Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, a company under the Blue Cross Blue Shield umbrella, has announced plans to expand its workforce in St. Louis. According to The St. Louis American, the company is adding 250 new jobs to its headquarters in the city. According to Value Penguin, Anthem operates in 14 states and offers a better average rate in Missouri than Blue Cross Blue Shield but sits slightly above the state’s average monthly rate.
According to St. Louis Public Radio,
Anthem Missouri President and CEO Stephanie Vojicic announced at a press conference on Nov. 30 that the company wants to be in St. Louis, saying, “We have conversations with our associates very frequently about location and space, and they enjoy being here,” Vojicic said. “We have seen a lot of progress and momentum recently in downtown St. Louis. And we’re really excited to be part of that.”At the press conference, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura
Jones indicated that post-COVID 19, the city needs to be revitalized and hopes that as companies fill the city with office space, it will lead to those employees spending time and money in the city. Downtown St. Louis had been dealing with incidents of gun violence, speeding cars, and other crimes, which made some residents and business owners nervous about the area. Jones said, “We are welcoming people who will patronize our downtown restaurants, walk from their office to the next City SC game or Blues game or whatever they choose, or even purchase a home nearby.”Anthem will be looking to hire positions ranging from entry-level work starting at $20 an hour to a six-figure salary for pharmacists. Anthem maintains a specialty pharmacy unit at the location, which is where the new employees will work. According to officials, the company plans to fill positions by the second quarter of 2024.
Jason Hall, president and CEO of Greater St. Louis Inc., told First Alert 14
that he sees the downtown investment by Anthem as a good sign for St. Louis. “This area becomes the visual cue to the rest of the world,” he said. “Is this a place on the rise or the decline? We have to have a vibrant urban core. We need more investments downtown and more announcements like this.”