Highmark Inc.'s health plan membership for 2015 remains strong across all market segments

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Highmark Inc. today announced that its health plan membership remains strong across its commercial, senior and individual market segments. Overall, Highmark maintained 5.3 million health plan members and remains the fourth-largest Blue plan in the country, as well as the largest health plan in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware. As a diversified health care company, Highmark continues to expand its business by taking such steps as entering the Medicaid market in Delaware and West Virginia. Additionally, with this year's anticipated merger with Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Highmark will add approximately 272,000 new members.

"Despite the unprecedented marketplace challenges we faced in 2014, our enrollment totals show that our health plan remains strong and stable," said Deborah Rice-Johnson, president of Highmark Health Plan. "Our Community Blue enrollment, with approximately 420,000 commercial and senior members, really stands out as a success. It provides the best example of how consumers, when given the choice to select the care, place and price that is right for them, chose the value of Highmark. Community Blue gives members the ability to maintain a broad choice of doctors and hospitals, while achieving high-quality, lower-cost health care."

The company's enrollment also shows that consumers value the investments that have been made to ensure there is a vibrant Allegheny Health Network available to the residents of Western Pennsylvania, in addition to a broad network of community hospitals across the entire state to meet their needs.

Strong Western Pennsylvania membership despite competitive challenges
Total enrollment in Western Pennsylvania:

Maintains strong member retention
Employer groups continue to obtain great value in Highmark's products and services. Member retention rates among group purchasers remain strong:

• Western Pennsylvania: 87 percent of members
• Central Pennsylvania: 90 percent of members
• Delaware: 91 percent of members
• West Virginia: 89 percent of members

In Western Pennsylvania, the company remained the preferred insurer in the region. Highmark added more than 23,000 new members in Western Pennsylvania, and, of the employer groups that elected to offer multiple carriers, 71 percent of the groups' employees chose to remain with Highmark.

To view the full news release, visit Highmark's newsroom here.

SOURCE Highmark Inc.

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