Parent Company of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Creates New Brand “Stella” To Accelerate Health Innovation

(Eagan, Minnesota) October 28, 2016 — Aware Integrated, Inc. (AII), the parent company of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross), is creating a new health brand to extend its family of diversified companies.  The new brand, Stella, will create a broad portfolio of health solutions to make health easy and connected for everyone.  New strategic partnerships across all aspects of well-being — including physical, emotional, social, and financial — will complement Blue Cross’ health care expertise.

“Stella is a critical driver of our long-term innovation and diversification strategy to transform our business into a health solutions company,” said Michael Guyette, President and CEO of Blue Cross.  “Stella paves the way for complementary products and services designed to shape the next generation of healthcare.  The combination of Blue Cross and Stella will better meet the total health needs of consumers while expanding the reach of our mission – to make a healthy difference in people’s lives.”

Stella, Latin for “star,” addresses the fragmentation of the current health marketplace, aiming to offer a simplified experience to make health easier to navigate for everyone.

Stella has two main dimensions:  growing the organization’s existing ancillary businesses like Select Account and Clearstone, and driving transformational innovation with new products and services.

Over the coming year, Stella will begin to form partnerships locally and nationally with innovators and strategic investors to build new ideas, technologies, and businesses that will transform health care while contributing to economic growth in the state of Minnesota. These new companies, products, and investments will be managed under the Stella brand.  

“Our employees have a passion and a strong track record for helping people and communities achieve better health,” said Guyette.  “We have a unique perspective from the center of the healthcare industry, and we can use that knowledge to innovate and drive better health for everyone.

Blue Cross has served Minnesotans for more than 80 years, and our nearly three million health plan members will continue to be our first priority as we work to deliver the best total health experience through Stella’s innovative businesses.”

Blue Cross has a history of investing in industry pioneers and emerging business models that can positively impact the health outcomes of its members, including investments in Livio Health
Group, RetraceHealth, and Treehouse Health.  These strategic investments, as well as future investments, will now be managed under Stella.  The creation of Stella will not impact Blue Cross health plans or benefits.  Operations and oversight of Blue Cross health plans will remain unchanged.