CHICAGO, Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and Oak Brook-based Advocate Health Care have reached agreement to extend their relationship for another two years, covering 2005 and 2006.
The agreement means Advocate hospitals will continue to participate in HMO Illinois and the Blue Cross PPO and indemnity plans. In addition, Advocate Health Partners physicians will continue to participate in HMO Illinois.
“With this agreement, Blue Cross and Advocate have reaffirmed our commitment to work together to serve the Chicago marketplace,” said Lee Sacks, M.D., Advocate’s chief medical officer and president of Advocate Health Partners. “This is good news for our patients.”
“Blue Cross recognizes the value of Advocate to our enrollees and their families,” said Brad Buxton, senior vice president, health care management for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. “This agreement shows Advocate’s commitment to provide improved clinical outcomes and continue to work toward the patient safety agenda so important to our members.”
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield Illinois
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company (HCSC), is the oldest and largest health insurance company in Illinois. It began in 1936 as Hospital Service Corporation with the Blue Cross symbol officially adopted in 1939. Currently, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois provides health insurance coverage for 6.3 million people. HCSC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information about Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, visit http://www.bcbsil.com/ .
About Advocate Health Care
Advocate Health Care, the largest health care provider in Illinois, has ranked among the nation’s top 10 health care systems for seven consecutive years. Advocate’s dedicated physicians and associates strive to be leaders in clinical excellence. At Advocate, quality of care is more than just words. A faith-based, non-profit system, Advocate is related to both the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ. Advocate’s 200+ sites of care in metropolitan Chicago include eight acute care hospitals and two children’s hospitals, a home health care company and three of Chicago’s largest medical groups. For more information about Advocate Health Care, visit http://www.advocatehealth.com/ .
About Advocate Health Partners
Advocate Health Partners is the care management and managed care contracting joint venture between Advocate Health Care and physicians on the medical staffs of its hospitals. It is a unique organization, committed to delivering high quality medical care to patients through the alignment and integration of hospitals and physicians.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
CONTACT: Dan Parker of Advocate Health Care, +1-630-990-5606, or RobertKieckhefer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, +1-312-653-6629
