I retired from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield (and formerly Pennsylvania Blue Shield) after almost 35 years of service. I'm heartsick over the recent news about the company's plans to outsource some of its technology work.

Health insurance is a complex and rapidly evolving industry. Highmark has succeeded as an industry leader, in large part because its IT and business staffs have always worked together to develop and maintain numerous complicated systems.

The single most important of these is the claims processing system; the responsibility has always been to pay claims promptly and accurately because we believed that our members and their health care providers deserve nothing less.

Unfortunately, when Highmark expanded its relationship with Accenture, it sold its soul to the devil.

While Accenture hires very bright and technologically adept people, those same people don't have a clue about the particular business they've been brought in to "support." Common sense dictates that outside consultants will lack the extensive experience and expertise of in-house staff.

When I retired a little more than a year ago, there were significant staff resources being spent to contain the havoc that Accenture was wreaking with its "rewrite" of our claims system. Of course, these staff resources were at a level far below senior management, who, with all good intentions, had bought into Accenture's sales pitch.

So now, in addition to Accenture's substellar "enhancements" to the systems, Highmark is going to pay for some of its IT work to be performed in India, through an Accenture subsidiary.

Not only am I sad for the lost jobs, I mourn the change in Highmark's philosophical direction. Highmark is sacrificing so much of what has made it successful for over 70 years -- dedicated, experienced and loyal staff who understand all of the details and nuances of this important business.

M. LINDSEY GUNN
Suffolk, Va.

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