Janet Lucas Taylor
A recap of a record-setting gathering and a look ahead at our new initiatives.
Our BHCG Annual Meeting was a powerful reminder of what is possible when employers come together with a shared commitment to improving health care value. We were thrilled to welcome a record number of attendees this year, reflecting both the growing momentum behind our mission and the increasing urgency employers feel to lead in today’s health care environment.
The program featured three outstanding sessions that underscored why employer engagement matters now more than ever. Rachel Ver Velde opened with a timely and practical review of recent Wisconsin health care legislation. Her message was clear and compelling: the employer voice matters. As many of us were reminded, if you are not at the table, you are on the menu.
Dr. Desai built on that call to action by showing why good care truly costs less. His remarks connected quality, safety, and financial stewardship in a way that resonated with our audience. High-quality care reduces avoidable complications, readmissions, and unnecessary services—and with that comes a more disciplined focus on total cost of care. He challenged employers to expect more from administrators and health systems and to insist on value, not simply volume.
Our final session with Dr. Fabius and Mike Critelli reinforced another essential truth: organizations that cultivate a strong culture of health outperform in the marketplace. Their research and perspective aligned closely with the strategic planning work we have underway at BHCG and with the initiatives that will shape our next chapter.
At the meeting, I was pleased to introduce two new RFP initiatives that directly support our mission and respond to employer priorities. The first, Episodes of Care / Centers of Excellence, is designed to direct employees to the highest-value specialty care while creating stronger protections for both employers and consumers around outcomes for specialty procedures. The second, Shared Clinics, will expand access to high-quality primary care for employers of all sizes, promote greater use of primary care, and help members build trusted relationships with a primary care provider in a medical home environment.
Together, these initiatives advance the goals we hear consistently from employers: higher quality, greater transparency, smarter consumption patterns, and an improved employee experience. They also reflect BHCG’s belief that better health care purchasing can create better health care delivery.
We are also grateful to our Platinum Sponsor, Centivo and Gold Sponsor, Holista for their generous support of this year’s Annual Meeting. Their partnership helps make gatherings like this possible and strengthens our ability to advance BHCG’s mission.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to such an energizing event. The BHCG Annual Meeting was both a celebration of progress and a signal of what comes next. We look forward to partnering with you as we turn this momentum into meaningful action.