Premera Blue Cross Names Dr. Romilla Batra as Chief Medical Officer

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Premera Blue Cross announced that it has appointed Dr. Romilla Batra as senior vice president and chief medical officer.¹ In her new position, Batra will to the lead on the company’s clinical strategy and will lead teams focused on population health, healthcare performance, medical policy, and other related areas.

Premera Blue Cross is one of the largest health plan providers in the pacific northwest in the United States.

In a press release, Batra said, “I'm inspired by Premera's deep commitment to our members. In my new role, I look forward to strengthening our provider partnerships in delivering high-quality care to our members. Additionally, I'm excited to refine our clinical strategy by elevating health equity, population health programs and quality measures to improve the overall health outcomes and experiences of our members."

In the same press release, Premera Blue Cross’ executive vice president of healthcare services Lee McGrath said, “Romilla brings a profound understanding of clinical strategy and an enduring commitment to improve the member experience, making her an excellent choice as our new Chief Medical Officer. Her strong leadership and passion for advancing the healthcare industry will be pivotal in achieving our vision of delivering access to affordable, quality care for our members. We're excited for this new chapter of leadership at Premera."

This is the latest addition to the company’s C-suite. In September of last year, the company announced that it had named Umar Farooq as its chief strategy officer.² In the role, Farooq is focused on the company’s enterprise strategy.

In a press release issued at the time, Farooq said, “Premera is a mission-driven company, and I'm joining at an exciting time. Our industry is dynamic, and change is the norm. However, the one constant is our goal to provide access to affordable care for our members. I look forward to ensuring Premera's enterprise strategy remains grounded in our values so we can deliver on this commitment."

Premera Blue Cross’ president and CEO Jeffrey Roe said, “We're thrilled to welcome Umar to Premera. He is a forward-thinking healthcare executive with deep experience in health plans and provider-aligned managed care products. His insights and expertise will further deepen Premera's ability to fulfill its purpose of improving customers' lives by making healthcare work better."

Sources

1. Premera Blue Cross Names Dr. Romilla Batra as Chief Medical Officer, Senior Vice President. Premera Blue Cross. May 2, 2024. Accessed May 3, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/premera-blue-cross-names-dr-romilla-batra-as-chief-medical-officer-senior-vice-president-302134699.html
2. Premera Blue Cross Hires Chief Strategy Officer to Join Executive Leadership Team. Premera Blue Cross. September 5, 2023. Accessed May 3, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/premera-blue-cross-hires-chief-strategy-officer-to-join-executive-leadership-team-301915943.html