Subimo Tools Allow Health Plan Members to Research Health Conditions and Treatments

On November 3, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana announced the launch of a new set of online health management tools that will now allow members to view treatment options and cost estimates for a variety of health conditions, research and compare hospitals in their area, and compare various coverage plans.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana members now have access to Subimo's comprehensive suite of online decision-support tools. Members will be able to better manage their healthcare expenses and choose the healthcare plan that best meets their needs. Subimo, LLC, is a Chicago-based company providing Web-based healthcare decision-support tools.

"We're adding tools to our Web site that will help our members make better-informed decisions about their own healthcare," said Mike Reitz, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. "This is all part of our mission of giving Louisianans access to quality, cost-effective healthcare. When consumers have more information, they can make wiser healthcare choices."

Subimo's Healthcare Advisor tool will be available to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana members through AccessBlue, a password-protected section of the company's Web site where customers can see claims and benefits information. Through Healthcare Advisor, members can research health conditions, treatment options, and cost estimates. Customers can also compare hospitals to find one that best meets their needs.

"Subimo is pleased to be part of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana's ongoing focus and commitment to provide relevant information on quality and cost to its membership," said Ann Mond Johnson, CEO of Subimo. "Subimo's tools will help support their members by making sure they have the information they need to make better-informed healthcare choices for their families."

"This information is useful for all of our customers," Reitz said. "But it is even more important for those customers who have BlueSaver, our consumer-directed healthcare product. With the growing popularity of BlueSaver, it's important to offer these customers tools -- like Subimo's Healthcare Advisor -- that help them budget their healthcare dollars."

In addition, Subimo's Coverage Advisor is currently available to anyone who visits www.bcbsla.com. With Coverage Advisor, Blue members can now develop a profile of their family's health status and are given an estimate of health services needed and the associated range of costs for the coming year based upon predictive modeling. The process makes it easier to choose which health plan is best for their family.