Business Group on Health Honors General Motors With Prestigious Helen Darling Award; GM Cited for Driving Value, Innovation in Health Care

WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 26 – Business Group on Health today honored General Motors with its prestigious Helen Darling Award for Excellence in Health Care Value and Innovation, for the company’s inventive approach to health benefits.

General Motors’ leadership in driving value in the health care delivery system, innovative partnerships with health care providers, and commitment of prioritizing quality in the benefits delivered is impressive and more than warrants this recognition .


Ellen Kelsay, President and CEO, Business Group on Health

The honor was announced at the Business Group’s Employers’ Summit on Health Care Cost & Delivery. Previous winners include Boeing, Cerner Corporation, Costco and Walmart, among others.

Kelsay commended General Motors for implementing an industry-leading value-based purchasing partnership with Henry Ford Health System in the Detroit region; developing a joint concierge model in support of employees navigating the health care delivery system; driving improvements in health care quality; expanding virtual care offerings; and reducing costs.

More specifically, the concierge model successfully managed hospital admissions and emergency room usage; boosted member satisfaction and access to care; and improved preventive screening compliance and blood pressure management, among other outcomes.

“GM’s track record of leadership in employer-sponsored health care spans many years, and the ability of the company to leverage existing partnerships to pivot during a pandemic further demonstrates the value of hard work and innovative thinking,” Kelsay also said.

Janice Uhlig, vice president for global compensation and benefits at GM, said, “Being innovative is one of the behaviors that helps shape our culture at General Motors, and receiving this prestigious award recognizes that we are also living those behaviors in how we provide health care for our employees.”

On behalf of Business Group on Health and the board of directors, we are proud to recognize General Motors’ leadership in driving positive change in the health care system to improve the quality of care and control costs for their employees and families. In a particularly challenging time in health care, leaders at GM have set a high bar for what employers can do to increase the value of their benefits and we commend them.


Jim Huffman, chair of the board, Business Group on Health

The award, named for a former president of Business Group on Health, recognizes an outstanding employer exemplifying leadership in delivering a comprehensive, innovative programmatic and purchasing strategy that demonstrates a track record of enhancing health care quality and patient experience, efficient and cost-effective use of health care resources, and achievement of value in health care and program evaluation.

About Business Group on Health

Business Group on Health is the leading non-profit organization representing large employers’ perspectives on optimizing workforce strategy through innovative health, benefits and well-being solutions and on health policy issues. The Business Group keeps its membership informed of leading-edge thinking and action on health care cost and delivery, financing, affordability and experience with the health care system. Business Group members include 70 Fortune 100 companies as well as large public-sector employers, who collectively provide health and well-being programs for more than 60 million individuals in 200 countries. For more information, visit www.businessgrouphealth.org.

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which will power everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at www.gm.com.