NEW YORK - Verizon is the recipient of the New York Business Group on Health's (NYBGH) 2006 Leadership in Business Award, an annual award that recognizes individuals and companies for extraordinary service, leadership and commitment to health care and the New York community at large. The 2006 award honors Maura Breen, Verizon senior vice president and general manager for New York.
"Verizon has always been at the forefront of health care reform, which is something that I have always supported through my work toward overall improvements in health care," said Breen. "It is truly an honor to receive this award from the New York Business Group on Health."
At the NYBGH annual awards reception here on Dec. 7, Robert Mudge, Verizon Telecom executive vice president and chief operating officer, discussed Verizon's role in the health care industry and the company's move toward a consumer-driven system that would provide better care by offering more choice, competition and personal accountability.
"At Verizon, we believe a healthy workforce is a productive workforce and to stay healthy, employees need access to quality health care," said Mudge. "We are proud of our long-standing relationship with the New York Business Group on Health, and we're thrilled to see the group honor Maura for her leadership in this area."
The NYBGH is a not-for-profit business coalition that provides leadership and knowledge to employers in order to promote a value-based, market-driven health care system in the New York Metropolitan area.
"Verizon is a leader among health care purchasers, because they believe that providing quality health care for employees is just as important as the cost of that care," said Laurel Pickering, executive director of the New York Business Group on Health. "They have used their clout as a large employer to improve the market. Verizon has been a leader in improving health care quality and reforming the current payment system, two areas most in need of change in health care."
Verizon is a founding member of the NYBGH as well as The Leapfrog Group, a national purchaser-driven patient safety initiative that has joined forces with NYBGH to encourage hospitals to adopt standards that improve patient outcomes. In addition, Verizon is a founding member of Bridges to Excellence, a coalition of large employers and health plans that recognizes and rewards physicians who provide high-quality health care or adopt systems that promote quality. Verizon is also actively involved in several other business groups that promote health care reform.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), a New York-based Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving nearly 57 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom, which is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.
####