Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida and Mayo Clinic Expand Agreement, Offering In-Network Options

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) and Mayo Clinic have expanded their agreement, making Mayo Clinic and St. Luke's Hospital in-network options for BCBSF BlueChoice PPO members, effective Jan. 1, 2007. This three-year contract marks the broadest relationship to date that includes Mayo Clinic's (320-plus) physician group practice and its admitting hospital, both based in Jacksonville. The agreement will also apply to Mayo Clinic's new 214-bed hospital opening spring of 2008 on its San Pablo Road campus.

"We are gratified to have reached this agreement with Mayo Clinic and St. Luke's Hospital," says Dr. Barry Schwartz, vice president, network management, BCBSF. "This agreement will add great value for our PPO members, as well as those who are in our Traditional network."

"Mayo Clinic's forte is providing personalized, coordinated care for patients facing difficult diagnoses and treatments. This expanded agreement means our specialty care is now available to more Blue Cross and Blue Shield members throughout Florida and the Southeast," says Dr. George Bartley, chief executive officer, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.

The following networks and products are in-network at Mayo Clinic and St. Luke's Hospital:

• The BCBSF Preferred Patient Care (PPC) network, which includes the BlueChoice PPO product.
• The BCBSF Traditional network, which includes the Preferred Physician Services (PPS) and Preferred Hospital Services (PHS) networks. BlueCross' Indemnity product falls under these networks.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida is a leader in Florida's health industry. BCBSF and its subsidiaries serve more than 8.6 million people. Since 1944, the company has been dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of all those it serves by offering an array of choices. BCBSF is a not-for-profit, policyholder-owned, tax-paying mutual company. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., BCBSF is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information concerning BCBSF, please see its Web site at www.bcbsfl.com.

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