CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Launches My Care First En espanol; Spanish Language Web Addition Offers Wealth of Health and Wellness Info.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield has added a new "My Care First En espanol" feature to the health and wellness section of its Web site. En espanol, providing visitors a wealth of Spanish language health information, can be accessed either through www.carefirst.com or www.carefirst.com/salud.

Converting health and wellness information into Spanish is one of several endeavors to address the growing ethnic and racial diversity in the communities CareFirst serves, as part of the $92 million-plus CareFirst Commitment initiative announced in January.

"Latinos represent the fastest expanding minority group in CareFirst's service area as well as the largest and fastest growing minority group nationally," explained Jon Shematek, MD, CareFirst's Medical Director for Quality Improvement. "Many Latinos prefer receiving and seeking out health information in their native language. Our En espanol option at the My Care First health and wellness Web site offers valuable guidance for CareFirst members and non-members alike."

En espanol offers:

--Information on diseases and medical conditions

--A comprehensive health encyclopedia

--A prescription drug reference, including information on potential side effects and drug interactions

--A collection of links to Spanish-language health sites of reputable medical and government organizations.

In addition, CareFirst is producing new educational material and Spanish language versions of preventive brochures and mailings - such as pediatric immunization reminders and adult preventive service birthday card reminders. Last month, CareFirst announced a new diabetes program in conjunction with a Washington, D.C.- based health clinic serving uninsured and underinsured Latinos.

"There is a wide and growing acknowledgement that significant health disparities exist among certain racial and ethnic groups," Shematek added. "We will continue to seek new ways and new partners to help us address these disparities."

Other projects under development will focus on the higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease among African Americans and of cervical cancer among Asian women.

In its 70th year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to more than 3.3 million individuals and groups in Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland and Delaware. Through its CareFirst Commitment initiative and other public mission activities, CareFirst supports efforts to increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas.

(To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, see our Web site at http:/www.carefirst.com)

To receive this news release electronically, call 1-800-914-6397.