Alphonso O'Neil-White Elected Chairman, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Board of Directors

CHICAGO, Nov. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Alphonso O'Neil-White, president and CEO, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, has been elected chairman of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's Board of Directors. Headquartered in Chicago,  the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is made up of 38 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for nearly 100 million individuals– one in three Americans. 

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121130/NY21773 )

O'Neil-White will serve a one-year term effective November, 2012.  By assuming leadership of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's governing body, he will preside over quarterly meetings of the Association's board of directors.  This governing body sets policies for the nation's Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies and provides strategic guidance and oversight for the Association.  He also will serve as chair of the board's Administrative Committee.

O'Neil-White has been president and chief executive officer of BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York since 2003. He joined the company in 1996, and is credited with leading the company to financial stability, and maintaining market leadership during significant changes in the health insurance landscape.

"I am honored and humbled to be selected by my peers to lead this great organization, which plays such a significant role in our company and our health care system," said O'Neil-White.

"Alphonso will bring strong and strategic leadership to the nation's Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies during an important time of transition for our industry," said Scott P. Serota, president and chief executive officer of BCBSA. "Alphonso's breadth and depth of experience will be invaluable in guiding our efforts to make healthcare accessible and affordable for all Americans."

Prior to joining BlueCross BlueShield, O'Neil-White served as vice president and general counsel for the organization now known as America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the pre-eminent, Washington, DC- based trade association for the health insurance industry. He was also labor counsel for Humana, (a publicly traded health care company), and general counsel for one of the nation's first health maintenance organizations, Group Health Association. As an attorney in private practice, he specialized in labor/management relations, and is licensed to practice law in several states and the District of Columbia.

He serves on several national, regional and local boards of directors including the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, National Institute for Healthcare Management, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

O'Neil-White received a bachelor's degree from Hampden-Sydney College and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Louisville.

About BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York:

BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York is a division of HealthNow New York Inc., one of New York's leading health care companies that provides access to quality health care and solutions for members throughout Upstate New York. Since 1936, BlueCross BlueShield has helped millions of people gain access to health care. Today, we offer a full range of insured, self-insured, and government programs and services covering businesses, families, and individuals, as well as life and disability coverage, dental and vision plans and stop-loss coverage. The company contributes significantly to organizations that promote physical health, community health and our region's health, and BlueCross BlueShield employees also raise and donate several hundred thousand dollars each year. Headquartered in Buffalo, NY, the company is an independent Licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association.

As the region's leading health plan, serving over 800,000 members, BlueCross BlueShield believes in taking small steps towards healthier living because - Healthy Changes Everything(SM).  For more information, go to www.bcbswny.com.

About the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association:

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is made up of 38 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for nearly 100 million individuals– one in three Americans.  For more information, go to www.bcbs.com.

SOURCE BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York