EDS Enables Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts To Improve Operations With Personalized Provider Portal

PLANO, Texas and BOSTON – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ (BCBSMA) network of physicians and healthcare providers can reduce the amount of time spent on claims management following the introduction of a new internet portal.

Developed by EDS, the secure, Web-based portal will improve the way BCBSMA conducts business by providing more than 35,000 healthcare providers with access to personalized and targeted information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Our primary goal was to create an easy-to-use, customized portal to relieve the administrative burden many doctors and medical staff face on a daily basis leaving them more time to focus on their patients,” said Carl Ascenzo, BCBSMA’s chief information officer. “EDS created a first-rate solution to integrate several of our systems into a single, user-friendly platform – delivering on their commitment to our goal of providing superior healthcare service to our providers and members.”

The BCBSMA Provider Portal is integrated with Emdeon Office. This integration will significantly reduce the amount of time providers spend on claims management allowing them to check patient eligibility, review claims status, view referral and authorization information while meeting HIPAA requirements. Additionally, it provides simplified and personalized access to content and information supporting a variety of provider processes such as medical policies and guidelines, administrative guidelines, fee schedules, Provider Reports (PIRS), downloadable forms and other information as well as BCBSMA’s newsletters (“Provider Focus,” “Dental Focus” and “Blue Focus”). The portal directs healthcare provider email communications to the proper BCBSMA area based on a variety of criteria. Lastly, providers can use the portal to register for BCBSMA training and download training materials.

“This solution gives Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts greater flexibility with targeted, cost effective distribution of provider communications and increased access to its healthcare providers,” said Joe Fraser, EDS client delivery executive. “EDS has truly developed an understanding of not only Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ IT objectives, but also their business objectives which has afforded us the opportunity to create a Provider Portal to meet their needs.” Since 1969, EDS has provided Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts a number of IT services including Web hosting, desktop, mainframe, mid-range and WAN network management, as well as middleware and integration support.

EDS provides services to more than 250 healthcare clients in 20 countries and processes more than one billion claims annually.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts was founded 68 years ago by a group of community-minded business leaders. Today, headquartered in Boston, BCBSMA provides coverage to 2.9 million members. Consistently recognized for standards of service that are among the highest in the nation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is the choice for health care consumers seeking reliable and high quality health care coverage. BCBSMA received the 2006 Innovation in Health Information Technology Award for its e-health programs from the America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Foundation. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.