Anthem National Accounts Introduces New Products for Large Employers' Early Retirees

INDIANAPOLIS, March 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthem National Accounts today announced the addition of products for large employers designed to address the needs of early retirees -- a growing segment of the country's population. This new suite of products is designed to meet the needs of pre-65 retirees who are not eligible for Medicare and provide affordable access to medical coverage while helping to reduce employers' overall health care costs.

The products include consumer driven health plans, such as Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs), along with traditional PPO options, providing more flexible and affordable solutions for employers. And unlike some other early retiree products currently offered to large employers, Anthem's plans do not require employers to purchase the product through an organization that requires membership fees.

Approximately four out of 10 workers nationwide plan to retire before reaching age 65, according to a recent survey by the Washington, D.C.-based Employee Benefit Research Institute. "As more and more baby boomers have the option to retire early, many are basing their decisions on whether or not they will continue to receive health care coverage by their employer," said John Langenus, president and CEO of Anthem National Accounts.

Anthem's group-based early retiree products are offered to fully-insured and self-insured employers that wish to continue providing health care benefits for their employees who retire before the age of 65. These products are an integral part of Anthem Entirety, Anthem's new product platform that provides coverage options for active, pre-65 and post-65 retirees. The post-65 retiree group-based options include a full range of Medicare Advantage plans, including the increasingly popular Private Fee For Service (PFFS) plans, as well as a host of Medicare Part D plans.

"This is a win-win for the employer and the employee," said Langenus. "It allows the employer to provide a robust, complete benefits package that makes them more competitive in the marketplace in order to attract the best talent. Plus, it gives the employee the ability to plan for early retirement with the security of continued health care coverage."

As part of Anthem's early retiree product options, members will have access to health and wellness tools designed to improve their overall health, including 360 degree Health(R) -- a program that combines care management, health care tools and incentives that engage and reward members for healthy behaviors. In addition, early retirees will have access to counseling and guidance on their eligibility for Medicare products that will assist them in transitioning to traditional retiree plans once they turn 65.

Anthem's early retiree products for large employers will be available July 1, 2008.

About Anthem National Accounts

The Anthem National Accounts business unit serves members of the Blue Cross licensees for California (Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company and Blue Cross of California using the trade name Anthem Blue Cross); the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield in 17 eastern and southeastern counties, including the 5 New York City counties, and as Empire Blue Cross in 11 upstate counties), Ohio, Virginia (serving Virginia excluding the city of Fairfax, the town of Vienna and the area east of State Route 123.), and Wisconsin. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of: In Colorado: Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. In Connecticut: Anthem Health Plans, Inc. In Georgia: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, Inc. and Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthcare Plan of Georgia, Inc. In Indiana: Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. In Kentucky: Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky, Inc. In Maine: Anthem Health Plans of Maine, Inc. In Nevada: Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. In New Hampshire: Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. In Ohio: Community Insurance Company. In Virginia (serving Virginia excluding the city of Fairfax, the town of Vienna and the area east of State Route 123.): Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. In most of Missouri: RightCHOICE(R) Managed Care, Inc. (RIT), Healthy Alliance(R) Life Insurance Company (HALIC), and HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affiliates administer non-HMO benefits underwritten by HALIC and HMO benefits underwritten by HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affiliates only provide administrative services for self-funded plans and do not underwrite benefits. In Wisconsin: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin ("BCBSWi") underwrites or administers the PPO and indemnity policies; Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation ("Compcare") underwrites or administers the HMO policies; and Compcare and BCBSWi collectively underwrite or administer the POS policies. In New York: Empire BlueCross BlueShield, the trade name of Empire HealthChoice Assurance, Inc., underwrites and/or administers the PPO, POS and indemnity policies; Empire BlueCross BlueShield HMO, the trade name of Empire HealthChoice HMO, Inc., underwrites and administers the HMO policies. Independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. (R) ANTHEM is a registered trademark. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Additional information about Anthem is available at www.anthem.com.