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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma selects Benefitfocus to provide industry leading Web-based technology for its health care clients

Tulsa, Okla. and Mount Pleasant, SC – July 20, 2005 – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma (BCBSOK) has selected Benefitfocus.com, Inc. to provide electronic enrollment, billing and data exchange services to its employer groups. Initial implementation and rollout of the Benefitfocus electronic enrollment technology has begun with select large employer groups. Blue Cross and Blue Shield expects to achieve 80 percent adoption within the first year. 

“We selected Benefitfocus to help us compete in the marketplace and better serve our members,” said Mike Rhoads, executive vice president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma. “We want to exceed our customers’ expectations by bringing more functionality to our enrollment process with new technology.” 

“We are happy to add Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma to our substantial list of Blue Plans,” said Shawn Jenkins, President and CEO of Benefitfocus. “Currently our list of clients insures over 12.5 million members, and they continue to pick us over the competition. Benefitfocus has 14 Blues – more than any other provider -- and adding Oklahoma’s 500,000 members further extends our leadership position within the Blue Cross and Blue Shield system.”

With the introduction of BluesEnroll, Benefitfocus’s new elections enrollment platform, BCBSOK reinforces their commitment to members by providing the most advanced enrollment technology available. Additionally, BCBSOK will streamline administrative tasks by replacing the paper-based processes currently in place with an interactive and efficient Web-based platform.

“We expect to reduce costs by improving the way our customers make updates and send changes to us,” said Rhoads. “We also expect greater efficiencies in our enrollment and underwriting areas. Being able to deliver contracts, benefit booklets and data electronically will make our entire enrollment process more efficient.”

With BluesEnroll, benefit administrators can make benefit changes for employees and dependents, add new employees, manage COBRA coverage and change employee classifications. All of these transactions are securely, efficiently and accurately transmitted to BCBSOK and any ancillary carriers the group may offer.

Monika Hills, a human resources administrator for Riggs, Abney, Neal, Turpen, Orbison & Lewis law firm in Tulsa, said BluesEnroll is going to tremendously improve the way the firm, which employs more than 300 people, manages its accounts.  “I’m looking forward to being able to access all of our information quickly and from one source,” said Hills.  “I encourage other businesses to utilize this, especially large businesses with multiple locations that have to keep track of many employees. BluesEnroll is a must. I can’t imagine what I did without it.”

Rhoads said one important benefit of BluesEnroll is the ability to serve employer groups with multiple carriers. “Our employer groups often offer life insurance, Employee Assistance Plans and other employee benefits from other carriers.”

Benefit administrators will save time with the BluesEnroll’s numerous features, such as the report wizard which offers more than 60 customizable reports. BluesEnroll supports health and dental insurance provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield Oklahoma, as well as third-party insurance, such as life insurance, disability, flexible spending and all other employee benefit offerings.

BCBSOK is introducing BluesEnroll to participating Oklahoma insurance producers and large clients during a statewide road trip this month.

BluesEnroll is a key module in Benefitfocus’ full suite of products and services, integrating with small group enrollment which streamlines the complex process of small group benefit enrollment, administration and maintenance; eBilling, which delivers accurate, timely electronic invoices, resolves billing disputes through automated reconciliation, and securely collect payments online; and eExchange, a back-office data transmission and data exchange service for large multi-national accounts.

About Benefitfocus

Benefitfocus.com, Inc. is a leading provider of software and services for employee benefits. Its suite of products and services includes large and small group electronic enrollment, electronic billing and data exchange services. Noted for ease-of-use, the Benefitfocus applications allow users the ability to find information and make changes on all employer-sponsored benefit programs. In turn, the applications link and seamlessly exchange data with payroll vendors and benefit providers, reducing errors and costs associated with traditional paper-based forms. Benefitfocus allows companies to focus on the benefits rather than the paperwork. Benefitfocus can be reached at 843-849-7476 or via the Internet at http://www.benefitfocus.com/.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma (BCBSOK) is the oldest and largest private health insurer in Oklahoma, a member of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of 40 independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans. To learn more about BCBSOK, visit http://www.bcbsok.com/.