CEO and president of QualChoice in Little Rock
With more than 30 years of experience in managed health and health care, Randall Crow was promoted to CEO and president of QualChoice of Little Rock at the end of June. He joined the insurance carrier in 2000 as controller and was named CFO in 2008. Crow also serves as vice president and corporate treasurer for QualChoice Health Plan Services Inc. and on the boards of a number of Medicare advantage plans around the country.
Crow earned a degree in accounting from Harding University at Searcy and an MBA from the University of Arkansas.
How did you get into the health insurance industry, and what keeps you there?
As a lifelong resident, my family roots run deep in Arkansas. Growing up, I noticed insurance companies in many towns across our state. They sponsored the local ball teams and supported local charities. And the individuals working for these companies were often pillars of the community. This was my introduction to an industry that has allowed me to make a career out of helping people when they need it most. It’s been very rewarding, especially when I get to hear stories about the people we’ve helped.
Health insurance seems like one of the least predictable businesses. What keeps you up at night?
The insurance industry is highly regulated. So we’re routinely having to adapt to new regulations within very short time frames. This takes a toll on our industry, our products and our business model. Our future success depends on having a solid, experienced team that stays abreast of upcoming changes and how they’ll impact our customers and our company. But because we’re a smaller organization, we’re also extremely nimble. This will remain a key component to our future success.
What message are you sending our congressional delegation about the ACA? What message do you have for state government?
Arkansans need and deserve health and wellness services. We know that preventive care and early intervention are vital, and much more likely to occur when citizens have insurance coverage.
The Largest Insurance Agencies and the The Largest Property & Casualty Insurance Companies in Arkansas. Available in either PDF or spreadsheet formats.
In Arkansas, we help address this need through a variety of products, including the current hybrid Medicaid expansion product, Arkansas Works. We encourage lawmakers to collaborate with us so together we can provide vital health care services to all who need them. We also ask our elected officials for flexibility, so our market offerings can meet the needs of our customers, and the burden of over-regulation is reduced.
What are the best and worst things about the market for your products in Arkansas?
Our Arkansas Insurance Department is a real asset because of their expertise, ability to be reasonable in a chaotic market and their spirit of cooperation. I frequently hear from colleagues around the country that our insurance department is the best in the nation.
Our challenge is that we’re primarily a rural state and don’t have many large employer groups with 1,000 or more employees. So we must carefully spread our resources across many smaller groups. Fortunately, our economy is growing. Successful small employers are the backbone of our state and of our business.
What changes is QualChoice making to its products going forward?
We’re harnessing the power of technology to improve our processes and how we serve our members as we diversify our product portfolio. We will also strive to maintain our reputation for offering high-quality products and outstanding service at the best price possible. This is why we have grown more than 30 percent in the past three years. When our customers benefit, we all benefit.
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