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Independence Blue Cross enhances customer service via mobile message board

Health insurance company Independence Blue Cross has launched a new smartphone service to help members manage their health care via a private, personalized message board.

Users of the IBX Wire will be able to access information and support so they can stay on top of personal health details, complete transactions and receive one-to-one support when they need it. The mobile program is helping Independence Blue Cross increase the level of service it delivers to its members.

"We?re in an unprecedented time where people can communicate with each other in an instant,? said Matt Gillin, CEO at Relay, Philadelphia. ?Mobile devices and social media have given us an easy and immediate way to connect and access information wherever and whenever we need it.

?Through IBX Wire, we are helping Independence Blue Cross members connect and communicate with their health insurer as easily as they can with friends and family? he said.

?The IBX Wire provides members with access to the information and support they want, when and how they want it. ?

Independence Blue Cross worked with Relay Network to launch the new free service.

Direct connection
Using the IBX Wire, members will be able to easily stay on top of the status of their accounts, maximize plan benefits and learn ways to save money.

When information is posted to a member?s personal Wire, a notification is sent to the member?s enrolled mobile device.

Members will be able to control the number of notifications they receive.

The service launched this month for all Blue HMO, PPO and traditional Blue Cross members. Members will be invited to turn on the new service when they receive their 2013 IBX health plan ID cards.

?Providing the highest level of service to members is at the heart of IBX?s business, and providing a platform for members to more easily manage their personal health care is at the core of delivering that kind of exceptional service,? Mr. Gillin said.

?The IBX Wire turns on a direct, secure and personal connection between IBX and each member that allows members to maximize their benefits, receive important reminders about things like flu shots and deductibles, and learn about initiatives like health care reform,? he said.

Customized experiences
The service will become even more interactive this year when new options are introduced, such as the option to submit questions and get a response via the secure, HIPAA compliant message service.

Independence Blue Cross is a leading health insurer with 3.1 million members nationwide.

Relay offers a simple and secure way for businesses and customers to connect and share private communications in real-time via a direct mobile interface.

?The IBX Wire is a private, digital space where Independence Blue Cross members can access need-to-know personal health information, complete transactions, and get one-to-one support,? Mr. Gillin said. ?This private message board can be completely customized and controlled by members."

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York/>