The Internal Operations Conference (IOC) was established by the Board of Trustees of the Western Conference of Prepaid Medical Service Plans in 1963. The purpose of the IOC was to provide an annual forum for member Plans of the Western Conference to exchange information and work experience on issues relating to internal operating functions of the Plans.

The IOC is structured around work groups, or caucus sections, addressing the areas of claims, information systems, finance and accounting, and human resources. In 1992, sub caucuses for customer service and membership records were added under the claims caucus.

The annual meeting of the IOC has a chairperson who serves for one year, coordinates the planning, and chairs the planning and annual meetings. Each caucus section has a section chief that serves for two years. It is the caucus Section Chiefs' responsibility to propose the caucus agendas for the annual IOC meeting and to chair the caucus sessions during the meeting.

Each Western Conference Plan assigns an IOC coordinator that serves the role of communicating between the Plan and the IOC Chairperson and/or Planning Committee. The Planning Committee is comprised of the current IOC Chairperson, the past IOC Chairperson, the IOC Chairperson elect, and two at-large members, one with a four-year term and one with a three-year term.

To the extent possible, the IOC representatives should be generalists so they can provide input to all program components.

Role of the IOC Planning Committee

• provide input to and approve the annual meeting agenda for each caucus section;
• provide input to the IOC Chairperson on speakers for the annual meeting general sessions;
• elect the IOC Chairperson and caucus Section Chiefs;
• elect the at-large planning committee members; and
• recommend for final approval by the Trustees, the meeting sites and dates for the planning and annual meetings.
  
  

The IOC planning meeting is generally held in January and is attended by the Planning Committee, the caucus Section Chiefs and a sponsor from the Western Conference Board of Trustees. Western Conference Plans that do not have a representative on the Planning Committee or a Section Chief are free to send someone to the planning meeting if they so desire.

Role of the IOC Chairperson

• Planning Meeting Duties
• find meeting hotel in approved planning location;
• negotiate room rates and meeting room;
• send out hotel registration material;
• prepare agenda including recommendations from caucus section chiefs for their caucuses;
• prepare budget for annual meeting.
  
  

Annual Meeting Duties

• negotiate room rates and meeting rooms at approved hotel annual meeting;
• recommend social events to Planning Committee;
• finalize general session speakers;
• prepare and mail registration material;
• conduct registration;
• chair general sessions of meeting.
  
  

Other Duties

• seek approval from plan CEOs of individuals nominated for IOC chairperson, caucus chairperson, and planning committee members
  
  

Role of Caucus Section Chief

• develop agenda items for caucus sessions;
• secure presenters;
• coordinate and chair caucus sessions.
  
  

Role of the IOC Chairperson-Elect

Recommend the meeting sites and dates for the planning meeting and annual meeting for the following year.

Format of Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the IOC usually is held in July and includes a combination of business and social functions that are intended to promote interaction among the plans in attendance.

Business Sessions

The IOC meets over a three-day period with a mix of general and caucus sessions on each day. The caucus sessions generally provide the most value to the attendees because they provide an opportunity for an exchange of information on common problems and issues.

All caucus sessions should include a round table discussion that provides an opportunity for all attendees to be involved. The caucus Section Chief should facilitate the discussion to assure the comments are meaningful to those present. Other caucus agenda items should address current business issues/problems for most Plans and presentations should be done by plan personnel. Occasionally, it may be appropriate for Blue Cross Blue Shield Association personnel or others to make a presentation, but the intent of the IOC is to provide a forum to exchange information among Plans.

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. Finding the right mix of general session speakers within the available budget will always be one of the chairperson's major challenges.

Social Functions

The IOC generally starts with a reception the evening before the first day of business. A continental breakfast is served each day of the meeting for the registered attendee. A dinner function is held on either the first or second business day. Other social functions, such a s a fun run/walk, golf or tennis tournament, are okay as long as they don't interfere with the meeting schedule.

Meeting Locations

Meeting locations should be reasonably accessible and have sufficient hotel and conference space to accommodate the meeting within one complex. The chairperson and planning committee should be sensitive to the cost of the meeting and hotel rooms. Hotels should be selected that have room rates in the mid-range ($160 to $170 per night) for conference hotels.

The planning meeting expenses should be kept to a minimum so they do not add an extra burden to the annual registration fee. A continental breakfast and a modest reception are customary. It should not be an elaborate reception intended to replace dinner for the attendees.

 

Submitted by Jody Wiese
Executive Assistant
Finance & Administration
Pacific Blue Cross
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
ph: 604 419-2022
JWiese@pac.bluecross.ca
Revised and Posted 2/28/03