DETROIT, Aug. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and its HMO affiliate, Blue Care Network, are partnering with Subimo, a leading provider of Web-based health care decision-support resources, to provide their 4.7 million members with new interactive online resources so they can fire up their computers to review individualized options relating to health care.
Don Whitford, director of product development for the Blues, said the Subimo arrangement is a key component as the Michigan Blues expand their role in consumer-directed health care products, including Health Savings Accounts.
“Providing online decision-making resources is part of our efforts to empower members to get them more involved in their health care. This goes hand-in-hand with Health Savings Accounts and consumer-directed health care,” said Whitford. “Because we see the need to provide interactive resources as bigger than any one product, we are providing these resources to all Blues members in all of our products.”
Under the arrangement, the Michigan Blues will incorporate Subimo’s comprehensive information resources on their Web sites at http://www.bcbsm.com and http://www.MiBCN.com . The resources are available for members enrolled in all Blues products (Traditional Blue Cross, Community Blue and Blue Preferred PPOs, Blue Choice Point of Service, Blue Care Network HMO and Blue HSA(SM)). Additionally, the Blues will have a new Health Savings Account product called Flexible Blue that will be available for purchase by customer groups this fall for a Jan. 1, 2006, launch date.
Blues members will be able to log in to the new online resource on Sept. 1. Among the many types of information that members will find, for example, are the names of the hospitals nearest to their homes that offer the medical procedures they or their family members may need, along with latest information on medical options and what questions they should ask when they visit the doctor.
The types of resources members will be able to access from their PCs include:
* Information on what health care services a family is likely to need under different scenarios, and forecasts of its out-of-pocket expenses
* Information on more than 90 medical conditions
* Costs, potential complications and risks of common medical treatments
* Comparisons, side effects and interactions for 11,000 prescription drugs
* Hospital and physician locations, and which hospitals offer certain services such as maternity or cardiac care
* Links to publicly available data on health care quality
* Guidelines on important questions for patients to ask physicians to promote physician-communication and improve health outcomes and expectations
Subimo President Ann Mond Johnson said, “We are pleased to strategically partner with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the largest health benefits company in the state, to arm its members with quality and cost information so they can make informed decisions with their medical providers.”
The Subimo arrangement bolsters other online resources for members recently launched by the Michigan Blues. Earlier this year, the Blues launched a new online health assessment tool for their members as part of their BlueHealthConnection care management program. It provides members with an online health assessment, personal health record, health resources and disease guides as well as personal contact opportunities with nurse coaches.
“This is the first in a series of new online services with a strong member focus that you will see from the Michigan Blues over the next several years as we expand our Web-enabled capability,” said Whitford.
A June 13, 2005, issue of Business Week said Subimo had the widest range of hospital data, along with layman-friendly guides to the latest disease research and treatments, when compared to several other online resources.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan provides health care benefits to just over 4.7 million members through a variety of plans: Traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield; Blue Preferred, Community Blue and Healthy Blue PPOs; Blue Choice Point of Service; Blue Care Network HMO, and Blue HSA(SM) plans compatible with health savings accounts. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more company information, visit http://www.bcbsm.com .
Subimo helps employers and payers improve health care quality and reduce costs by providing comprehensive, Web-based decision-making tools to consumers. With Subimo’s user-friendly interface, members can quickly get independent information regarding medical conditions, treatment paths, prescription drug options, cost of services and physician or hospital quality comparisons. Subimo’s technology organizes complex health data into easy-to- understand reports to help predict services, estimate costs and compare options for more than 50 million consumers today. Subimo is headquartered in Chicago. Additional information can be found at http://www.subimo.com .
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Blue Care Network
CONTACT: Helen Stojic of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan,+1-313-225-8113
