Regence Partners with HealthEquity to Offer a Full Suite of Health Care Accounts

--Services include 24/7 customer service, online bill pay, help with managing health care finances
PORTLAND, Ore., Nov 11, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --

Members who choose one of Regence's consumer-directed health plans will soon benefit from a new banking relationship, now that the company has added HealthEquity as a banking partner. Regence selected HealthEquity for its 24/7/365 customer service, its flexible health care financial technology, and its commitment to helping employers and employees build health savings.

HealthEquity combines a suite of integrated online tools that allows for online bill pay for health care, single account administration and investment options that are unmatched in the health care account industry. In addition, HealthEquity will provide a full suite of consumer-directed health account administration including: Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Dependent Care FSA, Limited Purpose FSA and Health Savings Accounts (HSA). This will allow Regence to offer all these products through one vendor, thus simplifying and enhancing the employer and member experience.

"We are proud to partner with an innovative financial institution like HealthEquity to provide our members with the resources and advice they need to make the most of their health savings accounts," said Cary Badger, vice president of Market Development for Regence. "HealthEquity combines an exemplary track record of customer satisfaction and online tools to empower members with the confidence they need to manage their health dollars wisely."

Regence's partnership with HealthEquity will deliver a unique set of services to help members manage their health savings, including 24/7/365 Live HealthEquity Member Specialists, "free" investment options, and user-friendly online bill pay making it easier for doctors and hospitals in the Regence network to get paid by members with high deductible health plans and also for members to easily reimburse themselves for health care expenses.

"We are excited to partner with Regence on a program that will truly help employers and their employees build health savings," said Steve Neeleman, MD, CEO of HealthEquity. "Regence has had a long-standing commitment to outstanding customer support and service and now combining that commitment with the 24/7/365 coverage of our HealthEquity Member Specialists, we will truly work together to help people better save and spend their health care dollars."

About HealthEquity(R), Inc.

HealthEquity helps hundreds of thousands of American families build health savings and the confidence to be savvy health care consumers, all day, every day, with 24/7 live access to healthcare finance specialists, seamless integration with health insurers and employer benefits programs, and a comprehensive set of tools to help our customers save and spend their medical dollars wisely. In addition to HSAs, we offer total account solutions that include VEBA/HRA/FSA and other tax-advantaged health accounts. To open a HealthEquity account, contact your employer, insurer, broker or visit us directly at www.healthequity.com.

About Regence

Regence is the largest health insurer in the Northwest / Intermountain Region, offering health, life and dental insurance. Regence serves more than 2.5 million members as Regence BlueShield of Idaho, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and Regence BlueShield (selected counties in Washington). Each health plan is a nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Regence is committed to improving the health of our members and our communities, and to transforming our health care system. For more information, please visit www.regence.com or follow us on Twitter.

SOURCE Regence