Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois names Stephen Harris new president

A screenshot of an internal memo sent to Blue Cross employees obtained by WCIA says Hamman left HCSC to “pursue new endeavors.” Simley would not confirm the circumstances of Hamman’s departure. Hamman had been president since 2019.

Hamman’s departure comes about two weeks after HCSC was fined $339,000 by the Illinois Department of Insurance for violating the state’s Network Adequacy & Transparency Act. The agency said that HCSC did not submit required information detailing changes to its network on time after it terminated a contract with Springfield Clinic months ago. 

According to a notice sent to HCSC, four of the insurer’s PPO plans lost access to Springfield Clinic in November, and two of its HMO plans lost access to the clinic in July. The changes affected about 100,000 people, according to the IDOI.

“We announced several leadership transitions today that reflect a thoughtful and strategic approach to long-term growth and succession planning for the company,” Simley said. “We remain in active discussions with Springfield Clinic toward resolution that will improve healthcare access, affordability and quality for our members and employer group customers in central Illinois.”