BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee CEO Vicky Gregg will step down from her post at the end of this year and hand over the reins to Bill Gracey, the former LifePoint COO who joined the health insurer in the fall of 2010. Gracey, 58, has been handling BlueCross' government and commercial businesses.

"Over the past year and a half, Bill and I have worked to forge a strategy for moving the company forward in this quickly evolving health care landscape,” said Ms. Gregg. “Bill’s depth of health care industry experience and unique grasp of market dynamics will be a great asset to our members and the company as we navigate the future.”

Ben Leedle, president and CEO of Healthways, has been elevated to a two-year term as chairman of the Nashville Health Care Council. Leedle succeeds Joey Jacobs, who put in a three-year term at the helm of the trade group. In addition, the following big names have been named new members of the board: BlueCross President and COO Bill Gracey, Vanderbilt Health System Deputy Vice Chancellor Wright Pinson, Saint Thomas Health Services President and CEO Mike Schatzlein and Community Health Systems Chairman, President and CEO Wayne Smith.