Published:

Blue Shield of California CEO to Speak at Democratic Convention Host Committee's Health Roundtable in Denver

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bruce Bodaken, Chairman, President & CEO of Blue Shield ofCalifornia will participate as a panelist on the 2008 Rocky Mountain Roundtable on Health, Wellness and Prevention at the start of the Democratic National Convention on Monday, August 25, 2008, 9:30 a.m. MDT at Boettcher Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Mr. Bodaken will discuss the importance of wellness programs in health reform, and the ways in which health plans work with employers and individuals to achieve better health outcomes.

A leader in healthcare policy, Mr. Bodaken was the first health plan CEO in the country to offer a specific proposal for universal health coverage. His plan, offered in 2002, called for universal coverage based on shared responsibility, a concept that was included in recent reform proposals fromMassachusetts,California, and several Democratic presidential candidates. Bodaken is the author of a May 2008 Health Affairs article titled, "Where Does the Insurance Industry Stand on Health Reform Today," and has written numerous other newspaper and magazine opinion pieces about health policy issues.

The Health, Wellness and Prevention roundtable will be moderated by former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Rep. Hilda Solis are also on the panel. For more information about the roundtable, please visit http://www.2008rmr.org/Roundtable-Health.asp.

About Blue Shield

Blue Shield ofCalifornia, an independent member of the Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health plan dedicated to providing Californians with access to high quality care at a reasonable price. Founded in 1939, it now has 3.2 million members, 4,500 employees, one of the largest provider networks and more than 20 office locations, providing a wide range of commercial and government products throughout the state. The company has contributed $100 million over the past three years to the Blue Shield of California Foundation to fund nonprofit organizations that improve access to quality health care inCalifornia. Contact your local agent or broker for more information about Blue Shield products and services, or visit the Blue Shield web site at www.blueshieldca.com.

CONTACT:

Erica Perng

Media Relations Consultant

(415) 229-6171 erica.perng@blueshieldca.com

SOURCE Blue Shield ofCalifornia

Tags: ,HEA,MTC,INS,POL,CPN,NPT,CA-BlueShield-CEO-DNC

_ _