Blue KC President and CEO Named Chairman of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association: November 2008

November 1, 2008

Kansas City, MO.—Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) President and Chief Executive Officer, Tom Bowser, has been named Chairman of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, the highest elected office for the national Blue System.

The Association is the governing body for the 39 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans, which cover 102 million members, and has annual revenues of more than $300 million. As a result, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield brands are among the most recognized in corporate America.

"This appointment is a personal honor and a reflection of the outstanding performance of Blue KC, its management team, and its board of directors," Bowser said. "The position also carries great responsibility as our nation begins the complex process of health care reform, including the serious work of covering the uninsured, reducing health care costs, and making insurance products more responsive to consumer needs."

The President and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Scott Serota, said, "The Kansas City operations consistently rank among the best nationally for service, financial strength and growth. I look forward to working with Tom on the many issues facing our industry and collaborating with President Barack Obama to begin the work ahead. Despite our many challenges, it is clear the American public wants to build on our employer-based system, not replace it."

"Our board of directors is pleased with this recognition of Tom and the Kansas City Plan," said Jan Kreamer, retired President and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and Chairman of the Board of Blue KC. "As our industry faces many challenges, we are pleased to see Tom's experience and strategic vision being so well utilized at the national level as our market leadership grows due to a strong brand image and high service levels."

Bowser, 62, began his career at Blue KC in 1969 as a provider relations representative. In addition to working most of his career at the Kansas City Plan, he has also worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma in Tulsa and at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association in Chicago. He is a past Chairman of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the Kansas City Area Development Council. Other affiliations include the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City, Midwest Research Institute and the Kansas University Endowment Association.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is headquartered in Chicago with additional offices in Washington, D.C. Bowser's term for this position runs from November 2008 through November 2010.

Bowser's wife Judy is retired. Their son, Chris Bowser, M.D., is an emergency medicine specialist with Kansas City's Saint Luke's Hospital System. Their daughter, Beth Bowser Scruggs of Tulsa, is an ambulatory surgery center nurse.

About Blue KC

Blue KC, 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 KC provides health coverage to nearly 900,000 residents in the greater Kansas City area and Northwest Missouri. Blue KC 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 The 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 more than 102 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.

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