PROVIDENCE – The largest health insurer in the Rhode Island and one of the state’s biggest employers, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island announced on Friday that it’s joining the growing list of companies that have adopted a vaccine mandate for employees.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island said it will make COVID-19 vaccinations a requirement for its workforce effective Nov. 1. The move comes days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for the first time, gave full approval to one of the COVID-19 vaccines.
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The Rhode Island nonprofit health insurance company, which has more than 750 employees, said requiring COVID-19 vaccines will allow for a safe return to the office and in-person collaboration at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island corporate headquarters at 500 Exchange St. in Providence.
“It’s critical to be clear in explaining to our employees why we’ve made this decision,” said Hillary McCurley, the company’s chief human resources officer. “As we continue to develop a new, more flexible, hybrid workplace, we want people to have the opportunity to safely collaborate in person, whether they are meeting at 500 Exchange or in another setting. A fully vaccinated workforce will make that possible.”
The announcement by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island comes four days after a similar one from Woonsocket-based CVS Health Corp., which said it will require all its office workers and employees who deal with medical patients to get vaccinated by Oct. 31.
The CVS announcement came hours after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received full approval to the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer, which many health care experts believe would empower to more employers requiring their employees to get vaccinated. On Wednesday, nine Rhode Island arts venues announced that they are mandating not only staff to get vaccinated, but also customers. Nationally, other employers that have recently announced employee vaccine requirements include the U.S. military, Goldman Sachs, and Delta Airlines.
“We are in challenging times that I believe require all of us to take strong actions to protect public health,” said Martha Wofford, president and CEO of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. “As the largest health insurer and one of the largest employers in the state, requiring COVID-19 vaccinations can help safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and our community.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island said the policy applies to all its employees, including those who currently work remotely. Exemptions are being accommodated for legitimate medical or religious reasons, the insurance company said.
The Rhode Island health insurance company said it’s also requiring vaccination for all its vendor partners who work at the company’s headquarters at 500 Exchange Street in Providence, and at its four retail locations in the Ocean State.
“While this decision can be difficult as an employer, we believe putting a vaccine mandate in place is critical to ending this pandemic,” Wofford said. “We encourage other community and business leaders to consider taking similar action so that together, we can focus on revitalizing our state’s economy and restoring the health and well-being of our citizens.”
Wofford said the insurance provider will also continue helping members of the public get vaccinated.
“We will continue to do everything we can to facilitate vaccination and provide support to the people of Rhode Island, especially to our most vulnerable communities,” she said.
Marc Larocque is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com.
