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:Jenna McPhee Carrie Kennedy(617) 246-7412 (412) 973-3835 jenna.mcphee@bcbsma.com ckennedy@trippumbach.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Contributed Nearly $1.6 billionto the Commonwealth’s Economy

First Economic Impact Study Finds Significant Benefit in Jobs, Taxes, and Community Giving

5,856

Jobs, direct andindirect, providedby BCBSMA in2008

$216.9M

Revenue to the statein 2008

470 +

Entities received$5.2 milliondonated byBCBSMA in 2008,mostly in smalldonations

BOSTON—September 11, 2009—

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts(BCBSMA) generated nearly $1.6 billion in economic benefits for Massachusetts lastyear, accounting for more than 5,800 jobs, tens of millions of dollars in philanthropyand $216.9 million in revenue to the state government, a new study has found.The economic impact report, conducted by Tripp Umbach, the nation’s leadingprovider of such studies, details for the first time how the Commonwealth’s largestprivate health plan is also a vital economic engine for the state.“For 72 years, our mission has been to provide our members with access to safe,effective, and affordable health care, said Cleve Killingsworth, BCBSMA’s Chief Executive Officer. “The findings of this study clearly demonstrate that fulfilling ourmission also helps drive the state’s economic health and vitality.”The research found that BCBSMA’s overall economic impact in Massachusetts isnearly $1.6 billion, including $683 million in direct benefits and $887 million inindirect benefits from suppliers of goods and services to BCBSMA.Similarly, the report found that BCBSMA contributed 5,856 jobs to the economy inpositions that span the entire economic spectrum, with 3,670 people directly employedin Blue Cross offices throughout the Commonwealth.As a not-for-profit business, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts contributessignificant revenue to the Commonwealth. In 2008, the report found that BCBSMAcontributed a total of $216.9 million in direct and indirect revenue to the state. Thisconsists of $33.1 million in direct tax payments, $84 million in indirect taxes, $79.9million for the Health Safety Net Trust Fund (formerly the uncompensated care pool),and a $19.9 million payment to help cover the cost of health reform. In addition,BCBSMA paid $39.2 million in taxes to the federal government in 2008. This consistsof $19.5 million in federal income tax and $19.7 million in FICA tax.