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Anthem plans 50 layoffs at its Youngstown office
By Kristen Russo
YOUNGSTOWN
About 50 Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield employees won’t have jobs after May.
The largest insurance company in Ohio, with 3.3 million members, is eliminating part of its provider-inquiry division at its facility at 2405 Market St., said Kim Ashley, spokeswoman for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Ashley said 250 employees work at that office, which has operated more than 50 years.
The 50 workers affected handle customer service for a private fee-for-service plan for seniors.
The plan, offered by Anthem’s parent company, WellPoint, allows Medicare patients to receive care from out-of-network providers.
Due to recent regulatory changes that discourage more than one fee-for-service plan to be offered in a county, the plan’s client base has been shrinking.
“This is an area where the membership they were supporting had diminished greatly. We had to let those workers go because those jobs were no longer there,” Ashley said.
Ashley said the layoffs would happen in two waves, although she didn’t give the exact dates.
An Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield employee, who asked not to be named, said most of the layoffs will be effective April 15, and the rest of the positions will be terminated May 31. The layoffs were announced at a Thursday afternoon meeting.
Ashley said the employees will receive individual severance packages that will vary depending on seniority.
Because customer-service positions open often within the company, Ashley said she encouraged those who have been laid off to seek those opportunities.
“We’re hoping the number of employees being laid off will be a lot less as the time gets closer,” Ashley said.
The company has no plans for further layoffs, Ashley added.
“We are committed to the Youngstown community. We aren’t going anywhere,” Ashley said.
Ashley said the company has added 97 positions to its Youngstown operations since 2008.