Cleve Killingsworth, Chairman and CEO of BCBSMA, said "we believe Google Health will be an important tool used by our members to improve the safety and effectiveness of their health care." Killingsworth added that the partnership demonstrates BCBSMA's continuing leadership in using technology to make health care better. He pointed to BCBSMA's funding of the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative and its role as a founding member of the Massachusetts eRx Collaborative.

"Our members tell us they want easier and more portable access to their health care information," said Steven Fox, BCBSMA's Vice President of Provider Network Management. "Having this information in one place can play an important role in managing a member's health and helping members and their doctors make health care decisions that can improve the quality of care they receive."

Many patients have primary care doctors, specialists, labs, pharmacies, and non-traditional providers at multiple institutions. Once integration with the Google Health platform is complete, the partnership with Google Health will allow BCBSMA members to manage all their health information in one place, and share it with health care providers who currently don't have access to their data.

Google Health launched to the U.S. public last month with a series of integrated provider partners, including the Cleveland Clinic, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Walgreens, CVS/CareMark, Minute Clinic, Medco, Longs Drugs and RxAmerica. BCBSMA is the first health insurer to sign an agreement with Google Health and move into the API integration process.

Integration with the Google Health product is expected to be complete in the Fall of 2008. Google Health, a free service, will be offered to BCBSMA members at that time. To ensure confidentiality and patient choice, members will have to elect to start a Google Health Account and authorize the import and sharing of their BCBSMA claims data with Google Health.

Once this sharing relationship is established, Google Health will give BCBSMA members the ability to:

• Organize, store and manage their medical records and personal health information online in one secure location, including BCBSMA claims data;
• Download medical records and prescription history from other connected providers, such as retail pharmacies, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), labs and doctors offices;
• Share their medical information with providers and or third party services they may offer customized services;
• Learn about important health issues and potential drug-to-drug interactions;
• Search for a doctor or hospital online.

At any time, a BCBSMA member will be able to discontinue or delete their Google Health profile. Members can feel confident that the information in their Google Health Account is kept private and confidential as Google will not sell user information or share it without the user's explicit consent.

Google Health can be found online at http://www.google.com/health.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (http://www.bluecrossma.com/) was founded 71 years ago by a group of community-minded business leaders. Today, headquartered in Boston, BCBSMA provides coverage to approximately 3 million members. BCBSMA believes in rewarding doctors and hospitals for delivering safe and effective care, and in empowering patients to take more responsibility, become educated health care consumers and become stronger partners with their doctors. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.