August 16, 2005 — (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — AT&T (att.com) announced on Tuesday that it had signed a two-year agreement to provide networking services to Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
The agreement will provide participating Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies access to AT&T?s portfolio of data, voice, hosting, Internet Protocol and managed services. BCBSA is made up of 40 independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage to more than 93 million Americans.
AT&T says its networking technology will help BCBSA member companies expand capabilities, improve service and regulate costs as they rely more on the Internet and private networks to transfer critical information between members and providers. It will also streamline claims processing, enhance call-center management capabilities and provide real-time access to patient and provider information.
“By extending our relationship with AT&T under a national agreement, we are able to provide BCBSA member companies with significant savings and innovative, reliable options for all their networking needs,” says Jody Voss, Blue Cross and Blue Shield association executive director of business development.
