BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF TEXAS PROVIDES POWERFUL PERSONAL, ONLINE GUIDE TO CLAIMS STATUS AND WELLNESS INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS AND EMPLOYERS THROUGH “BLUE ACCESS”

     January 11, 2005, Richardson, Texas – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas members who are looking for an easy way to collect/manage a variety of health care information need look no further than Blue Access.  At the click of a mouse, this online resource empowers members with instant access to a wide variety of information including claims status information for the whole family, the ability to print an explanation of benefits, locate an in-network doctor or hospital, receive claim-status email alerts, requests for a new or replacement member ID card and much more.

      “We’re pleased to offer members the capability to track health coverage information as well as the practical health and wellness information Blue Access provides from our online Mayo Clinic resources,” says Darren Rodgers, senior vice president of Health Care Management.  “The real strength of Blue Access is that it has become a one-stop personal guide for a broad range of health care information which can be obtained any time and any place our members have access to the Internet.”

     Many employers also view Blue Access as an advantage and are getting the word out to employees by encouraging them to take advantage of Mayo Clinic Online Resources and other valuable health management tools at bcbstx.com.

     Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is the only statewide, non-investor owned health coverage provider in Texas, serving more than 3.3 million members in all 254 counties.  Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.