Regence Optimistic About Health Industry Leaders' Pledge to Cut Health Care Costs

Regence Optimistic About Health Industry Leaders' Pledge to Cut Health Care
Costs

PORTLAND, Ore., May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement is from Regence
BlueCross BlueShield President and CEO Mark Ganz. It is in response to
today's announcement by a group of private-sector health industry leaders to
decrease the U.S.'s annual health care spending growth rate to save as much as
$2 trillion over the next ten years:

"I support the health industry's commitment to help control health care costs
in our nation. We are a country that spends more than 15 percent of our GDP
on health care - a number that threatens to rise, is unsustainable and is a
mark of inefficiency - so today's announcement is a helpful step. As we know,
spending isn't the only issue on the table in health reform, and cooperation
across the health care sector is crucial as Congress and the administration
work on reforms to bring quality, affordable health care to all Americans.

"It's been recognized universally that each player in the health care industry
must show its commitment to improving our nation's health system, and Regence
is chief among the proponents. For all of us, the test is not what we say
about health reform, it's what we do, so translating today's announcement into
concrete savings is key.

"This collective commitment aligns with Regence's multi-year effort to contain
health care costs. Our pharmacy benefit management program has provided more
than $700 million in savings over the past nine years, and our case management
programs help to reduce costs for our members by tens of millions of dollars
each year.

"As a member of the board of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), I have
advocated for fixing our nation's broken health care system. Across the
spectrum of health-related industries, we must continue to have these kinds of
forward-thinking conversations in order to achieve real change in our nation's
sickly health care system; otherwise old culture will defeat new strategies.

"In January, Regence joined with national consumer and labor groups, the
pharmaceutical industry and a medical association to work together for reform
- many of the same groups participating in today's announcement. Together
with the coalition, we launched a multimillion-dollar national advertising
campaign to plead for health reform as a key component in righting U.S.
economic woes. We have also joined with the Aspen Health Stewardship Project
Coalition to promote ten key principles necessary to achieving true health
reform.

"I look forward to continuing to work with the Obama administration, Congress
and key stakeholders to assure the health reform bill affords all Americans
access to quality, affordable health care."

About Regence
Regence is a leading health insurer in the Northwest / Mountain State Region,
offering health, life and dental insurance. Regence serves nearly three
million members as Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Regence BlueShield
(selected counties in Washington), Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and
Regence BlueShield of Idaho. Each plan is a not-for-profit independent
licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Regence is committed
to improving the health of our members and our communities, and to
transforming our health care system. For more information, please visit
regence.com.

SOURCE Regence

Angela Hult of Regence, +1-503-412-7902, aehult@regence.com