BCBSTX, Texas Health Care Agree to Provide Network Access

Richardson, TX — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) and Texas Health Care (THC) have agreed that THC physicians will be in-network doctors for BCBSTX's BlueChoice® PPO/POS, HMO Blue® and PAR Plan. The effective date of the agreement is August 15, 2009.

"The physicians of Texas Health Care will be joining all Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas networks this month," said Dr. Michael Korenman, a member of the THC Board of Managers. "As one of the largest physician owned, multi-specialty groups in Tarrant County with over 125 physician Members, we are looking forward to once again being part of the BCBSTX network."

"We are pleased to have the opportunity to reach an agreement with Texas Health Care physicians," says Shannon Stansbury, vice president, Network Management, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. "This agreement allows us to achieve one of our primary goals for our members in the Dallas/Fort Worth area — providing access to cost effective, quality care, which means in-network benefits and lower out-of-pocket costs for health care services provided by THC physicians."

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas — the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas — is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 40,000 physicians and 400 hospitals to serve 4 million members in all 254 counties. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is a division of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), the country's largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall. HCSC is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

For More Information Contact:

• News Media Contact: margaret_jarvis@bcbstx.com, (972) 766-7165
• Corporate Headquarters: (972) 766-6900