Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has named Christopher Booth new chief executive officer of the health plan and its parent corporation The Lifetime Healthcare Companies.
Booth succeeds David Klein, who retires at the end of the year.
Excellus spokesman Jim Redmond says the company expects this will be a seamless transition as Booth has been with Excellus since 2004 and was named President in March of 2011.
“It’s an honor to lead such a talented upstate workforce of people who provide care and coverage for their neighbors,” Booth said in a statement released by the company. “Whether federal health care reforms are upheld or not, we must work collaboratively with those who provide care and those who pay for it. Our mutual goals are high quality care and making coverage as affordable as possible.”
Booth is Vice Chair of the WXXI Board of Trustees and also serves as a trustee at St. John Fisher College.
Click on the audio player above to listen to Excellus BCBS spokesman Jim Redmond discuss the announcement with WXXI's LeShea Agnew.