Blue Cross of California Announces "Employee Elect Program" — Delivering Broad Choice of Health Plan Product for Small-Business Customers

Business Wire, May 28, 1998

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 28, 1998--Blue Cross of California Thursday announced that employees of its small-business customers will now have access to a full range of small-group products.

The "Employee Elect Program" gives employers the option of allowing each employee to select from nine medical plans and four dental plans. The new program provides Blue Cross members with more choice of plans than any other health insurer in California. The medical plans include four no-deductible PPO plans, three HMO plans, and two high-deductible plans for use with a Medical Savings Account.

As small businesses seek a competitive edge in the California market, the availability of top-notch employees becomes critical. With Blue Cross' new options, small-business employers can now offer greater flexibility to meet the diverse affordability and coverage needs of workers and their families, consequently improving their ability to attract the best talent.

The Employee Elect Program is an option offered to all new small- group customers as well as current customers on their respective anniversary dates.

"Many employees of large businesses often have a broad array of customized health plans from which to choose," said Deborah Lachman, general manager of Small Group Businesses for Blue Cross. "We believe our small-business customers should have the same opportunities. Essentially, the `Employee Elect Program' allows each individual employee to choose the plan best suited to his or her needs."

According to independent agent Aline Roberts, there has already been tremendous interest expressed by small-business customers. "This is the most significant level of choice offered by a health insurer in years," said Roberts. "Even government-sponsored purchasing pools typically offer only two or three plans.

"With nine distinct plans from which to choose, small-business owners and their employees and families will find answers to their concerns on cost, access and scope of coverage. There is quite literally, `something for everyone.'"

Blue Cross of California, with nearly 4.4 million medical members, is the California-operating subsidiary of WellPoint Health Networks Inc., one of the nation's largest publicly traded managed care companies. Based in Woodland Hills, Calif., WellPoint serves the health-care needs of approximately 6.7 million medical and nearly 22 million specialty members nationally.

WellPoint offers a broad spectrum of quality network-based health products including HMO, PPO and specialty managed care products. Specialty products include pharmacy benefit management, dental, utilization management, vision, mental health, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, COBRA administration, Medicare supplements, and 24-hour integrated, network-based workers' compensation coverage.

    CONTACT:  Blue Cross of California, Woodland Hills
               Cynthia Coulter, 818/703-3046, Media