Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida and HCA West Florida Division Hospitals Reach Agreement

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) and HCA West Florida Division, Inc. Hospitals have reached a two-year agreement effective December 1, 2006. The agreement affects all health products, including BlueChoice (PPO), BlueCare (HMO), BlueOptions (NetworkBlue), Advantage65 and traditional indemnity plan.

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BCBSF is also happy to announce the agreement includes its new BlueMedicare PPO product that is now available in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

“We are very pleased to have come to this mutually beneficial agreement with HCA and happy that its facilities will continue to be strong providers in our networks,” said Dr. Barry Schwartz, vice president, network management, BCBSF. “It is important that organizations such as ours can work together to provide affordable health care choices to the people in our communities.”

“Our HCA West Florida hospitals look forward to continuing our relationship with BCBSF, as participants in their extensive healthcare network,” said Dan Miller, President HCA West Florida Division. “Most important, this means continued access to the high quality care provided to their members by our facilities.”

   HCA West Florida Division facilities include:    Charlotte County:   *  Fawcett Memorial Hospital    Hernando County:   *  Columbia Regional Medical Center Oak Hill    Hillsborough County:   *  Brandon Regional   *  South Bay Hospital    Manatee County:   *  Blake Medical Center    Pasco County:   *  Community Hospital of New Port Richey   *  Bayonet Point Regional Medical Center    Pinellas County:   *  Largo Medical Center   *  Northside Hospital   *  St. Petersburg General Hospital   *  Ed White Hospital    Sarasota County:   *  Englewood Community Hospital   *  Sarasota Doctors Hospital    About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida  

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida is a leader in Florida’s health industry. BCBSF and its subsidiaries serve more than 8.6 million people. Since 1944, the company has been dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of all those it serves by offering an array of choices. BCBSF is a not-for-profit, policyholder-owned, tax-paying mutual company. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., BCBSF is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information concerning BCBSF, please see its Web site at http://www.bcbsfl.com/.

About HCA West Florida Division

HCA West Florida is part of the largest healthcare system in the state with over 11,000 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians. Many of our hospitals have been nationally recognized for excellence in patient care by Solucient, Health Grades and US News and World Report.

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida

CONTACT: Mark S. Wright of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida,+1-904-905-6935, Cell: +1-904-233-3481

Web site: http://www.bcbsfl.com/