January 25, 2012 -- When Umpqua Bank President and CEO Ray Davis joined Peter Jacobsen to give $100,000 to the “I Have a Dream” Foundation and the Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel, one sponsor was missing from the podium – Mark Ganz – and no one mentioned his name.
Ganz is the CEO of Cambia Health Solutions, formerly known as The Regence Group. Last spring he announced, in a press release, that Regence had become the Pro-Am sponsor of the Umpqua Golf Tournament, saying, “We are very pleased to partner with Umpqua Bank and Peter Jacobsen SPORTS on a great community event that will help Oregon’s children. We hope other businesses will join us in bringing much-needed support to these tremendous local nonprofits.”
As the Pro-Am sponsor, Ganz authorized a $200,000 check from Regence BlueCross BlueShield’s marketing budget – guaranteeing the tournament another $400,000 for the next two years, according to information leaked to The Lund Report.
During the tournament, Ganz was able to walk around the Portland Golf Course and mingle with professionals such as Arnold Palmer and Jacobsen at the club where he’s a member.
It’s unlikely that this $600,000 expenditure will appear on any of the financial reports that Regence provides the Oregon Insurance Division. Insurers must share the amount they spend on marketing in their quarterly reports, but not in any detail, according to Cheryl Martinis, spokesperson.
When Scott Burton, spokesperson for Regence was asked for an explanation about this $600,000 marketing expenditure, he declined to respond to The Lund Report. After this article was published, however, Georganne Benjamin, director of strategic communications for Regence, gave an explanation.
Also, about the same time that Ganz decided to become the tournament’s Pro-Am sponsor, Regence BlueCross BlueShield filed for a 22.1 percent rate increase for individual policy holders, and was granted a 12.8 percent increase by the Insurance Division.
Now Regence is awaiting word on another rate increase for small businesses, and, according to information obtained by The Lund Report, is preparing to ask for another rate increase for individual policyholders.
Regence has also requested a 7.4 percent increase for its portability insurance plans, which would impact 5,882 Oregonians on April 1 if approved by the Insurance Division.
Non-Profits Benefit from Umpqua Bank Challenge
The 2011 Umpqua Bank Challenge drew nearly 15,000 spectators and 28 professionals from across the LPGA, Nationwide, PGA and Champions Tours participated, according to Amy Biery, director of communications for Peter Jacobsen SPORTS.
The $100,000 raised by the inaugural Umpqua Bank Challenge will help the I Have a Dream Foundation – Oregon implement key efforts at their Dreamer School, such us providing 60 academic tutors in reading and writing for their kindergarten through second graders. Funds contributed to Randall Children’s Hospital will be used to support a family conference and resource room on the 3rd floor of their new state-of-the-art facility, she said, adding, “We know that this amount will have a significant impact on the good work that they do for our community and we are looking forward to partnering with both deserving organizations again in 2012.”
“The Umpqua Bank Challenge is an opportunity to give back to the city of Portland and to organizations that are doing such important work to support the health and well-being of our community's children and families,” said Davis. “The positive impact of our work in year one is significant and I look forward to seeing that grow as the Challenge does.”
Randall Children’s Hospital opens on Legacy Emanuel’s campus February 26, and construction began in August 2009. Physicians and nurses specializing in pediatrics will be providing compassionate medical and surgical care using leading technology in this healing environment designed just for children.
Four times the size of the former hospital, the building is 334,000 square feet with nine floors and 165 beds. All patient rooms are private, except for seven twin rooms in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The cost for the new facility and the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center Emergency Department renovation project is $245 million, 90 percent funded by Legacy Health.
“Randall Children’s Hospital is very proud of the excellent care our physicians and caregivers provide, and now they have a dedicated facility that reflects the quality of their care,” according to Dr. George Brown, president and chief executive officer for Legacy Health.
“Oregon’s two children’s hospitals are often at or near capacity,” said Dr. Molly Burchell, Legacy Health’s clinical vice president of pediatrics. “ As one of Oregon’s largest providers of pediatric inpatient and trauma services, Randall Children’s Hospital receives nearly 100,000 visits a year. Our new home will care for our region’s children well into the future.”
