The Marketing, Communications, Provider Relations, Underwriting and Actuarial Conference was established by the Board of Trustees of the Western Conference of Prepaid Medical Plans in 1991. Prior to 1991, the Marketing and Communications (formerly Public Relations) discipline held a separate Conference and planning session as did the Provider Relations group.

Underwriting and Actuarial members were part of the Internal Operations Conference (IOC) until the planning session of 1991 and Conference 1992.

The Provider Relations and Marketing Committees were established as two of three Western Conference Standing Committees on April 1, 1978.

Ten years later, the Board of Trustees determined that due to changes in market demand from traditional health plan products to preferred provider plans, the Marketing, Public Relations and Advertising Committee should jointly have their annual conference with the Provider Relations Committee. This joint conference was intended to be on a trial basis because more than ever the Marketing representatives were dependent upon the Provider Relations representatives to collaborate and contract with provider networks that were acceptable to our customers as being cost-effective. Additionally, having a joint conference also helped to achieve better attendance and improved negotiations for conference facilities.

After one joint conference, each Committee returned to their respective annual conferences, but beginning in 1991, the functional groups as well as the Plans’ Underwriting representatives were merged into one section.

The annual conference of this diverse group of disciplines has a Chairperson that serves for one year and coordinates the planning and chairs the planning and annual conferences. The Chairperson (sometimes co-chairs) is chosen from the Plan or Plans hosting the Conference the coming year. In addition, each discipline elects a Section Chief for a two-year term and will be responsible to propose their caucus agendas for the annual conference and to assign a person to chair each caucus session during the annual conference.

COMPOSITION OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEES

Combining the disciplines for one annual conference required restructuring the planning committee’s composition. During the 1991 planning session, it was determined that the 16 Trustee Plans may continue to send a representative(s). Section Chiefs may be elected from any of the 24 Western Conference Plans. Each discipline (four) should have at least two representatives. The Past Chair, Current Chair and Chair Elect will be on the Planning Committee.

SPONSORS

The Board of Trustees will assign a Plan President/CEO to serve as a liaison for the Committee. In addition, this Committee will have a physician member of the Board of Trustees to serve as the liaison for the medical issues.

ROLE OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE

• Determine the theme/subject for annual conference
• Provide input to and approve the annual conference agenda for each discipline’s caucus session and speakers
• Establish registration fee
• Elect the new Chair and Section Chiefs
• Recommend for final approval by the Board of Trustees the conference sites and dates for the annual conference and planning meetings
  
  

This Committee planning meeting is generally held in November and is attended by the representatives of the 16 Trustee Plans, Section Chiefs and the representatives from each discipline who coordinates the next annual conference caucus sessions. The two sponsors from the Board of Trustees usually attend. In recent years, representatives from District 9 have been in attendance.

ROLE OF TH E CHAIR PERSON

Planning Meeting Duties

• Prepare budget for annual conference
• Find meeting accommodations in the approved planning location
• Send out hotel registration material to Committee
• Negotiate room rates and meeting rooms
• Prepare agenda from recommendations from Section Chiefs
• Preparing minutes and rough drafts of proposed annual conference agenda during the planning meeting
• Recommend social events to Planning Committee
• Notify Communications Center
  
  

Annual Meeting Duties

• Chair general sessions of conference
• Negotiate room rates and meeting rooms at approved hotel for the annual conference
• Prepare and mail registration material
• Finalize and assure general session speakers
• Conduct registration
• Summarize evaluations, conference attendance and final financial report for Board of Trustees sponsor
  
  

ROLE OF CHAIR PERSON ELECT

• Conduct meeting of planning committees at annual conference
• Assist Current Chair Person
• Recommend the meeting sites and dates for the planning and annual conference for the following year
  
  

ROLE OF PAST CHAIR

• Provide guidance and direction to Chair
• Be available for questions to committee
  
  

ROLE OF SECTION CHIEFS

• Develop agenda items for caucus sessions
• Recommend representatives from your discipline to assist in planning meeting and annual conference
• Identify and communicate with representatives from each Conference Plan to ensure caucus topics are effective and productive
• Secure presenters
• Cooperate and coordinate with other Section Chiefs to identify areas of joint sessions
• Assign Chair for caucus sessions
  
  

FORMAT OF ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Business Sessions

The Conference meets over a three-day period. The first day will have some disciplines holding a meeting in the morning. However, the General Sessions begin at 1:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. The second day General Session begins at 8:00 a.m. and the day ends at 4:30 p.m. The third day General Session again starts at 8:00 a.m. and adjournment is at noon. Due to the multi-disciplines present, the general sessions and caucus session are planned with an even amount of time being allocated to each. The general sessions on the first day are designed to set the tone for subsequent caucus sessions. These general sessions are usually presented by speakers with abilities to motivate or express philosophical positions. The Caucus sessions are then designed to enhance presentations in the general sessions. The caucus sessions allow dialog between Plans to share common issues and problem solving. These sessions continue to be very popular and worthwhile due to the use of Plan personnel.

Each Conference has a theme. The subsequent presenters and caucus agendas attempt to follow the theme. The general sessions usually include a Blue Cross Blue Shield Association senior officer or one of the Plan CEOs, an industry-related speaker and a motivational speaker. On occasion, a caucus session may bring in an outside speaker who can be shared with all disciplines.

Social Functions

The Conference generally starts with a reception the evening of the first day of business. On the evening of the second business day, a more formalized dinner or event is scheduled. On occasion, these evening events are reversed. Each morning of the business day a Continental breakfast is served for the registered attendees. On occasion, a hosted lunch on day two will occur. Other social functions, such as a fun run/walk, golf or tennis, are set up by a non-conference committee and cannot interfere with the approved meeting schedule.

Meeting Location

Meeting locations are reasonably accessible to all Plans and must have sufficient hotel and conference space to accommodate the meeting within one complex. The Planning Committee will be sensitive to the cost of these facilities. If air fare is available at reduced fares due to weekend stays, consideration to the days of the Conference should be part of the planning process.

View List of Past EOC Locations

 

Researched, written and submitted by
Daniel R. Miller, M.D., FACS
Regence BlueShield, Lewiston, ID