Deal: Anthem, Inc. to create 450 new jobs in Muscogee County
Gov. Nathan Deal today announced that Anthem, Inc., a leading provider of health benefit solutions, will expand the existing Customer Care Center in Columbus. The expansion will create 450 new jobs and represents a capital investment of more than $3 million in Muscogee County.
“Anthem’s decision to expand in Columbus speaks to the strength and vitality of Georgia’s business-friendly environment,” said Deal. “This expansion further bolsters Georgia’s reputation as the nation’s top destination for health IT companies. We appreciate Anthem’s long-standing dedication to healthcare delivery and commitment to job creation, and we look forward to Anthem’s continued success in our state.”
Anthem’s office in Columbus currently employs 1,285 staff members. The expansion—scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017—will add an additional 450 employees, bringing the company’s total presence in Georgia to approximately 4,500 employees.
“Anthem is committed to working with the state of Georgia, as witnessed by our continuing growth throughout the state. With the opening of our new state of the art Columbus office, we look forward to hiring additional staff and contributing to the economic growth in this area of the state,” said Jose Tomas, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.
Anthem is the parent company of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, which has been in the state for 75 years and is the largest health insurer in Georgia. The Columbus office serves as the prototype for future Anthem office development, and houses call centers and staff in claims processing, enrollment and billing, IT, utilization management and provider services.
“We’ve been working with Anthem since 2013 on several expansion projects, which included most recently the construction of their new 235,000 sq. ft. Customer Care Center in Muscogee Technology Park,” said Brian Anderson, president and CEO of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. “This announcement by the company in both additional jobs and capital investment signals their long-term commitment to Columbus.”
Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Project Manager Candice Scott represented the Global Commerce division in expansion negotiations.
“Supporting the growth of existing industry is a top priority for our Department,” said GDEcD Commissioner Chris Carr. “We are thrilled to celebrate Anthem, Inc.’s news of expansion in Columbus, speaking to the strength of Georgia’s pro-business atmosphere, talented workforce and collaborative state and local partnerships. We look forward to working with this great company as they continue to grow.”
About Anthem, Inc.
With over 72 million people served by its affiliated companies, including more than 38 million enrolled in its family of health plans, Anthem is one of the nation’s leading health benefits companies. For more information about Anthem’s family of companies, please visit www.antheminc.com/companies.