TEC Internet Terms and Conditions
TEC Internet Terms and Conditions
The following terms and conditions ("Terms and Conditions") govern your use of the Technology Evaluation Center's Web Site at www.bcbs.com/tec (the "TEC Site"), and by accessing, viewing, or using the material on the TEC Site, you indicate that you understand and intend these Terms and Conditions to be the legal equivalent of a signed, written contract, and equally binding, and that you accept such Terms and Conditions and agree to be legally bound by them. If you do not agree with the Terms and Conditions, you are not granted permission to use the TEC Site and should exit immediately.
Founded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association ("BCBSA"), the Technology Evaluation Center ("TEC") operates as part of BCBSA's Office of Clinical Affairs. The TEC Site is a sub-site of BCBSA's primary Web site, www.bcbs.com. As set forth more fully below, The Tec Site and www.bcbs.com have separate Privacy Policies and Legal Terms and Conditions. You will be notified about when these Terms and Conditions apply to you when you arrive at or leave the TEC Site. These Terms and Conditions cover your use of the TEC Site only.
1. Proprietary Rights. All material contained in the TEC site is protected by law, including but not limited to, United States copyright law. Except as indicated, BCBSA is the owner of the copyright in the entire content (including images, text and look and feel attributes) of www.bcbs.com/tec and reserves all rights in that regard. Removing or altering the copyright notice on any material on the TEC Site is prohibited. BCBSA also owns a copyright in the TEC site as a collective work and/or compilation, and in the selection, coordination, arrangement, organization and enhancement of TEC Site content. Any commercial use of TEC Site content is prohibited without the prior written consent of TEC. Except as indicated, BCBSA owns all trademarks, service marks or other logos featured on the TEC Site. Use or misuse of these trademarks, service mark or logos is expressly prohibited and may violate federal and state law. Please be advised that TEC and BCBSA actively and aggressively enforce intellectual property rights to the fullest extent of the law.
2. Communications With Our Web TEC Site. TEC welcomes your feedback and suggestions about how to improve our products and services and the TEC site. By transmitting any suggestions, information, material, or other content (collectively, "Content") to TEC, you automatically grant TEC and BCBSA the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, redistribute, transmit, perform and display such Content (in whole or part) worldwide and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed for the full term of any rights that may exist in such content. Further, TEC and BCBSA are free to use any ideas, concepts, know-how, techniques, and suggestions contained in any communications you send to the TEC site for any purpose whatever, including but not limited to creating and marketing products and/or services using such information. Neither TEC nor BCBSA is responsible and shall not be liable for the contents of Content posted to the TEC Site by visitors or persons other than TEC or BCBSA employees. Opinions or comments contained in Content reflect the views of the author and not of TEC unless TEC expressly states to the contrary.
3. No Solicitation or Offer. The TEC site is designed to provide information about TEC and its products and services. Information on the TEC Site is not intended to constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any particular product or service. Some products and/or services may not be available in all states or countries and in many instances may be offered only by subscription.
4. No Medical Services or Advice. Nothing contained, expressed or implied in the TEC Site is intended as nor shall be construed as medical advice. No doctor-patient relationship is established between TEC and you by reason of your use of the TEC site or under any circumstances whatsoever. Individual inquiries about medical issues, or sensitive or confidential matters should be addressed to appropriate health care professionals.
5. No Legal Advice. Nothing contained, expressed, or implied in the TEC site is intended as, nor shall be construed or understood as, legal advice, guidance, or interpretation. No attorney-client relationship is established between TEC and you by reason of your use of the TEC site or under any circumstances whatever. The information in the TEC site is for general informational purposes only. If you have questions about any law, statute, regulation, or requirement expressly or implicitly referenced in the TEC site, you should contact your own legal counsel.
6. Confidentiality Cannot be Guaranteed.Please be advised that the confidentiality of any communication or material transmitted the public Internet or non-secure Internet electronic mail cannot be guaranteed. It is, therefore, requested that you not send any personal information such as your address or social security number. To ensure private and personalized attention, you may also contact TEC by telephone at 312-297-5623, or write us at TEC, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60601, Attn. Carol Gold-Boyd.
7. Privacy Statement. TEC has a Privacy Statement disclosing what information we collect about visitors, how we use such information, the steps we take to secure such information, how you can view and correct such information, and how you can decline to have information about you collected or used. Click here to view the Privacy Statement, which is incorporated by reference, as if set forth fully herein. The TEC Site is a sub-site of BCBSA's primary Web site, bcbs.com. The TEC Site is governed by its own Privacy Policy and Legal Terms and Conditions, which may differ from those of other portions of bcbs.com. You will be notified when you enter or exit the TEC Site that your activity on that site is governed by its separate policies.
8. Securities Information. the TEC site and the information contained herein does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer for the purchase or sale of any securities. The TEC Site contains information and press releases about TEC, and although this information was believed to be accurate as of the date prepared, TEC disclaims any duty or obligation to update such information. To the extent that any information is deemed to be a "forward looking statement" as defined in the rules and regulations of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such information is intended to fit within the "safe harbor" for forward looking information and is subject to material risk factors which may or may not be disclosed herein.
9. Disclaimer of Warranty and Liability. USE OF THE TEC SITE IS ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. NEITHER BCBSA, TEC NOR THEIR AFFILIATES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF RELIANCE ON ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED IN OR SUBMITTED TO THE TEC SITE, AND THE RISK OF INJURY FROM THE FOREGOING RESTS ENTIRELY WITH YOU. THESE MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. BCBSA SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST REVENUES OR LOST PROFITS, WHICH MAY RESULT FROM THE USE OF, ACCESS TO, OR INABILITY TO USE THESE MATERIALS. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL THE TOTAL LIABILITY OF BCBSA OR TEC TO YOU EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR USE OF THE TEC SITE.
10. Corrections and Changes. While we endeavor to keep the materials on the TEC Site up to date, TEC cannot assume responsibility for any errors or omissions in these materials. TEC further does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information, text or graphics. TEC may make changes to these materials, or to the products or services described herein, at any time without notice, and makes no commitment to update the information contained herein. TEC reserves the right to terminate your access to the TEC Site in the event that you violate these Terms and Conditions, or for any reason whatever.
11. Indemnification. You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless TEC and BCBSA, its affiliates and subsidiaries, and all of their respective directors, officers, employees, representatives, proprietors, partners, shareholders, servants, principals, agents, predecessors, successors, assigns, and attorneys from and against any and all claims, proceedings, damages, injuries, liabilities, losses, costs, and expenses (including attorney's fees and litigation expenses) relating to or arising from your use of the TEC Site and any breach by you of these Terms and Conditions.
12. Use of the Internet. Use of the Internet is solely at your own risk and is subject to all applicable state, national and international laws and regulations. Neither TEC, BCBSA nor its affiliates will be liable for any loss resulting from a cause over which they do not have direct control, including but not limited to failure of electronic or mechanical equipment or communication lines, telephone or other interconnect problems, computer viruses, unauthorized access, theft, operator errors, severe weather, earthquakes, natural disasters, strikes or other labor problems, wars, or governmental restrictions.
13. Governing Law and Jurisdiction. These Terms and Conditions will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, without reference to its choice of law rules. By accessing, viewing, or using the material on the TEC Site, you consent to the jurisdiction of the federal and state courts presiding in Chicago, Illinois, and agree to accept service of process by mail and hereby waive any and all jurisdictional and venue defenses otherwise available. the TEC site is controlled and operated by TEC from its offices within the United States. TEC makes no representation that materials in the TEC Site are appropriate or available for use in other locations, and access to them from territories where their contents are illegal is prohibited. Those who choose to access the TEC site from other locations do so on their own volition and are responsible for compliance with applicable local laws.
These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire agreement between you and TEC with respect to your use of the TEC Site. If any part of these Terms and Conditions is held to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, the remaining parts will remain in full force and effect. You acknowledge that, in providing you access to and use of the TEC Site, BCBSA has relied on your agreement to be legally bound by these Terms and Conditions.
Any further questions should be sent to:
Technology Evaluation Center
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
225 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois60601-7680
