JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) has signed a three-year agreement with Baptist Health in Jacksonville, with a total of five hospitals in Duval and Nassau counties, including Wolfson Children’s Hospital. With this agreement, Baptist Health joins the growing number of hospitals in Florida participating in NetworkBlue, BCBSF’s high-performing network of physician, hospital and ancillary providers.
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The new agreement, which went into effect Oct. 1, 2005, also includes BCBSF’s BlueChoice (PPC), BlueCare (HMO) and traditional indemnity insurance plans.
In addition to the facility agreement, a contract also has been completed with Baptist Primary Care Physicians Group, the physician group associated with Baptist hospitals. Under the new agreement, this prestigious group of 78 physicians are participating in all of BCBSF’s networks. Baptist Home Health Care, Pavilion Infusion Therapy and Pavilion Respiratory Therapy also are participating in all of BCBSF’s networks.
“We are delighted to continue our ongoing relationship with Baptist Health,” said Dr. Barry Schwartz, vice president, network management, BCBSF. “We are particularly happy to be able to include Baptist facilities in NetworkBlue.”
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’ve enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida,” said Philip Boyce, senior vice president, managed care, Baptist Health. “We are pleased to be participating in their new consumer-driven network.”
BCBSF has nearly a quarter million BlueOptions members statewide. In addition to the five Baptist facilities in northeast Florida, five other hospitals including Shands Jacksonville, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Memorial Hospital of Jacksonville, HCA Orange Park and Flagler Hospital 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: Lisa Acheson Luther, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida,+1-904-905-3402, or mobile, +1-904-536-9957
Web site: http://www.bcbsfl.com/