Blue365® Deals Program Saves More Than $31 Million for Blue Cross and Blue Shield Members in 2014

CHICAGO, July 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Through its Blue365 deals program, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association's (BCBSA) partnerships with nationally known companies generated more than $31 million in savings for members of participating Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies in 2014. With a variety of unique and diverse products offered to more than 55 million BCBS customers across the country, Blue365 provides a trusted, convenient resource to get exclusive deals from top health and wellness brands that help BCBS customers take control of their health and personal well-being – 365 days a year.

Launched in 2012, Blue365 features weekly offers and long-running discounts from top national retailers and other vendors. Available products and services include gym memberships, fitness gear, healthy eating options, stress management services, hearing aids, vision and dental products and more.

"Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are committed to helping their members find innovative solutions that encourage healthier behavior and lower healthcare costs," said Mark Talluto, executive director of strategy, marketing and sales support for BCBSA. "By offering discounts on healthy products and other services through the Blue365 program, we're making it easier and more cost effective for consumers to take advantage of products that will help them maintain a healthier and happier lifestyle."

One of the more popular Blue365 deals is the Healthways' gym membership discount, the Healthways' Fitness Your Way program, which provides BCBS members with access to more than 9,000 gyms across the country for just $25 per month. Membership in Fitness Your Way allows members the flexibility to go to any gym in the Healthways network no matter where they are. Fitness centers that participate in the network include select Anytime Fitness^®, Snap Fitness^®, and Curves^®, among others. In a recent Healthways survey of Blue365 members that utilize its services, 97 percent of participants stated that it was important for their health plans to offer fitness programs, and nearly half reported that they had never been to a gym prior to joining the Blue365 fitness program.

"Increased physical activity promotes higher overall well-being, which helps prevent and control chronic health issues that influence healthcare costs and productivity," said Alfred Lumsdaine, interim chief executive officer of Healthways. "With our unique Healthways Fitness Your Way program, available exclusively through Blue365, participating BCBS companies offer their members access to an unparalleled network of fitness centers to help them get active, which is a critical component of any well-being improvement program."

Those with hearing impairments can take advantage of another popular deal offered through Blue365 – the 30 to 60 percent discount on hearing aids through Beltone and TruHearing. According to recent TruHearing-funded research, 93 percent of respondents who claimed that hearing loss impacts their quality of life reported that hearing aids improved their quality of life. Additionally, 90 percent of respondents who claimed that hearing loss affects them at work reported that hearing aids have improved their work performance.     

Twenty-one BCBS companies and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Government-wide Service Benefit Plan, also known as the Federal Employee Program^® (FEP^®) are currently participating in the Blue365 program. By signing up at Blue365, members of participating BCBS companies receive special savings from nationally recognized companies such as Nutrisystem^®, Reebok^®, Retrofit^®, Davis Vision^® and others. To see if your BCBS company participates in Blue365 or for more information about the program, visit www.blue365deals.com.

About the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for nearly 106 million members – one in three Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit www.BCBS.com.  We encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out The BCBS Blog for up-to-date information about BCBSA.

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

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