Each year the Helen Darling Award is given to an outstanding employer who exemplifies leadership in pursuing value in health care. The award winner is recognized for delivering a comprehensive, innovative program and purchasing strategy, with a demonstrated track record of enhancing health care quality and patient experience, efficient and cost-effective use of health resources, and improvement in health outcomes.

Award Criteria

Successful Applicants will demonstrate:

  • Effective, novel approaches to health benefits and a viable path to achieve positive impacts for employers, their partners, and their workforce;
  • Ability to take risks and convert leading edge ideas into solutions that enhance the health benefits of employees through value-based purchasing, benefit design, outcome measurement or other related methods;
  • Successful implementation of alternative care delivery or value-based payment models;
  • Demonstration of sustainability and the longitudinal value of programs, by improving quality, employee experience, and health outcomes, as well as having positive impact on cost; and
  • Thought leadership in the above areas.

Previous winners of this award include Boeing, Costco, Walmart, Cerner Corporation, General Motors and most recently The Walt Disney Company. The award will be presented in-person during the Business Group on Health Annual Conference in Tucson, AZ April 9-12.

All Business Group on Health employer member companies are eligible to apply. Interested companies should complete the application for consideration by November 15, 2023. If you have any questions, please contact Audrey Kim at kim@businessgrouphealth.org.

Apply by November 15

Questions? Contact us.

Providing innovative benefits to access comprehensive and quality care is one of the many ways we invest in our employees, and receiving this prestigious award further recognizes our commitment to the well-being of our team members around the world

Eric Chaisson, Senior Vice President, Total Rewards, The Walt Disney Company

Helen Darling Award 2024
Helen Darling Award:
Excellence in Health Care Value and Innovation

The Helen Darling Award: Excellence in Health Care Value and Innovation recognizes outstanding employers that encourage the implementation of innovations that promote the efficient and cost-effective use of health care resources

Past Winners

2023

The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company for their successful disruption of the traditional fee-for-service health care payment model and innovative shift toward value-based care.

2022

General Motors

General Motors for demonstrating value in the health care delivery system, innovative partnerships with health care providers, and their commitment of prioritizing quality in the benefits delivered.

2020

Cerner Corporation

Cerner Corporation for development of an innovative Center of Excellence bariatric program; a comprehensive maternity program; medical coverage for fertility treatments; and comprehensive solutions to address mental health.

2019

Walmart Inc.

Walmart Inc. for its custom Centers of Excellence, direct contracting Accountable Care Organization relationships and management of prescription drug utilization.

2018

Costco Wholesale Corporation

Costco Wholesale Corporation for its network strategy and leadership in addressing the behavioral health of their employees.