Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota launches online “benefits hub” for employers who want to offer employees ease of selection during annual benefits enrollment

EAGAN, Minn. (September 30, 2014) — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) today announced the creation of their Private Exchange solution, a “benefits hub” for employers with more than 50 employees. The hub goes beyond  traditional health care offerings by including dental, life, disability and vision insurance, and a vacation savings account, all in an online environment where employees can calculate, shop and purchase what is best for them and their families.

Blue Cross’ online marketplace allows employers to provide a pre-determined amount of money, called a “defined contribution,” for their employees to use when shopping for their annual benefits. In lieu of their previously limited health plan options, this private exchange offers a variety of health plan designs on a spectrum of prices and networks.

A proven model, the defined contribution plan, allows employers to allocate dollars through a private exchange helping them better manage their annual benefits costs. In turn, employees are able to use their employer-provided dollars to easily shop online in the private exchange for their benefits, giving them greater control over what they select and the amount they spend. 

“Blue Cross is pleased to meet a growing demand for an online marketplace where consumers have the flexibility to select plans most suitable for them,” said Dave Corkum, senior vice president of commercial markets. “We are thrilled to partner with Bloom Health and offer the most comprehensive private exchange solution in the nation.”

In addition to the initial shopping experience, the Blue Cross benefits hub will support consumer engagement and provide human resources departments assistance with the enrollment, management, renewal and administration of health benefits. 

The Blue Cross benefits hub is powered by Bloom Health’s Private Exchange Platform, which was developed by Minneapolis-based Bloom Health. Employees are assisted in the hub by a modeling tool that uses an individual’s needs and preferences to determine recommendations for the most appropriate benefit selections.

The benefits hub is now available to agents, brokers and large group employers as part of the 2015 open enrollment period.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

For more than 90 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (bluecrossmn.com) has supported the health, wellbeing and peace of mind of our members by striving to ensure equitable access to high quality care at an affordable price. We are on a mission to inspire change, transform care and improve health for the people and communities we serve by reinventing both ourselves and the broader system. Our more than 2.5 million members can be found in every Minnesota county, all 50 states and on four continents. As a proud nonprofit organization, we believe working to advance wellness for all Minnesotans is the greatest investment we can make. Our goal is nothing less than for everyone to be able to achieve their full health potential, regardless of race or other socially defined circumstances. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, which serves more than 107 million members across the U.S.