Thoughts on my first day as CEO

To all Associates, Teammates and the Humana Community –

I am humbled and excited by the journey ahead of us. We have the opportunity to be the best integrated healthcare company in the United States, serving the country’s most vulnerable populations – the aging, the disabled and those struggling to find access to high-quality, affordable care. 

Humana has a rich history. This is a company that has reinvented itself time and again in response to changing – and sometimes challenging – times. We’ve evolved from nursing homes to hospitals to insurance to integrated healthcare and beyond. But one thing has stayed the same: doing right by patients and members. 

Today, Humana has amazing footing from which to build. In the past 10 years alone, we grew from serving 10 million people to 18 million. We doubled the size of our Military TRICARE business. We expanded our Medicaid presence by more than 10 states. At the same time, we developed exceptional clinical capabilities, among the top in the industry. And we took our primary care business to new heights while launching entirely new businesses, such as Home Health.

With this achievement comes an incredible responsibility. We have become an instrumental part of the U.S. health system. People are looking to us to make healthcare quality, access and affordability better in our country. I’m privileged to be part of the story that has been written by our more than 65,000 teammates.

A growth mindset

To maintain our leading position and continue making a meaningful difference in the industry, we must come to work each day with a growth mindset. This means never being satisfied with the status quo – rather we constantly strive to get better. It means taking bold action to be a healthcare company that is:

• Customer-Focused: We have strong track record of delivering high-quality healthcare and outstanding customer engagement scores. Still, we can better personalize the care and attention consumers receive. We can better tailor insurance benefits to each member. We can make it easier to find the right products for specific needs and improve how customers navigate the system.
•  Technology-Enabled: Humana has leveraged digital capabilities to help us to do our best work, improve customer relationships and reshape care delivery. From here we must create even simpler, more efficient ways of doing things through digital transformation.
• Value-Oriented: our approach to integrated senior care is truly distinctive. We bring our health plan offerings and healthcare services together to provide members and patients with a seamless experience and greater value. We must continue providing an experience that no one else can deliver. This is how we will best provide people with resources and quality, affordable care to improve health outcomes.

Building on a legacy

The past couple of years have been challenging – not just for us, but for the whole healthcare industry. Many of the issues we are facing today are not unique to Humana. What is distinctive about Humana is the past 10 years of thoughtful, successful work that has gone into building this company. It puts us in a strong position to weather the challenges, drive innovation, and thrive in the future. Also distinctive is our company culture that does not sit on the sidelines lamenting the things that it cannot control, but rather looks to the things that it can influence. This is how we build a better company for tomorrow. 

I must thank Bruce, who guided Humana to where it is today. The legacy he leaves is twofold. First, he is a force within this business. He expanded our organization into new segments, broadened our footprint across geographies and helped Humana reach populations of people who needed care the most. He’s also leaving a people legacy. Humana’s culture is our differentiator. It’s what’s driven our success over the years. And it’s what will take us to the next level.

As I formally take on this new role, I want to also thank my fellow associates for their warm welcome. This is truly a people-powered business. I continue to be impressed with the level of passion and care with which this team operates.

I'm ready to push forward, and I'm more confident than ever this is the place and team to do it.