Thread regarding HCSC (Health Care Service Corporation) layoffs

@hd they don’t take them. The SLT. They have someone proxy for them.

@bw what department was laid off

@hd you forgot Opella, Paul the snake and Jill

@at Opella - if she becomes CEO- will destroy what is left of HCSC. She has already put all her useful id--t friends into the clown car. None are qualified - and she doesn’t give a cr-p. Jumping job grades? No problem for her pals. Qualifications? No problem for her pals. She despises all of us.

@a4 Leadership has lied to us for years. First, it was - we will never outsource. Later - we will never outsource our phone CAs; just last week, a provider told me she hates it when she gets someone on the phone who doesn't understand her and that she is unable to understand - let's put a check mark on that one as yet another lie. Here's a good one - Quality over quantity. Back in the day, you could be dinged for quality just for quoting the wrong phone number - speaking from personal experience and a big old zero for quality that day. Nowadays, quality isn't even in our metrics, but we're still told quality matters. The next time you're told by upper management that something will or will not happen, prepare yourself for the opposite. I don't know how far down the management chain the lying goes, but I know those of us at the bottom are lied to on a regular basis. So, to say that was a surprise would be a lie from me. To say the manner in which it was done was a surprise would also be me telling a lie. I have never taken a single sip from the BCBS/HCSC Kool-Aid, and I'm not about to get that thirsty now. They have lied to us for at least 20 years, and they will continue to do so. They have treated us like peasants for the entire time I've worked there. Pocket liners and bean counters will always rule, regardless of real life, not just here, but anywhere you chose to be employed. Our company is no better, nor any worse, than any other company. Non-profit, not-for-profit, or for profit - greed always wins in the end - people and ethics, be damned.

@aa Cigna can only do "ASO" any biz they touch trying to actually manage risk/the bottom line (Medicaid-sold; Medicare-now sold to "lucky HCSC that got it for a good price"; IFP - Cigna still owns but has almost always lost huge amounts of money and its a sh-t-show) fails miserably. The question is when employers using Cigna for ASO will wake up, and yes, so sorry HCSC but good luck.

@a6 that’s just incorrect

They laid off some of the best workers we had!!! They didn’t look at performance, seniority, responsibility, etc. They only focused on the bottom line. They are stupid. D-mb. There is no other way to explain it. A child could have made a better decision.

@OP keyword you still have your job?!!
How insensitive?

Manika and Maurice need to lose their job too!! They are both POS!! Recognize this a long time ago!!! I hope the people laid off find new places of employment.

@OP look at the reactions to your post. The next time you feel like defending the pos slt, just stfu instead. Thank you for your cooperation.

@OP it’s the way they’ve been handled, with the lack of transparency, the lack of organization, and the things that had not been communicated in the layoff. I’ve been laid off a few times too but it was never handled with such a lack of empathy. For example, hand me package of details when I leave, set up a 1-800 number, send me the email when you say you’re going to and explain more about why my role was eliminated but the same role exists in my department. All the things done during Covid were very caring I acknowledge that but it’s a different era now and the culture has been suffering for awhile. and perplexing as I don’t know what that the Cigna purchase took place at all considering the market indicators and hard to watch a company I have devoted so much time and energy to over the years make the decisions that are being made and see the moral plummeting.

the perp-walk is the most 'we value our employees' load of cr-p in my opinion. For the first time working here, I absolutely feel they don't care about their employees. Nice job HCSC.

@ad Oh honey. I do think Stockholm Syndrome is happening here if you think these people are good. Did you read Maurice's email?? Modest adjustments? People's lives were turned upside down without any notice. It's disgusting, and it is all about corporate greed. Maurice made $30M last year. Give me a break.

@a4 We acquired Cigna's Medicare business, not Medicaid, but I agree with your thoughts

@ah

When the c-suite steps up to eat their share of layoffs, I may change my perspective. I'm not too concerned about that needing to happen any time soon.

I guess they all are exemplary performers, and bargains at their comp levels, so all the burden has to fall on us ham-and-eggers.

“But would the outcome have changed if done differently?” Yes, because the outcome includes impacts on remaining employees. We see how others were treated, we’ll expect to be treated in the same way at some point and will act accordingly going forward. This is why it seems you’re just making excuses for poor execution and bad intentions.

@ad

"I'm very familiar with the Stockholm Syndrome. It's interesting but irrelevant."

Either you aren't as familiar as you like to think, or your intellectual abilities are below par. Could be a mix of both.

If you don't see it clearly in your original post, not sure what to tell you, besides get smarter.

@a7

Dismissing another's opinions as su-king up or boot-licking are simplistic responses to very complex emotions. I'm incapable of doing that. I've also never worked for someone who wouldn't see right through that.

Villainizing the leadership is also a short-cut way for us to process the lay offs. I'm sad and nervous myself. But would the outcome have changed if done differently?

It's been a very horrible week.

Also, let's not forget—let's NOT forget, Dude—that keeping wildlife, an amphibious rodent, for uh, domestic, you know, within the city—that ain’t legal either.

“Let’s not blame the people who caused this, guys” -eye roll-

@ab Agree. The cruelty of the way this was handled and the gaslighting (the org chart is “down for maintenance”) shows the contempt this senior leadership team has for employees.

I was just voicing my opinion based upon my experience and observations. I believe that I have that right, as do others who may disagree. I am as anonymous as you are so I can't quite figure out the benefits of bootlicking or why I should shut up. I have nothing to gain. I just want to contribute my thoughts.

I'm very familiar with the Stockholm Syndrome. It's interesting but irrelevant.

I do not like the lay offs and would gladly forgo my API if it makes a difference in keeping someone's job. I lost some friends. But I don't think the leaders are evil people for doing this.

Give it a rest Manika.

@OP "They let us WFH for 18 months." They were forced to by mandates, not because they wanted too, or felt it was the right thing to do. Don't pretend that by some form of good will the leaders at HCSC let you WFH.

The layoffs were inevitable once the PTO changes were announced, in the middle of the year, after most individuals used their wellness days, so that HCSC would not have to pay out as much for PTO WHEN they decided to begin the layoffs. Giving us the "benefit" of rolling over the wellness days up to 80 hours worth, but taking away the amount of PTO that can be rolled over to 16 hours.

And the timing of the layoffs, late September, after many people used a good chunk of their PTO during the summer months for vacations, so that they would not have to pay out more in severance.

This is nothing more than an attempt to save HCSC money, so that large bonuses can be paid......to the C-Suite and above......not to the workers who do the jobs.

And the way it was handled is just atrocious. Shutting down access to the Org Chart, and then informing individuals of their termination. Most direct manager had no idea this was even happening. And if you believe anything that directors and above are saying, most of them were completely in the dark as well.

Hire some outside firm to decide who to let go of and when to do it for maximum return and savings is a pathetic way to handle this situation. A voluntary severance would have been the better course here, for the employees. But perhaps the leadership knew that they had sc--wed the pooch one too many times, and too many people would jump at the chance to take the VSP.

Poor leadership from the start in this whole thing.

HCSC should have walked away from the Cigna deal. People will blame the disaster on the Trump administration's unfriendliness to government programs, but the red flags were clear long before. The reason for forging ahead with the deal was that we were getting it for a good price--hardly the wise would call sound long-term strategy. HCSC's current management team (particularly Maurice and Arun) might be laughing all the way to the bank today, but they (and their little yes-men) will be remembered for presiding over this blunder. Cigna is chuckling.

Please don’t be mean to the millionaire executives! They’re doing everything they can such as taking pay cuts to help the lower level employees, improving benefits, not removing PTO days, making smart investments and business decisions, etc.

@OP You forgot to include that IT guy that they say is su-king all the di-ks.

lol at this post. All the comments are just around communication. If people were being told they’re last day is X and given a day or a week to feel their emotions and plan for the huge impact this is having in their lives then you would probably see less frustration. Instead with no communication from HR, not only with employees, but the leaders themselves, everyone had to deal with some kind of humiliation as they were or watched someone else walked out of the building . Families, careers, and trust was broken for those laid off and those who still have their jobs today.

Save the a-s kissing for your next 1 on 1.

I do agree with lot of positive sentiments. Just work for other MCO and one can very quickly realized HCSC is better then rest.

Regarding Cigna Medicare, things were financially not bad in industry, in last 12 months utilizations are high across all lobs for MCOs is reason that all are lossing hundreds of millions to billions of $ is reason for this pain.

My goal is to make people aware of ground reality vs judging.
I wish everyone best of luck.

I haven’t been here that long, but it’s pretty clear Maurice is a terrible person and an awful leader.

Not sure why you feel the need to lick his boots on an anonymous forum?

I learned everything needed to about this guy when he was laughing hysterically at his town hall over the questions from angry employees regarding the PTO days he arbitrarily took away.

We were assured that the acquisition of Cigna's Medicaid business would not lead to layoffs this year by multiple levels of leadership. Those leaders have not stepped down after having misinformed all of the folks that work with them. Trust has been broken, so folks feel hurt. Personally, my motivation to go above and beyond, even after paultry raises and little recognition, has been erased. Hope folks understand that this was a promise broken without any warning and no one holding themselves accountable and resigning. No trust.

I think it’s valid for people to process their emotions and have negative things to say about their livelihood being taken away. Prayer doesn’t work for everyone.

Shut up. Their leadership(true lack of vision and shared vision) is what got us into this in the first place. As others have stated, put more time and effort into RTO communication vs anything else.

Stockholm syndrome is a proposed condition or theory that tries to explain why hostages sometimes develop a psychological bond with their captors. It is named after a 1973 incident in Stockholm, Sweden, in which four people held hostage by bank robbers defended them afterward.