In this employee spotlight, we feature Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) associate business analyst Bree Blue.
What brought her to Blue
Bree started at the beginning of April 2023. She telecommutes from Bottineau, a small city northeast of Minot. She’s originally from Montana, so living in North Dakota has been a new experience on many fronts, especially since she just recently welcomed newborn twins into the world.
Throughout her childhood, her family has been a part of the medical and emergency services – with her mother as an EMT and her stepdad as an EMT firefighter in search and rescue. This has inspired her to continue the tradition and support the health care industry.
“I started working in the medical field when I was 17 as a CNA. Ever since, I’ve been in the medical and health care field, from working directly with patients to medical billing,” shared Bree. “I took a break to work on a business management degree and then started looking for a job in health care. When I found Blue, I was excited that there was an opportunity to not only use my degree but also the skills and knowledge I learned in previous jobs.”
The skills she brings to Blue
Bree says her biggest skill she brings to Blue is business process improvement. While working on her degree, she was able to get on the job experience at her previous employer on building relationships and learning about business processes to get the full picture and find areas of improvement.
“[Process improvement] takes a lot of dedication and research because you have to reach out to different stakeholders and be able to set aside your time to be intentional and understand all of the processes in order to incorporate whatever it is you’re trying to bring to light,” said Bree.
A typical day at Blue
As an associate business analyst, Bree is typically in a lot of meetings throughout the day. She meets with state employees to discuss contracts, member questions and more.
“My typical day is not the same every day, so it keeps things exciting and interesting, even if a majority of my day is meeting with stakeholders across different platforms like our Medicaid Expansion members. We have a lot of brainstorming sessions to try and make things better for our members.”
What Bree likes best about #LifeAtNDBlue
Bree enjoys how encouraging and uplifting employees are at Blue as well as the opportunities that are available. In conversation with other employees and managers, she’s found a lot of encouragement to grow professionally, as well as in her career.
“There hasn’t been a time where I felt discouraged or let down,” said Bree. “Everyone’s helping you move up and move on, which is awesome.”
Another thing she likes is the ability to go out and volunteer on company time. She finds it to be a great way to break up the workday while investing in the community.
What she hopes to take away from Blue
As Bree continues to grow her skills at Blue, she plans to bring those skills with her to whatever career path she takes in the future. Right now, she sees herself growing in her knowledge of the different areas of insurance and how she can continue to nurture the relationships that come with her role.
“I love the different opportunities and the different benefits you get from working at Blue. I hope what I'm learning now I'll be able to incorporate as I move within the organization,” shared Bree.
What will you bring to Blue?
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