Highmark to Open Four Additional Health Insurance Stores in Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Highmark today announced that it will open four additional Highmark Direct retail health insurance stores in Pennsylvania, including three stores in the Pittsburgh area and one store in Harrisburg.

Highmark is the only health insurer to operate retail stores in Pennsylvania. The company opened its first Highmark Direct stores in March 2009 in Pittsburgh's McKnight Seibert Shopping Center and in Mechanicsburg's Silver Spring Square. During the first year of operation, the stores had more than 20,000 visitors and provided health insurance to thousands of individuals and their families.

"When we opened our first two stores last year, our goal was to provide Pennsylvanians with access to the information they need to make informed decisions about health insurance," said Kenneth R. Melani, M.D., Highmark Inc. president and CEO. "The stores have exceeded our expectations during the first year of operation. By opening four new facilities, our Highmark Direct stores will reach many more people in our community."

The new Highmark Direct stores are scheduled to open in 2010 at the following locations.

• Monroeville: 4008 William Penn Highway
• Robinson Township: Lafayette Plaza Shopping Center, 218 Summit Park Drive, North Fayette
• South Hills: Norman Center II, 1775 North Highland Road
• Harrisburg: Colonial Commons Shopping Center, 5116 Jonestown Road

Sixteen additional employees will be hired as staff at the new store locations.

"As consumers become more involved in buying health insurance, we want to help them better understand their options," said Steven Nelson, Highmark senior vice president of corporate marketing and consumerism. "We've heard from customers that they want one-on-one support. The stores have helped them to better understand what they are purchasing and make more informed decisions about their health."

Highmark Direct offers consumers in Highmark's service area the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a health insurance specialist to discuss their health insurance options and their benefits as a Highmark member. The stores sell health insurance plans to individuals, seniors and small businesses. iDental(SM) a dental insurance product of United Concordia Dental, a Highmark subsidiary, was recently launched in the store and is designed to cover routine dental care.

"The new health care reform legislation sets the stage for further consumer involvement in health care decisions," said Nelson. "The Highmark Direct stores represent an important community resource for consumers as more and more individuals will be responsible for purchasing health insurance on their own."

About Highmark

As one of the leading health insurers in Pennsylvania, Highmark Inc.'s mission is to provide access to affordable, quality health care enabling individuals to live longer, healthier lives. Based in Pittsburgh, Highmark serves 4.8 million people through the company's health care benefits business. Highmark contributes millions of dollars to help keep quality health care programs affordable and to support community-based programs that work to improve people's health. Highmark exerts an enormous economic impact throughout Pennsylvania. A recent study states that Highmark's positive impact exceeded $2.5 billion. The company provides the resources to give its members a greater hand in their health.

Highmark Inc. 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, visit www.highmark.com.

About iDental

The iDental product is underwritten by United Concordia Life and Health Insurance Company, which is an independent company that does not provide Highmark Inc. products or services.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Steven Nelson: https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=84424

SOURCE Highmark Inc.