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BCBSOK Commits to a Health Information Exchange Identified by the White House as a Role Model

May 5, 2010

Tulsa, OK — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma is honored to have played a significant role in helping to influence one of 15 Health Information Exchanges (HIE) that The White House expects to "achieve meaningful and measurable improvements in health care quality, safety and efficiency ." Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma provided critical information and perspective to help win more than $12 million for the Greater Tulsa Health Access Network (G-THAN). Today Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joe Nicholson, released this statement following Tuesday's announcement about the award:

"Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma's commitment to G-THAN began at its inception more than a year ago and we remain even more committed today. Our goal from the onset has been to understand the needs of doctors, hospitals, clinics, labs and other medical providers so that we can help them help our members. At the same time, our credibility has enabled us to offer valuable insight from an insurance perspective that has helped to shape the development of this successful program."

"We recognize the value that we bring to HIEs and our role in helping the health care industry share information, reduce costs, improve the quality of care and make a positive impact on the health of all Oklahomans. As a market leader, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma has a vast and unique database that contains valuable information about all of the doctors that our members visit. We have a responsibility to protect that information and then to share it with other medical providers if it can help to improve our members' treatment."

As the state's oldest and largest non-investor owned insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma serves more than 600,000 Oklahomans in all 77 counties. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico and Texas. HCSC is a mutual legal reserve company and an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.


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