UNITED WE STAND: GREENSBORO'S ANITA BACHMANN LEADS THE BIGGEST U.S. INSURER'S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR SOME OF THE STATE'S NEEDIEST CITIZENS.

• Author: Moffett, Margaret

Some day, North Carolina's political leaders will agree on a budget that can adequately fund the state's landmark transition in serving 2.1 million citizens insured by the federal Medicaid program. Then, it's showtime for Anita Bachmann, who oversees UnitedHealthcare's Medicaid operation, one of four managed-care groups set to administer a program touching about one in five residents.

It's the latest career challenge for Bachmann, who has had various regional, state and national roles at the Minnetonka, Minn.-based company that is the nation's largest health insurer --and second-largest in North Carolina behind Blue Cross and Blue Shield of N.C. Based at United Healthcare's Greensboro office for most of the last 26 years, she took her current post in June 2017. She describes her role as "spending time at community events, interacting, volunteering and learning from our members about how we can best support them."

Indeed, Bachmann is a fixture in Greensboro's nonprofit world. She is chairwoman of The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, which distributed $24.8 million to charities in 2018. Next year, she is slated to chair the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.

In February, she was named to the 33-member NCWorks Commission, a board appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to recommend policies that boost the state's workforce. The group focuses on critical issues impacting North Carolina's economic vitality.

Bachmann, who has a master's degree in health services administration from the Medical University of South Carolina, discussed her work with Business North Carolina.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE A CAREER IN HEALTH CARE?

From the time I was in middle school and volunteered as a "candy striper" in the hospital, I wanted to be in health care. I wanted to make a difference in people's lives.

WHAT'S THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF YOUR WORK?

Adapting to constant change. But it's also the most exciting and rewarding. People have diverse needs and there are many aspects of the delivery system that have to work together to meet those needs.

My focus is on getting a better understanding of our population by looking at their needs holistically, beyond just medical, and also developing solutions for their behavioral, functional and social needs.

WHAT DO YOU SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME DOING?

Networking and relationship-building is where I spend a lot of time--meeting with people who provide health care services and people who receive them. Data and...