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July 18th, 2006 www.anthem.com
Consumer-driven health products to provide the information and incentives needed to improve health
Denver, Colorado (March 26, 2007) ? Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is now offering new consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) options for small group employers and individuals that will change the way consumers think about health care -- helping them to lead healthier lives while also helping them gain control over the rising cost of care. These products and services have been available to large businesses in Colorado since January.
?Our customers who choose these consumer-driven products will have new opportunities to lead healthier lives,? said John Martie, president and general manager of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Colorado. ?Our Lumenos suite of products puts consumers in control of their health care dollars and offers them an incentive to spend wisely and demand better health care quality and value.?
Anthem will offer the following core CDHP products:
- Lumenos® Health Reimbursement Account
- Lumenos Health Savings Account
- Lumenos Health Incentive Account
- Lumenos Health Incentive Account Plus
Consumers who choose Lumenos products will be eligible for extensive preventive care benefits and personal health coaching, as well as smoking cessation and weight management programs. In addition, most consumers will receive financial rewards for completing various wellness programs.
?We?re providing our consumers with information-rich Web-based tools that they can use to research prescription drug prices and estimated costs of care,? said Martie ?In fact, we recently added an online tool, The Doctors Plus Directory, which provides members with the ability to ?recommend? their providers to other members. These valuable word-of-mouth recommendations are summarized and viewable by all members within the provider search.?
Anthem?s CDHP options will combine an employee- and/or employer-funded health account with traditional PPO health coverage. Each is paired with powerful online decision support tools and personal health coaching that consumers can use to learn more about their health care treatment and cost options.
For example, when members complete an online health assessment, enroll in a program with a health coach, successfully complete a smoking cessation program or make other healthy lifestyle choices, they will receive tangible incentives and rewards such as additional dollars into their spending account under most of these health plans. These unique features, combined with Anthem?s network strength, innovative provider partnerships, local presence and powerful brand name will provide unparalleled value to consumers.
?We know that a significant portion of health care costs are related to personal behaviors, such as smoking, poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyles. With our Lumenos portfolio of products and services, we?re empowering consumers through unique and robust online tools and incentives that encourage and reward them for choosing to live healthier lifestyles,? said Martie.
Early evidence about CDHPs points to increased healthy behaviors by those who have chosen a Health Reimbursement Account, Health Savings Account or Health Incentive Account plan. In a recent study by McKinsey & Company, CDHP consumers were found to be:
- 25 percent more likely to engage in healthy behaviors than those enrolled in traditional health plans;
- 30 percent more likely to get an annual check-up; and
- 50 percent more likely to ask about cost.
Additionally, consumers with chronic conditions were 20 percent more likely to follow their treatment regimens. This is a powerfully telling figure for both members and employers ? because consumers with these conditions (such as diabetes or high blood pressure) generally have complex, sometimes expensive, health regimens that they must follow. Successfully following these regimens can mean better health outcomes and lower long-term costs.
?We are excited to offer these cutting-edge products and services to our employees,? said Martie. ?Our consumers are active participants in selecting and receiving their health care and we are glad we can foster and engagement that will help them to lead a healthier life and ultimately reduce their health care costs.?
Anthem is also pleased to announce the launch of RightPlan PPO 40, another option for individuals who are looking for health insurance. Available for April 1, 2007, effective dates, RightPlan PPO 40 is designed for a range of lifestyles and priorities. It features simple, immediate benefits with no medical deductible; predictable costs with a low $40 doctor?s office visit copayment; and, comprehensive prescription drug coverage.
About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Colorado
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield?s mission is to improve the lives of the people it serves. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Colorado is a subsidiary of WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP). WellPoint, Inc. is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and serves its members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through HealthLink and UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at www.wellpoint.com.
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