Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama Receives 14th Prestigious Brand Excellence Award.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has received its 14th consecutive Brand Excellence Award from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). The annual awards honor Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that excel in customer satisfaction, financial stability, and developing and enhancing the overall Blue Cross and Blue Shield brand image. Out of 39 Plans, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is the only Plan to have received the Brand Excellence Award every year since its inception.

G. Phillip Pope, President and CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, says, "We work diligently with our customers and healthcare providers every day to improve the quality and value of healthcare in Alabama. We are focused on: increasing access to affordable coverage options for our customers and the uninsured; maximizing value by averaging 93 cents in benefits for every dollar in premium; reducing the number of children in Alabama without insurance; rewarding providers who demonstrate best practices for the care of their patients; partnering with hospitals to reduce patient infections; and working with physicians to help provide patients the information they need to make informed healthcare decisions. Our expanded Web site (http://www.bcbsal.com) and our new Blue Stores offer product and enrollment information, along with valuable tools that can help our customers select a provider or make simple lifestyle changes that can improve their health. Public initiatives like Scale Back Alabama and Walk @ Lunch Day provide support, encouragement and camaraderie so that together, we can all become healthier."

"The Brand Excellence Award is a solid indicator that our associates are providing superior service and products to our customers and providers," says Pope.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.