AT&T Wins Multimillion Dollar Contract From Blue Cross And Blue Shield Association

CHICAGO, Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T announced today a two-year, multimillion dollar national agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), continuing AT&T's long-standing relationship with BCBSA and its member companies as their primary networking services provider.

Under the expanded contract, participating Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies across the country can utilize a complete portfolio of AT&T data, voice, hosting, Internet Protocol (IP) and managed services. BCBSA is made up of 40 independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage to more than 93 million -- nearly one-in-three -- Americans.

AT&T's advanced networking technology helps BCBSA member companies expand capabilities, improve service and control costs as they increasingly rely on the Internet and private networks to exchange critical information among members and providers. It also helps streamline claims processing, enhance call-center management capabilities and provide real-time access to patient and provider information.

"We have had a long and successful relationship with AT&T that has enabled us to hold down administrative costs and provide superior network solutions to our member organizations and help them provide best-in-class service to their customers," said Jody Voss, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Executive Director of Business Development. "By extending our relationship with AT&T under a national agreement, we are able to provide BCBSA member companies with significant savings and innovative, reliable options for all their networking needs."

Through the secure AT&T BusinessDirect(R) portal, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association gains around-the-clock access to real-time information about the performance of its network and a direct connection to electronic billing and ordering systems. AT&T BusinessDirect was recently recognized by the Yankee Group for providing customers with the strongest online support and service experience in the industry.

About AT&T

For more than 125 years, AT&T (NYSE "T") has been known for unparalleled quality and reliability in communications. Backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, the company is a global leader in local, long distance, Internet and transaction-based voice and data services. http://www.att.com

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is made up of 40 independent, locally owned and operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for more than 93 million -- nearly one-in-three -- Americans. For more information about the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies, please visit http://www.BCBS.com .

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CONTACT: Mike Pruyn, Office: +1-312-230-4894, or Cell: +1-312-953-1157, ormpruyn@att.com

Web site: http://www.att.com/http://www.BCBS.com/