Gery
Barry
 Gery
Barry is a seasoned
business and
health care leader
who brings more
than 30 years
of insurance
and health care
management experience
to his post as
President and
CEO for Blue
Cross Blue Shield
of Louisiana.
Since his arrival
in Baton Rouge
in November of
2004, Barry has
directed the
company’s
success in growing
its customer
base by over
100,000 health
plan members
while increasing
its solvency
reserves by over
$150 million.
As a result,
Blue Cross is
now the health
benefits manager
for one of every
four Louisianians.
In 2005, Barry
personally crafted
and directed
Blue Cross’s
exceptional emergency-support
programs for
its customers,
employees and
business partners,
helping them
manage operationally
and financially
through the ravages
of Katrina and
Rita. In the
hurricanes’ continuing
wake, Barry has
provided industry
leadership in
formulating and
supporting collaborative
responses to
the unique challenges
still faced by
the affected
communities in
terms of health
care supply and
access.
Before moving
to Louisiana,
Barry had served
as Liberty Mutual’s
Country Leader
for its Canadian
Operations. Foremost
among his responsibilities
was the Chief
Executive role
for its large
health insurance
and employee
benefits operation,
Liberty Health,
whose value increased
sevenfold during
his 7-year tenure.
Prior
to his time in
Canada, Barry
spent more than
20 years in Connecticut
with Aetna, where
he began his
career in the
actuarial profession
and held a variety
of positions
of increasing
responsibility,
including the
direct management
of Aetna’s
10,000 claims,
customer service,
and utilization
management professionals
nationwide.
Barry is recognized
for his leadership
in health care
policy on both
sides of the
border. While
in Canada, Barry
initiated and
chaired the Canadian
Institute of
Actuaries Task
Force on Canadian
Healthcare and
chaired the Conference
Board of Canada’s
Leaders’ Roundtable
on Health and
Wellness.
Closer to home,
Barry served
in a leadership
role for the
Louisiana Recovery
Authority’s
Public Health
and Health Care
Task Force, for
which he organized
and chaired the
Health Care Redesign
Workgroup, the
precursor of
the Redesign
Collaborative
sponsored by
Louisiana Governor
Kathleen Blanco
and Secretary
Michael Leavitt
of the U.S. Department
of Health and
Human Services.
Additionally,
he initiated
the Coalition
of Leaders for
Louisiana Healthcare
(COLLAH) to continue
discussions to
create an efficient
healthcare system
for Louisiana,
including a proposal
for meeting the
pressing healthcare
needs of Louisiana’s
uninsured, with
an immediate
focus on the
New Orleans region.
Barry is a Fellow
of the Society
of Actuaries
and a Member
of the American
Academy of Actuaries
and has degrees
in advanced mathematics
from the University
of Notre Dame
and Rutgers University.
He and his wife
Hollis live in
Baton Rouge.
 
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