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Press Release

Time is Running Out for Independence Blue Cross Members to Enter "No Pay Getaway"

Members Can Win a Maui Getaway for Doing Something Healthy but Entries Must be in by Dec. 31st

Philadelphia, PA - December 20, 2007 - No Pay Getaway, Independence Blue Cross’ innovative Healthy LifestylesSM initiative promoting active steps toward better health, ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on December 31, 2007. Through this promotion members are encouraged in a non-traditional way to improve their well-being and enter to win a No Pay Getaway to Maui, a no pay getaway weekend in Philadelphia or hundreds of other prizes.

No Pay Getaway invites eligible members who get a flu shot, or enroll in a weight loss or smoking cessation program before December 31, 2007, to enter to win a No Pay Getaway to Maui, Hawaii for two; one of three No Pay Getaway weekends in Philadelphia; and hundreds of other rewards, including free admission to local sporting events, cultural attractions and family entertainment. Members can enter No Pay Getaway through www.ibx.com.

“We wanted to give our members a ‘jump start’ on the road to healthier lifestyles, and we thought this was a fun, unusual way to encourage them to take care of themselves,” said Esther J. Nash, M.D., senior medical director at Independence Blue Cross. “If you take steps to stay well and avoid getting sick, you enjoy a healthier life and reduce health care costs, too. No Pay Getaway is just the beginning of everything we’re doing to help members feel great in ‘08.”

IBC included flu shots, weight management, and quitting smoking in No Pay Getaway because influenza, obesity and smoking all cause serious health problems. Each year, seasonal flu costs an estimated $1 billion a year nationally in medical care and missed workdays. Overweight and obesity costs employers nationwide more than $12 billion each year in increased use of health care, reduced productivity, and higher absenteeism, research shows. And cigarette smoking results in 5.5 million years of potential life lost in the United States annually.

With these statistics in mind, Independence Blue Cross developed No Pay Getaway to invest in our members’ health, helping them focus on behavior changes that drive toward healthier lifestyles.

No Pay Getaway also highlights IBC’s commitment to developing innovative products and services to help strengthen the health of our region. Through Healthy Lifestyles, Independence Blue Cross offers our members one of the country’s most comprehensive wellness programs, sending members reminders about screenings and immunizations, making health coaches available to our members 24/7, and providing reimbursements to offset the cost of IBC-approved programs for fitness ($150 per year), weight loss (up to $200 per year) and smoking cessation (up to $200).

Not eligible for No Pay Getaway are Medicare members, Federal Employees Benefit Health Plan members and anyone who was not an IBC member on October 9, 2007. No participation or purchase is necessary to enter No Pay Getaway.

About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is a leading health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, Independence Blue Cross and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.4 million people. For nearly 70 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered high-quality health care coverage tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, and health care professionals. Independence Blue Cross’s HMO and PPO health care plans have consistently received the highest ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance.