HealthFitness Partners With CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield to Deliver Wellness Services

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- CareFirst BlueCross and BlueShield (CareFirst) and HealthFitness have entered into an agreement through which HealthFitness will provide comprehensive wellness and preventive services to CareFirst members via Web, telephone and at the worksite. CareFirst is the largest health care insurer in the Mid-Atlantic region, serving nearly 3.4 million members.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090122/CG61641LOGO)

Through CareFirst, HealthFitness will provide employers with wellness programs, including an eHealth portal, health risk assessments, screenings, health advising and health coaching. HealthFitness will also deliver data reporting that will track member engagement for each employer and overall outcomes.

As part of the agreement, HealthFitness will integrate its worksite wellness programs with other CareFirst services, such as disease management and other care management programs under development. HealthFitness' services are designed to enhance physician-patient relationships, as data obtained through HealthFitness programs may be made available to physicians through a designated portal.

"We are excited to partner with CareFirst, a true leader in health benefit services," Paul Lotharius, HealthFitness president and chief executive officer, said. "Our wellness solutions are designed to empower CareFirst customers to advance a culture of health at their respective company, change employee lifestyle behaviors and improve their business performance."

Through the agreement, HealthFitness' solutions will become an integral component of CareFirst's fully insured products and will be available to CareFirst's self-funded market via configurable offerings.

About CareFirst

In its 73rd year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to nearly 3.4 million individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. Through its CareFirst Commitment initiative and other public mission activities, CareFirst supports efforts to increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, please visit www.carefirst.com.

About HealthFitness

HealthFitness, a subsidiary of The Trustmark Companies, is an award-winning provider of integrated health promotion and fitness management solutions to Fortune 500 companies, the health care industry and individual consumers. With 30-plus years of experience, HealthFitness partners with employers to effectively manage health care and productivity costs by improving individual health and well-being. HealthFitness provides a portfolio of solutions, including best-in-class integration, INSIGHT® Health Risk Assessments, screenings, EMPOWERED™ Health Coaching and fitness facility design and management. For more information on HealthFitness, visit www.hfit.com.

SOURCE HealthFitness