressional Quarterly) – links to policy and legislative updates

Information regarding health care, facts, issues, regulations, and policy initiatives – a lot of information on CDHPs

Other Resources

AFL-CIO

The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.,  

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unions and Blue companies continually seek innovative relationships to improve member health and lower cost. Through its strategic alliances*, the NLO facilitates best‑in‑class offerings to organized labor. 

1. Catalyst Health Solutions
2. CorCell, A Cord Blood America Company
3. Davis Vision
4. HM Insurance Group
5. Magellan Health Services
6. NASCO
7. NovaSom
8. URAC

*NLO strategic alliances do not sell Blue Cross and Blue Shield Branded products. Strategic alliances are not BCBSA partners or joint ventures. In addition, there is not an employer and employee or principal and agent relationship between BCBSA and any Strategic alliance, or their respective personnel. 

The NLO newsletter, Labor Matters is distributed very broadly across the BCBS System, to labor customers and other NLO constituents.  Hard copies also are available at the NLO Exhibit Booth during various labor conferences. 

This newsletter is published quarterly and features articles from member comanies Plans and strategic alliances.  The articles relate to services, innovations, programs, etc. that are offered to Blue labor customers (trust fund, public and/or private sector).  

Send questions regarding the NLO newsletter to Marian Casarella.

Winter 2011

• 2011 NLO Healthcare Symposium pictures
• National Labor Office (NLO)Board of Directors, New Chair and Co-Chair
• Where to find products made in America Guide

Summer 2011

• CareFirst’s PCMH Program
• HM Insurance Group’s Stop Loss Services
• Catalyst Health Solutions acquire Walgreens Health Initiatives

Spring 2011

• Cord blood saves lives 
• Davis Vision powers up plans that protect vision and overall health 
• Avalon Academy: community service at its best