Regence's 'My Community' Now Online
Members can now participate in message boards, tap into community and health information resources and learn more about how their benefits work
November 20, 2006
BOISE – Regence has enhanced its member online environment, the Regence Engine (myregence.com) with an open forum called My Community, which allows members to interact in real-time discussions on health and lifestyle topics and find helpful community resources. Regence officials say it’s another big step toward helping members take charge of their health, better navigate the health care system and make informed health decisions.
My Community message boards allows members to share their voices and interact with one another, exchanging information and personal stories about topics such as weight loss, fitness, parenting and nutrition. Members can also speak their minds on topical and current events such as the E.coli outbreak in spinach to banning trans fats in restaurants. Members can choose to watch ongoing messages, join a conversation or start their own discussion. Regence will also feature regular hosted message boards, where participants can interact with experts on a variety of topics, including fitness and smoking cessation.
“We are committed to helping build a healthier community, one that starts with providing our members and their families with consumer-friendly tools like the Regence Engine that help them stay healthy,” said Will McKinney, vice president of Consumer-Directed Health Systems for Regence. “My Community furthers our goal of enhancing the Regence Engine to become a place that members turn to as a trusted source of information that helps them make informed decisions about their health care.”
My Community also features a resource center where members can find answers to commonly asked customer service questions and access local and national health resources and support groups. Here, members can learn about topics such as “Understanding Your Benefits.” This feature helps members understand common aspects of the health insurance industry, such as insurance terminology, pre-authorization, member appeals, how to use a benefit booklet, understanding your member card and pre-existing conditions. The community resources section also connects members to resources such as cancer support groups and smoking cessation help. Members may log on to the Regence Engine at myregence.com to explore My Community.
About the Regence Engine
The Regence Engine (myregence.com) is designed to help advise members on health care and lifestyle options, navigate them through the health care system, and reward those who make healthier choices. With the Regence Engine, members can find all their health-related resources in one place. They can check their claims; get fitness and nutrition tips; learn about medical conditions, medications and formulary information; search for doctors; and research costs and care options. They can even earn Regence Reward points—redeemable for gift certificates to hundreds of restaurants, retailers, theaters and more—just for actively taking charge of their health.
About Regence BlueShield of Idaho
Regence BlueShield of Idaho has more than 850 employees statewide and is headquartered in Lewiston and maintains offices in Boise, Coeur d'Alene, Pocatello and Twin Falls. It is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of 38 independent, locally operated Blue Shield and/or Blue Cross companies that collectively provide coverage to 88.8 million people – nearly one in three Americans. Regence is the largest health insurer in the Northwest/Mountain State Region, which operates Blue Shield/Blue Cross plans in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington. For more information, visit our Web site at www.id.regence.com.
