Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation Names Senator Jarrett Barrios as its New President

May 23, 2007

Contact:

Celeste Lee 617.246.7348

BOSTON — The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation announced today that it has named Sen. Jarrett Barrios of Cambridge to serve as president of the Foundation. With an endowment of $100 million, the Foundation is one of the largest private health philanthropies in the state. Through grants and policy initiatives, the Foundation works to broaden health coverage and reduce barriers to health care for uninsured, vulnerable low-income individuals and families in the Commonwealth. The Foundation played a leading a role in the development of state's health care reform law, which has become a model for the nation.

"I am so pleased that Jarrett agreed to serve as President of this Foundation. His public policy accomplishments and personal commitment to the values we share uniquely qualify him to lead the Foundation towards its goal of quality, affordable health care for all residents of our state. He has been a passionate and effective advocate for working families, low-income people, immigrants, Latinos and other minorities," said BCBSMAF Chair Philip W. Johnston. 

Sen. Barrios comes to the BCBSMA Foundation as an attorney and after serving as a state representative from 1999 to 2002 and a state senator from 2003 to today. On Beacon Hill, he has led successful efforts to improve health care, public safety, affordable housing and other critical issues.

"In the Legislature, Sen. Barrios has been a voice for many whose priorities were long unheard.  In eight years on Beacon Hill, he has amassed an impressive record of results that are making a real difference in people's lives.  The first bill he sponsored expanded emergency room care by requiring hospitals to provide interpreter services for people who don't speak English. He leads efforts in the Senate on a measure to address health care disparities," Johnston said. 

"This appointment offers an exciting opportunity for me to makes a real difference for people who need a voice," Sen. Barrios said. "I'm honored by the opportunity to lead this prestigious Foundation as we continue work toward making the expansion of health coverage to everyone in state a reality. The Foundation has been a leader in health care policy, and I am excited to join the team at this important time."

Most importantly, Johnston added, this is good news for the people who are served by the Foundation's mission to address disparities in health care and ensure that all people have equal access to quality care.

Sen. Barrios succeeds Nancy Turnbull, who became a Senior Lecturer on Health Policy and Associate Dean for Educational Programs in Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard School of Public Health.

At the State House, Sen. Barrios is Chair of the Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee and the former Vice-Chair of the Health Care Committee.  He authored legislation that created the $11 million Shannon Grant program to combat youth violence, established a low-income housing tax credit, created a witness protection program, tightened fire safety laws and much more. As the only Latino state senator, Sen. Barrios has demonstrated a commitment to the inclusion and empowerment of diverse communities.  He founded the statewide Latino group, OISTE (www.oiste.org), and the Commonwealth Legislative Seminar (www.masscls.org). 

Sen. Barrios also is an attorney at DLA Piper in Boston. He also was an attorney at Hill & Barlow in Boston.

Sen. Barrios is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College and cum laude graduate of Georgetown University Law School.

His board experience includes the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, The American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay, Families U.S.A., National Conference of Hispanic State Legislators, One Family and Acceso. He also is a member of the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation
Since its inception in 2001, the BCBSMAF (www.bcbsmafoundation.org) has committed grants totaling $21.6 million to 199 organizations, and developed numerous policy initiatives to expand access to health care for the uninsured and low-income individuals and families in Massachusetts.  The Foundation is governed by its own 18-member Board of Directors and operates separately from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) corporation.  BCBSMA contributed an initial endowment of $55 million in 2001. The Foundation’s current endowment of more than $100 million makes it one of the largest private health philanthropies in the state.