To better serve its largest account, Highmark Blue Shield will open a new customer service center in State College, Pa., on Tuesday, Sept. 4. The new office will support the Penn State members who will soon begin selecting their health plan options that take effect on Jan. 1, 2008. While the majority of activity in the new office will come from servicing the Penn State University account, the staff will be available to service any Highmark member.
"Being only a few miles from the campus at University Park will be a great convenience for our membership, a majority of whom are in Centre County," said Michael Fiaschetti, Senior Vice President for Highmark Blue Shield.
The office will be located at 2040 Sandy Drive and will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The main phone number for the office is (814) 321-9509. In addition to customer service, Highmark will also support the office with provider relations, sales and health and wellness staff. Nine new positions in customer service have been created as a result of this new office.
In March, Highmark, Penn State and Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center announced the 10-year agreement that will cover about 60,000 people which includes employees, dependents and retirees.
Also under the agreement:
-- Highmark, Penn State and the Medical Center will jointly develop evidence-based health, wellness and prevention programs to help employers improve the overall health of their workers and families.
-- All three partners will work together to develop community health initiatives designed to benefit the overall health of the region.
In addition to the new State College office, Highmark has customer service centers in Camp Hill, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie and Johnstown.
About Highmark Blue Shield
As one of the state's leading health insurers and with nearly 70 years of community involvement, Highmark Blue Shield helps members live longer, healthier lives by ensuring access to affordable, high quality health insurance and services. Highmark offers the widest range of products, access to all area hospitals and the most responsive customer service. Highmark exerts an enormous economic impact throughout Pennsylvania. A recent study states that Highmarkââ¬â¢s positive impact exceeded $2.5 billion. Employing more than 5,000 people in central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley, Highmark provides the resources to give its members a greater hand in their health. Highmark Blue Shield is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans. For more information about Highmark, visit http://www.highmark.com online.