Second Quarter 2009 Results Announcement

Today we reported our second quarter 2009 financial results. We would like to thank you for your ongoing dedication and support in today's competitive environment. We appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve you and your clients. For details about our second quarter results, please read our recent press release. If you have any questions, please contact your account executive.

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Blue Healthcare Bank News

Due to the current challenging economic climate and marketplace uncertainty against the backdrop of healthcare reform, Plans Holding Corporation, owner of Blue Healthcare Bank, is currently seeking a buyer for the Bank’s assets including its federal savings bank charter. The Bank's priority will be to assure that the sale of Blue Healthcare Bank will cause no disruption to existing client services. The Bank is committed to working closely with the Office of Thrift Supervision, the primary regulator of federally chartered thrift institutions, to keep the agency informed of ongoing developments. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts does not currently have any active accounts or members with the Blue HealthCare Bank.

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Benefit Change for Certain Specialty Medications

As part our ongoing efforts to improve the safety and affordability of the care our members receive, there will be a change in the way benefits are provided for certain specialty medications. Members who receive any of the specialty medications specified below as part of outpatient services, including treatment received at a physician's office or outpatient hospital, will no longer have those medications covered under their medical benefit. These medications will only be covered under the member's pharmacy benefit. This means that the member must have a prescription for the medication and purchase it through a network pharmacy. The member will be responsible for their applicable pharmacy cost share amount.

Please note: This change does not apply to Medicare or Medicare supplemental plans.

This change will take effect upon renewal, beginning on January 1, 2010, based on the effective date schedule below.

Effective Date Schedule

The following medications are affected as part of this change.

The benefit change for these specialty medications will be communicated to all accounts in the September issue of Important Administrative Information and included in Subscriber Certificates for new sales and renewals beginning October 1, 2009. Please contact your account executive for more information.

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New Dedicated Sales and Service Teams

We are pleased to announce the creation of two new teams dedicated to the needs of accounts with 1—9 employees and the brokers who support them. The Inside Sales Team is led by Gloria Paradiso, a 14-year veteran of the health care industry. Gloria and a team of experienced account executives are available to assist you with all account management and renewal inquiries. The Inside Sales Team is also supported by a dedicated Service team.

These new teams enable us to provide you with superior service and make it even easier for you to conduct your business with us. Contact information for the Inside Sales and Service Teams are listed below:

Inside Sales:
1-888-723-4840, press option 2
insidesales@bcbsma.com

Inside Service:
1-888-723-4840, press option 1
insideservice@bcbsma.com

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Synergy Personal Health Management Program

Our Blue Care Connection^® program is designed to help our members with chronic conditions improve their health and quality of life. To that end, we are expanding our Blue Care Connection program to include the Synergy Personal Health Management program. Administered in collaboration with Health Integrated^®'', this program provides targeted coaching and education to members with both a chronic medical condition and a behavioral health or psychosocial condition.

Direct-pay members may be invited to join the program as of September 1, 2009, and a small segment of high-risk group account members may be invited to join the program as of October 1, 2009. Identified members will be offered coaching from a personal care coach as well as educational materials via mail to enhance the coaching process.

This voluntary program is available to members at no additional cost and aims to reinforce the physician's plan of care by helping to motivate members to achieve greater self-efficacy and improve their health status.

If you have any questions about this program, please contact your account executive.

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USAble Life in the Top 50 Life-Health Companies for Third Year

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts created Indigo Insurance Services, LLC (Indigo), a wholly owned subsidiary, to provide your clients with the comprehensive life and disability coverage and outstanding service they're looking for. Indigo products are underwritten by USAble Life—a company with a proven track record for financial strength and stability.

We are pleased to congratulate USAable Life on being named to the Ward Group's 2009 Ward's 50 list of top performing insurance companies. Each year the Ward Group recognizes the top 50 life-health companies that have achieved outstanding financial results in the areas of safety, consistency, and performance over a five-year period. USAble Life was also named to the list in 2007 and 2008.

Established in 1980, USAble Life ranks in the top 2 percent of U.S. life insurers by TheStreet.com, and is rated "A" by A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's. The company insures over 1.2 million individuals and is admitted in 48 states and the District of Columbia.

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If the above links are not functioning in your email, copy and paste the URLs listed below into a browser window:

Second Quarter 2009 Results press release
http://www.bluecrossma.com/bluelinks-for-brokers/pdf/enews/08-2009/bcbsma-q2-2009-financials.pdf