(Note: This is one in a series of roughly 60 all-associate voice mails I wrote for Humana’s then-CEO Greg Wolf, as well as his successor, Mike McCallister and company chairman and co-founder David A. Jones.)

GHW Voice Mail Message for the Week of 12/21/98

Final version as taped

Hello everyone – this is Greg Wolf and I’m taping this message for the week of December 21st.

This will be my last weekly voice message for 1998 as it is my intention to take a few days the week of December 28th to visit with my brothers and sisters who are spread across the country.

In between 1999 planning and budgeting and all the other activities that come at this time of year, I’ve taken a little time this week to reflect on what 1998 has meant for our company. I had occasion to share some of my thoughts with the management group in a note I sent to all of them this past Tuesday the 15th.

I want to share the essence of the same message that I shared with them with all of you – and that is a word of sincere thanks and congratulations for all your hard work and tremendous success in 1998. I’d love to list all our accomplishments for 1998 but if I did, my message would be much longer than you or the voice mail system could possibly endure. Besides I think it might be a bit more useful to point out a few common things that underlie nearly everything we did this past year.

First, 1998 was a year that we rationalized our organizational structure throughout the company and got focused on those activities that will be of greatest impact toward our mission of improving the health of our members and providing value to our customers, partners and shareholders. The reorganization into a functional structure, which has now been completed, allows for the development of cutting edge expertise in every critical aspect of the business. Our structure and superior functional capability in each functional area or department provides for efficiency, higher quality and rapid widespread deployment of best-known methods throughout the markets and service centers.

The establishment of market segment management teams will also enable us to develop and implement products that meet the benefit, cost and quality expectations of each unique customer group.

Second, 1998 has been a year of continuous quality improvement. This fall our Louisville health plan received full three-year accreditation from the National Committee on Quality Assurance making it our tenth plan to have some level of NCQA accreditation. Sixty two percent of our plans have full NCQA accreditation compared with only twenty six percent of all managed care plans nationwide. Our ChoiceCare Cincinnati plan was named to the Sachs Honor Roll for the third consecutive year, one of just two HMOs in the whole country to achieve that level of recognition.

We also earned praise this year for several different medical management initiatives. Our Congestive Heart Failure program was named an exemplary practice program. The American Association of Health Plans also recognized our breast care program in Chicago as well as an effort we spearheaded in Kansas City to promote Hepatitis-B immunizations.

Another theme that’s tied 1998 together is constancy – more specifically, constancy of mission in the face of some unforeseen and uncontrollable environmental occurrences. We saw dramatic changes in our industry this year and changes are only going to come more quickly in the years ahead. But we also showed – especially during the summer months, the months of uncertainty over the United merger – that we can focus clearly on our goals as individuals, and as a company – and achieve success.

To continue to succeed though – every function within our company – every aspect of how we relate to our customers and partners – and every one of us in every interaction with our customers and colleagues – must make great leaps of improvement that yield even better results in 1999.

Our success will require the best efforts of every single associate. Every call that we answer, every claim that we pay, every bill that goes out is an opportunity for us to build trust and credibility with our customers. We need to see each interaction, each exchange – as an opportunity to get better.

1999 will be an exciting year for our company. I’m looking forward to working with all of you to achieve great success in ‘99 and to have a lot of fun doing it.

I also plan to continue these voice messages in 1999. However, since this is my last message for this year, please accept my sincere wishes for a healthy and happy holiday season for you and your families. My best to all of you!

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