For years, Highmark’s producer operations team relied on manual processes that were fragmented, time-consuming, and prone to error. Key workflows such as NIPR alerts, producer onboarding, file processing, and letter generation were handled manually by multiple team members, resulting in avoidable delays and downstream pain points for both internal staff and agency partners.
In 2023, Highmark partnered with Canidium to implement an advanced producer management (APM) platform with workflow automation. This partnership marked a turning point: what once required multiple handoffs and error-prone processes now happens in real time, driving operational efficiency, improving compliance, and strengthening agency relationships.
“We were running reports manually, handing them off to other people, and then manually keying updates. There were so many little tasks that, by themselves, didn’t take much time, but when you added them up, it was a lot of hours lost.” - Martha Bobeck, Business Analyst, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
This manual environment led to downstream issues: delayed commission payments, higher inquiry volumes from agencies, and a heavier operational burden on sales enablement staff.
Canidium sat down with Martha Bobeck, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield's Business Analyst to learn how things changed post-APM-implementation. Here's what we discovered:
Taken individually, each of these automation gains might seem like a small operational win. Together, they represent a major transformation in how Highmark runs its producer operations, one that’s measurable in hours, accuracy, and strategic impact.
When the Agent of Record processing time is cut in half, error transactions disappear, and onboarding happens in minutes instead of hours, it reshapes how teams work.
Contrary to common fears surrounding AI and automation, these tools don't remove people from the process; they elevate the workforce. With Canidium’s APM configuration, frontline staff and senior analysts alike are freed from repetitive, low-value work.
Sales enablement specialists no longer spend time chasing errors or manually keying data. Business analysts can focus on optimization and process improvements instead of firefighting. Finally, leadership gets cleaner, faster, and more reliable data for decision-making.
Across the board, these changes contribute to real, quantifiable outcomes:
Perhaps most importantly, these aren’t isolated wins—they’re building blocks. By automating core processes and standardizing workflows, Highmark has created a scalable foundation that supports future growth without adding headcount.
“These automations add up quickly. They’ve freed our team to focus on more meaningful work.” — Martha Bobeck, Business Analyst, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.
This is what a culture of automation looks like: less time spent fixing problems, more time spent moving the business forward.
Highmark is now expanding its use of APM automation with external workflow enhancements, additional reporting efficiencies, and better visibility for agency partners. Upcoming improvements include:
Highmark’s success didn’t happen overnight. It grew from a deep partnership with Canidium’s experts: configuration specialists, workflow designers, and strategic advisors who understood both the technology and the insurance industry.
Are you interested in replicating this success? Our experts offer free consultations to insurance and financial services agencies, no strings attached. We help you analyze your options, uncover your potential benefits, understand your costs, and determine if you are a good fit (or not) for a strategic center of excellence digital transformation.