Blue Cross And Blue Shield Of Florida Signs Multi-Year Deals With Tampa Area Health Systems

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) announced today it has signed a three-year agreement with BayCare Health System for its six hospitals in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties and a two-year deal with All Children's Hospital in Tampa, Fla.

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With this agreement, BayCare and All Children's join the growing number of hospitals in Florida participating in NetworkBlue, BCBSF's high-performing network of physician, hospital and ancillary providers. The new agreements, which went into effect Oct. 1, 2005, also include BCBSF's BlueChoice (PPC), BlueCare (HMO) and traditional indemnity insurance plans.

In addition to the facility agreements, a contract also has been completed with Pediatric Physician Services, Inc., the physician group associated with All Children's. Under the new agreement, this prestigious group of physicians are participating in BlueOptions and all other products offered by BCBSF.

NetworkBlue is the foundation for BCBSF's new health plan offering, BlueOptions. BlueOptions, growing at a rate of 20,000 members per month, is the fastest growing segment of BCBSF's business. It is a family of "consumer- driven" health plans that offer individual purchasers and employers great flexibility in creating benefits programs.

"We are delighted to continue our ongoing relationships with BayCare Health System and All Children's Hospital," said Dr. Barry Schwartz, vice president, network management, BCBSF. "We are particularly happy to be able to include these facilities in NetworkBlue."

BCBSF has nearly a quarter million BlueOptions members statewide. In addition to the six BayCare facilities and All Children's, 20 other hospitals in the three-county area are currently participating in NetworkBlue.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida is a leader in Florida's health industry. BCBSF and its subsidiaries serve more than 7.1 million people. Since 1944, the company has been dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of all those it serves by offering an array of choices. BCBSF is a not-for-profit, policyholder-owned, tax-paying mutual company. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., BCBSF is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information concerning BCBSF, please see its Web site at http://www.bcbsfl.com .

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CONTACT: Mark S. Wright, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida,+1-904-905-6935, or cell, +1-904-233-3481

Web site: http://www.bcbsfl.com/