John George reports:
Independence Blue Cross, the Philadelphia region’s largest health insurer, said Tuesday it will offer identity protection services — at no charge to eligible members and their dependents — starting Jan. 1, 2016.
The action was part of the national Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s announcement that Blue plans across the country will make such services available to their 106 million members throughout the United States.
Read more on Philadelphia Business Journal.
The Association’s press release follows:
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Announces New Identity Protection Services For Customers Nationwide
Offering will be available by Jan. 1, 2016
July 14, 2015
CHICAGO – The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) announced today that all Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies will make identity protection services available to their customers nationwide beginning on or before January 1, 2016. The new services will provide heightened safeguards in the event of fraudulent use of personal and financial information for the millions of Americans that BCBS companies serve.
The new offering will be made available on an opt-in basis to all eligible* members for as long as they have a Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance policy in effect. The services will be administered by leading identity protection companies and include:
- Credit monitoring: Monitors for activity that may affect a member’s credit.
- Fraud detection: Identifies potentially fraudulent use of a member’s identity or credit.
- Fraud resolution support: Assists members in addressing issues that arise in relation to credit monitoring and fraud detection.
“For more than 85 years, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield brand has meant security and stability for the members we serve, and we are dedicated to putting our customers’ privacy at the forefront of our efforts,” said Scott P. Serota, president and chief executive officer for BCBSA. “This effort is part of our focus on applying cutting-edge security practices and protocols for Blue companies.”
In an increasingly digital world, cyberattacks are now a core threat to every business and government entity. BCBS companies have taken aggressive steps to fortify protections for customers and lead the healthcare industry in the area of cybersecurity practices. The identity protection services being offered are the latest example of The Blues’® commitment to member safety and security.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are in the process of finalizing plans to offer these services and will be contacting customers directly with instructions on how they can take advantage of the offering in the coming months. To learn more, visit http://www.bcbs.com/identityprotection.
*There are exceptions in some cases if employers decline the service, or due to contractual or regulatory issues.
About the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross and 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 more than 106 million members – one-in-three Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit 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.