Health Care Service Corporation Announces Collaboration with MATTER to Foster Health Technology Research and Innovation

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Jul 30, 2015, 07:55 ET

CHICAGO, July 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), the nation's largest customer-owned health insurer today announced its collaboration with MATTER, a Chicago health technology incubator. HCSC is the first health insurer to join six existing platinum-level "partners" at MATTER from across the health care industry.

MATTER helps connect innovators and entrepreneurs to accelerate the formation and growth of new businesses that can revolutionize health care. The MATTER health technology innovation hub also gives startups the rare opportunity to collaborate with and learn from industry leaders that can help them develop and launch their innovations.

"In today's fast paced digital age, we are always considering ways to develop products and solutions to help drive improved health outcomes and better quality of care across the entire health value chain," said Steve Betts, chief information officer, HCSC. "This partnership will provide us access to new technologies and entrepreneurs on the cutting edge of health care innovation that can help us guide how we interact with customers at all stages of health."

HCSC's collaboration with MATTER will include on-site mentoring, roundtable discussions and curated engagement with entrepreneurs and start-ups. Headquartered in Chicago, HCSC is the nation's largest non-investor owned health insurer serving more than 16 million members through its Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

"Hundreds of entrepreneurs, academics, physicians and industry executives come together every day at MATTER to build solutions to health care challenges," said Steven Collens, CEO, MATTER. "We are honored to partner with HCSC. Together, we have a unique opportunity to improve health insurance products available to millions of people around the country."

About Health Care Service Corporation
Health Care Service Corporation is the country's largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall, with nearly 16 million members in its Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. A Mutual Legal Reserve Company, HCSC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit www.HCSC.com, visit our Facebook page or follow us at www.twitter.com/HCSC.

About MATTER
MATTER is a community of health care entrepreneurs and industry leaders working together in a shared space to individually and collectively fuel the future of health care innovation. MATTER's mission is to proactively connect and promote collaboration among entrepreneurs, scientists, physicians and industry partners to bring next-generation products and services to market that improve quality of care and save lives. MATTER, a not-for-profit organization, was developed by a team of entrepreneurs and industry leaders with the support of the state of Illinois. MATTER began as a project of ChicagoNEXT, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's council on technology and innovation, which is part of World Business Chicago. For more information, visit matterchicago.com and follow @matterchicago.

SOURCE Health Care Service Corporation