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Press Release

Independence Blue Cross Works With American Board of Internal Medicine to Promote Quality in Health Care Delivery

Leveraging facts and data creates "win-win" for all parties

Philadelphia, PA - October 24, 2006 - As part of its commitment to pursue progressive ways to increase access to high quality, reasonably priced health care, Independence Blue Cross is working with the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to simplify how physicians maintain board certification.

Eligible physicians who are part of Independence Blue Cross's (IBC) network of health care providers are now able to meet a key requirement of maintaining their board certifications by using the data compiled in reports they receive from IBC in ABIM's Self-Directed Practice Improvement Module. ABIM's Maintenance of Certification program evaluates physician knowledge and skills and encourages doctors to keep up-to-date on the most recent medical advances.

"We're pleased to work together with ABIM and our doctors to promote continued physician learning and better serve our members," said I. Steven Udvarhelyi, MD, IBC Chief Medical Officer. "As the field of medicine continues to evolve and advance, going through the rigorous and comprehensive process for maintaining board certification is one way that doctors assure their patients that they are providing them with the best service and health care possible."

"ABIM is working with health plans to allow physicians, if they choose, to reduce their measurement burden by permitting the data to be collected just once, yet used for multiple purposes," said Christine K. Cassel, MD, ABIM President and CEO.

Currently, 906 internists in IBC's provider network are board certified by ABIM, including 133 who have additional training in a more specific subspecialty such as cardiology, geriatrics, oncology, and pulmonology.

IBC regularly sends practice and specialty-specific reports to certain network physicians to help them assess the quality of care they provide to their patients. IBC network physicians can use the performance data in two of those reports - the Practice Quality Assessment Score (PQAS) and/or the ConnectionsSM Program SMARTTM Registry - in ABIM's Self-Directed Practice Improvement Module, which will satisfy the self-evaluation of performance in practice component of ABIM's Maintenance of Certification program.

PQAS, which is used in IBC's quality incentive program to compensate high-quality doctors, compares primary care providers with their peers on key quality and member satisfaction indicators. SMARTTM Registry reports allow physicians to track and manage the care of their patients who have one of the five most common chronic diseases, such as asthma and diabetes. The quality measures in PQAS and SMARTTM Registry are evidence-based and collected through member surveys and claims and encounter data.

About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, IBC and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.4 million people. For nearly 70 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered quality health care products and services tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, groups and providers.

Independence Blue Cross recently received the highest ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for its HMO and PPO health care plans. In addition, in 2005, Independence Blue Cross's Personal Choice was rated the No. 1 PPO in the nation and its Keystone HMO was ranked the No. 1 HMO in the region by health care consumers in a leading independent consumer magazine.