Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota CEO Craig Samitt to retire in May

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota CEO Craig Samitt, M.D., will retire at the beginning of May, the insurer announced.

Samitt plans to step down on May 3, Blue Cross said. Kathleen Blatz, a former Minnesota Supreme Court chief justice who has served on the insurer's board for more than a decade, will step in as interim CEO while a search is conducted for a full-time replacement.

Blatz and Samitt will work together closely over the next several weeks to manage the transition.

In a LinkedIn post, Samitt said he decided to retire after "much soul searching."

"As I look back, it’s hard to believe how much change has taken place since we started our quest three years ago to reinvent healthcare from the inside out," he wrote.

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"I couldn’t be prouder of the innovative partnerships we forged with providers, the transformed culture we built, the steps we took to speak out and stand up for what is right, and the progress we’ve made in showing the impact an 'un-health plan' can have in driving meaningful industry change," Samitt said.

Samitt joined Blue Cross MN in 2018 and previously served as executive at Anthem. Michael Robinson, chairman of the Blue Cross Board of Trustees, noted in a statement that a key focus of Samitt's tenure was addressing racial and health equity.

Robinson said Blue Cross MN will continue that work after Samitt has stepped down.

“Our talented executive leadership team at Blue Cross will stay true to our nonprofit mission and will remain focused on the important work of accelerating the change that will make health care more accessible, more affordable, and more effective for everyone,” said Robinson.