Erin Barney named President of Commercial Markets; Jamie Reuter to lead Pharmacy Solutions
EAGAN, Minn., Sept. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) today announced the appointment of Erin Barney as President of Commercial Markets and Jamie Reuter as Vice President of Pharmacy Solutions. Both leaders have experience working within the Blue Cross and Blue Shield system, giving them firsthand insights into how plans work together to address member needs at local and national levels.
In her new role, Barney will oversee the strategy, execution and performance of the Commercial Markets division, which covers multiple market segments, including Minnesota-based national employers, large and small businesses, Individual and Family plans, Taft-Hartley (labor union) groups, public sector plans (local government-affiliated employers), and Minnesota residents covered by the Association’s Federal Employee Program (FEP).
“Erin brings a strategic vision for advancing healthcare, a collaborative approach to leadership and deep expertise of the Blue Cross framework across every state,” said Chris Fanning, Chief Growth Officer at Blue Cross. “I know she is well-poised to make a lasting impact.”
As Vice President of Pharmacy Solutions, Reuter will lead the strategic development, implementation, and management of pharmacy products and programs across all lines of business, including Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. Pharmacy solutions are designed to maximize the delivery of quality care, improve health outcomes for all members and effectively manage the cost of prescription drugs for all covered pharmacy benefits.
“Jamie brings a wealth of unique and powerful pharmacy insights, based on his blended expertise as a clinician and a business leader,” said Dr. Mark Steffen, Chief Medical Officer at Blue Cross. “His demonstrated success will serve our members well as we continue to raise the bar on outcomes, affordability and delivering even higher-quality member experiences.”
Erin Barney, President of Commercial Markets
Erin Barney has more than 20 years of leadership experience within the Blue Cross and Blue Shield system. She comes to Minnesota after serving as Vice President of Network Solutions for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, a national federation of 33 independent and locally operated Blue Cross plans that collectively cover one in three Americans. In this role, Barney led collaborative efforts to develop, deliver, and maintain creative and innovative network and clinical programs that fit members’ healthcare needs nationwide.
Before joining the Association, Barney served in a range of leadership roles at Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), an independent licensee of the Association and the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer. Over the course of 17 years, her responsibilities included commercial growth and retention, financial performance, health care analytics, medical policy and human resources.
Barney holds a bachelor’s degree from Augsburg College in Minneapolis and a master’s degree in business from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Jamie Reuter, Vice President of Pharmacy Solutions
Jamie Reuter comes to Blue Cross after spending the last decade helping to build, consolidate and revitalize multiple health plans across the country. His work included five pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) transitions and restructuring two retail pharmacy chains.
His career path includes serving as the Director of Pharmacy Policy at CareFirst BlueCross, the largest health insurer in the Mid-Atlantic region and the Blues plan with the largest enrollment in the Association’s Federal Employee Program. In this role, he provided guidance on legislative policy, built pharmacy product offerings, provided sales support and managed PBM clinical programs.
Before joining the insurance industry, Reuter practiced as a clinical specialist in critical care for eight years in Baltimore at Union Memorial Hospital and the University of Maryland Medical Center. During that time, he also served as an adjunct clinical instructor at three pharmacy colleges, providing classroom instruction and clinical guidance while publishing more than 40 research papers, book chapters and posters.
Reuter holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Ferris State University in Michigan, an MBA from Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School in Maryland and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Toledo in Ohio.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
For more than 90 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Bluecrossmn.com) has supported our members by ensuring access to high quality care at an affordable price. Our nearly 3 million members can be found in every Minnesota county, all 50 states and on four continents. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Jim McManus | 651.662.2882
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Jim.McManus@bluecrossmn.com
