Blue KC Receives Brand Excellence Award - March 2010

March 22, 2010

Kansas City, Mo—March 22, 2010—Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City announced today that it has received national recognition for its 2009 membership growth through a Brand Excellence Award from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is being recognized in the Enrollment Growth category for enrolling the highest percentage of new members over the past year among the 39 Blue Plans nationwide.

"This marks the fifteenth year BCBSA has presented Brand Excellence Awards to Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies demonstrating exceptional performance in building the most recognized brands in the health insurance industry," said Scott P. Serota, BCBSA president and CEO. "BCBSA congratulates Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City for its leadership in strengthening the Blue brands that collectively cover the lives of nearly 100 million Americans."

"This is a rare honor and recognizes the local popularity of our brands and our service excellence," said Tom Bowser, President and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City. "Our company has a constant focus on stability and cost savings through our stable provider networks and award-winning wellness programs. This focus has enabled us to achieve strong growth in a challenged economy."

"This award reinforces that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is meeting its mission, and we are proud to be a hometown company that partners with the community to ensure the best service and products to those in our community," said David Gentile, President and CEO-Elect. "We accept this national award with high honor for its reinforcement of our customer satisfaction rate as we continue to build upon our solid member base of nearly one million."

The annual awards honor Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that excel in developing and enhancing the overall Blue Cross and Blue Shield Brand image in categories that represent Brand Excellence. These categories include attraction of new customers, fostering loyalty to existing customers, expanding the brands into additional lines of products or services, and provider satisfaction.

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 the state and the only not-for-profit health insurer in Kansas City, has been part of the Kansas City community since 1938. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City provides health coverage to nearly 1 million residents in the greater Kansas City area and Northwest Missouri. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information on our company, visit our website at www.BlueKC.com. Our mission statement: We will use our role as the area's leading health insurer to provide affordable access to healthcare and to improve the health and wellness of our members.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 39 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for nearly 100 million individuals - one-in-three Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit www.BCBS.com.

• Back to News Archives