Paul Markovich
Paul Markovich is President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Shield of California, a nonprofit health plan with $24 billion in annual revenue serving 4.8 million members in the state's commercial, individual, and government markets. Markovich has launched and led numerous initiatives to drive innovation and help reimagine healthcare, including funding support for a statewide provider directory to make it easier for Californians to find physicians and facilities in their plan; supporting development of a statewide health information network for patients’ records, enabling more seamless and holistic care; and investing in a partnership with the California Medical Association to help physicians pilot new care delivery models and leverage technology.
In December 2019, Markovich became chair of the board of Altais, a subsidiary company created under his leadership to invest in physician practices and equip them with the tools and technology they need for a sustainably affordable, high quality health care system.
His mission-driven executive approach is known for leading enterprise-wide efforts to transform health care, facilitating growth and managing operational risk.
A 25-year Blue Shield veteran, Markovich previously served as Chief Operating Officer (2009-2012), responsible for health care services, network management, e-business, marketing, product development, and customer operations. He was senior vice president of the large group (2004-2008) and CalPERS business units (2002-2004). In the late 1990s, he led the company’s product development unit, introducing numerous products and services such as the first California Health Maintenance Organization to allow self-referrals to specialists and initiating online access to member benefits.
Markovich spent 2000-2002 as an entrepreneur co-founding a consumer-driven health plan, MyWayHealth. He then joined Definity Health, another consumer-driven plan based in Minneapolis, before returning to Blue Shield.
He has been a member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Board, the national umbrella organization for Blue plans across the country, since 2013, served as the Chair of the Board from 2017-2019, and currently chairs the Brand Committee. In addition to the Blue Association and Altais boards, Markovich serves on the board of America’s Health Insurance Plans, is a member of California’s Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework Stakeholder Advisory Group, co-chaired the state’s COVID testing task force, and led the state’s COVID vaccination network development during the pandemic.
Markovich is a North Dakota native and Rhodes Scholar with a Master’s in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University. He is a graduate of Colorado College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Political Economy and played Division I hockey.
