Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Delivers on Customer Service Promise with New Member Services Web Site.

Business/Technology Editors and Health/Medical Writers

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 5, 2002

New site developed by Molecular offers superior customer experience

while significantly lowering operational expenses

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) and Molecular, an Internet services firm, today announced the launch of the first personalized BCBSMA member services Web site. Now available for the health insurer's 2.4 million members at www.bluecrossma.com, the site allows members to quickly and conveniently update personal information such as primary care physician and change of address, as well as handle administrative needs including new identification card requests.

Designed to deliver the experience and functionality BCBSMA members expect online, the new site makes it easier and more convenient for BCBSMA's members to self-manage simple needs and requests related to their health coverage while also reducing BCBSMA's operational costs associated with call center traffic. By allowing members to manage their account information online, Blue Cross Blue Shield diverts many easier-to-handle requests from the call center to its online channel, freeing up call center staff to handle complex member issues in a more timely and cost-effective fashion.

"Traditionally, customer profile updates have been handled via phone calls to customer call centers or through time-consuming paperwork, which was inconvenient for plan members. With the launch of the member services site, we're enabling members to quickly and easily self-manage the tasks they expect to find on our site, as a convenient and efficient service alternative," said Ed Esposito, Vice President of Systems Delivery at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. "Molecular's expertise in building sites that deliver superior customer experiences, combined with their strong development and integration capabilities, enabled us to successfully meet our business and customer needs."

The BCBSMA member services site is accessible through a password-protected extranet off the main Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts web site. Once the member logs in, an intuitive interface guides him/her through the process of updating information or requesting a new identification card. The site is fully integrated with Blue Cross Blue Shield's backend systems, providing for automated updates of Blue Cross' databases upon the submission of information. The site also manages administrative tasks, such as automatic e-mailings, or creation of form letters to be sent through standard post.

"Like many large businesses that have invested in web-based technologies, Blue Cross Blue Shield wanted to deliver the best customer experience possible while also maximizing site functionality to reduce operational costs. In their case, many members expected to have the option of handling certain administrative tasks online rather than through the Member Helpline," said Howard Kogan, Vice President of Client Services at Molecular. "With this launch, Blue Cross Blue Shield's new member services site enables the insurer to better meet the needs and expectations of its entire member base while realizing the efficiencies enabled by web-based self service."

For more information about the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts member services site, visit www.bluecrossma.com.

About Molecular

Molecular, an Internet services firm, identifies and helps companies unlock revenue-generating and cost-cutting business opportunities by developing custom business applications for the healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, publishing and retail industries. Clients include global giants such as Fidelity Investments, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Analog Devices and Deutsche Bank. For more information, contact Molecular at http://www.molecular.com or at 617.218.6500 in Boston and 212.905.5515 in New York.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (www.bluecrossma.com) was founded 64 years ago by a group of community-minded business leaders. Today, headquartered in Boston, BCBSMA is New England's largest health plan, providing coverage to 2.4 million members. Consistently recognized for standards of service that are among the highest in the nation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is the choice for health care consumers seeking reliable and high-quality health care coverage. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.