Health Dialog and Independence Blue Cross Extend Relationship, Expan...( Five-Year Renewal Agreement Reflects...),Health

Five-Year Renewal Agreement Reflects Continued Investment in Better Health

Outcomes, Reduced Costs

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Dialog and Independence Blue Cross today announced an agreement to renew their four-year services agreement and expand their relationship, bringing a broader array of disease management and care enhancement services to Independence Blue Cross members.

Under the new, five-year agreement Health Dialog will continue to support Independence Blue Cross's award-winning Connections(SM) Disease Management Program. IBC's Connections(SM) Program helps more than 1.8 million of its members to better manage their chronic conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and cardiac problems and other conditions that may involve a treatment choice, for example, back pain and breast cancer. Programs for members with hypertension, migraines, gastro esophageal reflux and peptic ulcer disease are also being planned through this expanded agreement.

"By providing disease management and care enhancement services to our members, we can help address the gaps in care and quality that we know unfortunately exist in the health care system today," said Steven Udvarhelyi, Chief Medical Officer for Independence Blue Cross. "Our continued relationship with Health Dialog helps us to provide our customers with industry-leading programs that improve the management of chronic disease so that members receive the right care at the right time -- helping improve health outcomes and reduce costs."

Over the past four years, IBC's Connections(SM) Program has touched more than 95 percent of high-risk chronic members, successfully improving quality and reducing medical cost trends by four percent for members with chronic conditions. "It is our commitment to supporting our goal of helping our members achieve better health that has led to this success," adds Dr. Udvarhelyi.

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