HealthFitness partners with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City for comprehensive employee health management services

177,000 members across region will have access to full range of services

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) has entered into a new partnership with HealthFitness, a leading provider of health management solutions, to offer more comprehensive health management and risk prevention services to nearly 200,000 Blue KC members.

Blue KC's health and wellness program, called A Healthier You, has been available to large plan members since 2005. The new partnership provides a wider range of services, broader geographic reach and scope, and a streamlined program delivery leveraging HealthFitness' single, comprehensive platform. The new services will roll out to Blue KC's eligible large group clients beginning on Jan. 1, 2013.

"This is a singular partnership between two likeminded organizations that truly share the same commitment: To infuse better health in the work place," said Paul Lotharius, HealthFitness president and chief executive officer. "Both HealthFitness and Blue KC are aligned in our commitment to helping people achieve better health through programs that are personalized, and delivered in the way the individual prefers—on the Web, over the telephone or in person. This partnership will allow HealthFitness to scale what is a proven formula for reducing health risk to meet the needs of more people. We are proud to be working with a true health plan leader in wellness programming."

Through the partnership agreement, HealthFitness will provide employers with wellness programs that emphasize member engagement. Fully integrated health risk assessments (HRAs) and biometric screenings will utilize tablet computer technology and be provided across the Blue KC service area. Health advisors will contact those who take the HRA with immediate feedback to explain personal health risks and recommend appropriate risk reduction programs.

The A Healthier You platform has been expanded to include class and screening scheduling, as well as program incentive tracking and redemption. Health coaching can also be accessed online, by phone or face-to-face. A robust array of 25 new one-hour worksite wellness classes and 12 health management campaigns and competitions will be available to Blue KC's wellness consultants to boost engagement and infuse a culture of health within organizations.

"Being responsible for your health and fitness is key to a healthy lifestyle," said Gregg Laiben, MD, medical director, A Healthier You. "Providing employers with a comprehensive tool that benchmarks and measures progress gives our members an excellent advantage in understanding their health and wellness. The employers that offer 'A Healthier You' program are rewarded with an engaged workforce that is interested in a quest for a healthier life."

Blue KC wellness consultants work in the field to help employers configure the specifics of the program to best fit that company culture. They also implement the program strategy and track member engagement for each employer. HealthFitness will support the wellness consultants with an incentive planning tool and more robust reporting using real-time data. With a book of business that includes employer health management programs across a wide range of employer types, HealthFitness can provide expert counsel in program planning, as well as communication materials that are geared toward different types of employee groups.

With the addition of Blue KC, a million health plan members across the nation will have access to HealthFitness programs and services in 2012.

"Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City has a history of enhancing wellness and disease prevention through A Healthier You. HealthFitness is pleased to partner with them to provide a comprehensive approach to innovative health management, connecting services that can enhance productivity and health," Lotharius said. "The services are designed to empower organizations to further advance a culture of health, change employee lifestyle behaviors and improve their business performance."

About HealthFitness

HealthFitness, a subsidiary of The Trustmark Companies, is an award-winning, NCQA-accredited provider of health, fitness and condition management solutions. With 30-plus years of experience, HealthFitness is a proven leader and partner for infusing a culture of health. We maximize client results through personalized interaction and a science-based approach to on-site program management, engagement, prevention, and health and lifestyle management. HealthFitness provides a portfolio of solutions, including best-in-class integration, condition management, INSIGHT® Health Risk Assessments, screenings, EMPOWERED Coaching™ and fitness facility design and management. For more information on HealthFitness, visit www.healthfitness.com.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, the largest not-for-profit health insurer in Missouri and the only not-for-profit commercial health insurer in Kansas City, has been part of the Kansas City community since 1938. *Ranked by J.D. Power and Associates in 2012 as "Highest Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in the Heartland Region," Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City provides health coverage services to one million residents in the greater Kansas City area, including Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas and 30 counties in Northwest Missouri. Our mission: to use our role as the area's leading health insurer to provide affordable access to health care and to improve the health and wellness of our members. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City aims to be the local expert, value-driven and trusted leader in Kansas City. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information on the company, visit its website at BlueKC.com.

*Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City received the highest numerical score among commercial health plans in the Heartland region (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska) in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Member Health Plan StudySM. Study based on 32,868 total member responses, measuring nine plans in the Heartland Region (excludes Medicare and Medicaid). Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of members surveyed December 2011-January 2012. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.

SOURCE HealthFitness