Premera and Microsoft Partner to Improve Access to Health Information

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, WA - (Jan. 18, 2010) - Premera Blue Cross today announced an important collaboration with Microsoft aimed at providing Microsoft employees with integrated, personal health records. Premera is combining its data and expertise with Microsoft's technology to provide the company's employees with greater visibility to their spending and healthcare claims through a connection to Microsoft HealthVault - a personal health application platform available to consumers. 

HealthVault Empowers Individuals and Families

Microsoft employees and families accessing their Premera health benefits online can now send Explanation of Benefits (EOB) data to their personal HealthVault account. Users will then be able to share and take their health information wherever, whenever, and however they wish. This flexibility includes the ability to share health information with people such as family, healthcare providers, and fitness professionals. 

"This is a continued step forward to provide peace of mind to our members about their healthcare coverage," said Gubby Barlow, CEO of Premera. "We believe our members will find great value in expanded access to their personal health records. Premera is thrilled with this partnership with Microsoft and looks forward to making HealthVault available to additional customers in 2010." 

Vivacity Adds to the Value of HealthVault

A unique feature of the HealthVault experience for Microsoft employees and families will be the Vivacity Spending Scout, which allows users to analyze their own claims data, track and understand their healthcare spending, and plan for future expenditures. Vivacity is a company delivering integrated, employer-based wellness programs. The Spending Scout tool will be an integral part of an expanded HealthVault experience for Premera's members.

"At Microsoft, we encourage our employees to take an active role in managing their health, which includes using tools such as HealthVault to store and share their health information," said Brady Jensen, Group Manager, Global Benefits for Microsoft.  "This offering will enable our employees both to better understand their healthcare spending and then share that information through HealthVault with healthcare providers and applications to help them make more informed decisions in support of their health."

HealthVault Use to Expand Throughout 2010

This partnership between Premera and Microsoft marks the first time HealthVault will incorporate paid claims data to allow users more complete access to personal health information. Premera plans to make this innovation available to additional customers throughout 2010. 

About Premera Blue Cross

Our mission is to provide peace of mind to our members about their healthcare coverage. We provide health coverage and related services to more than 1.4 million people. Premera Blue Cross has operated in Washington since 1933, and Alaska since 1957. Premera Blue Cross is a not-for-profit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. 

Premera Blue Cross is a member of a family of companies based in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, that provide health, life, vision, dental, stop-loss, disability, and other related products and services.  

About Microsoft HealthVault

Microsoft HealthVault is a personal health application platform designed to put consumers in control of their health information. HealthVault provides a privacy- and security-enhanced foundation on which a broad ecosystem of providers can build innovative health and wellness solutions such as personal health records, disease management, fitness, weight loss and other Web applications. HealthVault can be used to collect and store health information that would otherwise reside in disparate systems and transfer the information between a variety of providers' health services and systems. It enables the reuse and free flow of interoperable and transportable personal health information. For more information, visit http://www.HealthVault.com.

About Vivacity

Vivacity is a company delivering integrated, employer-based wellness programs. Vivacity is not a licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and does not provide products or services under the various Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Brands and Marks. Vivacity is solely responsible for its products and services.