Abilene Facility Nets 55 New Jobs as BCBSTX Realigns Workforce

Abilene, TX — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) announced today that it will gain 55 new claim examiners and customer service positions at its Abilene location by year-end. Although the Abilene facility will be in a job growth position, the company will reduce its current Abilene work force by 18 management and support positions, effective Oct. 2, while gaining 73 new jobs, a net gain of 55 new positions.

The Abilene facility is one of eight BCBSTX locations across the state where staffing reductions will be taken as part of a larger companywide effort to combine similar business functions, enhance or make process changes or add new technologies that can reduce costs.

"Although we are streamlining our organizational structure across the state, the Abilene facility is actually in a hiring position," says Jackson Boen, vice president, Government Services Division. "Even with the addition of new jobs, the decision to eliminate positions has been difficult. About 1.6% of our total workforce will be eliminated as we continue to maintain a strong front-line service team. The job gains will help us continue to be competitive, while we serve our membership more cost effectively."

The BCBSTX parent company, Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), is making similar changes throughout its four-state service area in order to maximize efficiencies and better position the company to respond to the challenging economic environment and the uncertainty of health care reform. The facility is one of seven Texas locations where staffing reductions will be taken, with 181 positions being eliminated statewide. There are approximately 1,100 total employees in Abilene.

BCBSTX's Abilene operation plays a key role in the company's government service strategy. The personnel in Abilene provide Blue Cross and Blue Shield member services for Federal employees residing in Texas, Illinois, Oklahoma and New Mexico; employees and retirees of the State of Texas and the University of Texas System, as well as members of the Texas Health Insurance Pool.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas — the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas — is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 40,000 physicians and 400 hospitals to serve 4 million members in all 254 counties. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), the country's largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall. HCSC is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

For More Information Contact:

• News Media Contact: margaret_jarvis@bcbstx.com, (972) 766-7165
• Corporate Headquarters: (972) 766-6900