Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Inc. and Banner Health announced that they will enter into a new joint venture, to be known as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Advantage (BCBSAZ Advantage), in which both companies will participate equally to bring enhanced Medicare services to Arizonans. The venture brings two premier organizations together with a common goal of improving the quality of patient care, enhancing wellness management and affordability for people enrolled in Medicare. BCBSAZ Advantage will include Medicare Advantage plans for seniors in Maricopa County and portions of Pinal County, currently known as Banner MediSun Medicare Health Plan, including their MediSunONE Classic, MediSunONE Plus and MediSunONE Premier plans. By aligning their shared interests and capabilities, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Banner Health will deliver value to Arizonans enrolled in Medicare programs by offering them the stability of two premier organizations that share a vision for the future delivery of healthcare that inspires people to live healthy and productive lives, and provides highly coordinated care when it's needed. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona currently offers Medicare supplement and prescription drug plans (Part D) to more than 23,000 Arizonans. Through the joint venture with Banner Health, it's estimated the companies will be serving 25,000 Medicare Advantage enrollees. Current Banner MediSun members will be able to keep their coverage intact as both companies are committed to focusing their efforts on making this a smooth and positive transition for members and employees alike. All terms are subject to final regulatory approval. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona also recently announced the launch of BlueAlliance, an innovative health insurance product offering lower premiums by using Banner Health Network's local network of more than 2,500 healthcare providers in the Maricopa County area. BlueAlliance is the lowest-priced health plan available for small businesses in the entire Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona portfolio of health plans, which traditionally have focused on a broader network of more than 18,000 participating providers.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Inc. has launched AZBlue, its first mobile app, designed to help members quickly access coverage details, urgent care centers and contact information. An increasing number of members are relying on mobile services to simplify their lives. This new app provides members a direct channel to their health plan details while offering information in a way they prefer. BCBSAZ members with mobile Android(TM) devices and Apple(R) devices will be able to access key information, including: My ID Card, which can be emailed from the app to anyone, including healthcare providers; My Coverage Summary, information about healthcare plan coverage (for both medical and dental insurance, where applicable) including plan type, covered dependents, and deductible levels; Urgent Care Locator, an in-network urgent care center locator based on current location and zip code radius; and Contact Us, information for directly contacting BCBSAZ, including customer service via email and smart phone and Nurse on Call. The AZBlue app is available free of charge for download through Google Play (Android devices) and the App Store (Apple devices). Eligible devices include Apple mobile devices (iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad, iPod Touch) and Android phones and tablets (OS version 1.5 and above).

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Inc. appointed Audrey Halvorson to serve as vice president of actuarial services and health care economics. Previously, Halvorson owned and operated an actuarial consulting firm.