Our Lead to One vision is to know the people we serve better, understand what they need, and use the full capabilities of our company to make their health care more affordable and more personal.
To deliver on our vision, one element of what must change is how we work. Through conversations with you across the country, and our recent Insights Survey, we’ve been listening. You have told us you want clearer priorities, greater understanding of decision rights and accountability, and more authority to make decisions. You have also been candid about the barriers that slow us down: too many layers and handoffs, complicated processes, fragmented ownership, and work that is not always connected to our highest priorities.
Accelerate to One is part of how we will address these opportunities and drive our Lead to One vision forward in the dynamic environment in which we operate. This multi-year initiative will help us simplify, modernize, and spend smarter while improving the effectiveness of our workforce. Accelerate to One has several components: We will stop or reduce work that is not aligned with Lead to One, streamline processes and external spending, use our global capabilities more effectively, and take advantage of technology and AI to rethink how work gets done. We will also evolve our workforce and organizational structure so decisions can be made closer to the work with clearer ownership and leadership accountability.
I want to be transparent: This work will change the shape and size of our workforce, resulting in fewer managers and employees. As our work changes, we must make choices about the capabilities we need, how teams are organized, where work is performed, and the number and types of roles required. Some roles will change, some work will move, and some positions will be reduced. We are beginning to make those decisions now. Leaders are beginning a thoughtful review of their organizations, starting with the outcomes we need to deliver. They will examine where we can simplify our organization, reduce duplication, prioritize results-based activity, clarify decision rights, and concentrate resources on the work that creates the greatest value.
Organizational plans will be developed over the coming months, with implementation beginning in early 2027. Given the importance of Jan. 1 in our industry, we want to ensure the organization can remain focused on delivering uninterrupted access to care and strong service experiences for our clients and customers. We will share information as decisions are made. We will communicate as clearly as we can, acknowledge what remains undecided, and treat every colleague with respect. As always, colleagues whose roles are affected will hear directly from their leaders. When I listen to our teams, I hear a consistent message: We can move faster. We can reduce handoffs. We can put decisions closer to the people doing the work. And we can free up more of our time and energy to focus on what matters most: delivering on our mission and serving people better. That opportunity is in front of us with Lead to One and with building an organization that makes it easier for talented people to do great work and deliver personalization at scale.
We have consistently evolved over time, and this is no different. Next year, we’ll mark 235 years as a company, and we know that kind of longevity doesn’t happen when standing still. We must keep evolving – it is what enduring companies do. We also believe you deserve visibility into where we’re headed. So, we’ll continue to be transparent about this work, including what has been decided and what hasn’t. Our goal is to build a company where our people can do their best work and where, together, we can do more for the people we serve. We have a clear vision, talented people, and meaningful momentum. All of the components of Accelerate to One will help us leverage our strengths to continue leading for the future.