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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND (April 19, 2010) – CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) today announced the hiring of Mike Avotins as Senior Vice President of CareFirst’s Large Group Administrative Service Unit and Greg Maguire as Senior Vice President of Technology and Operational Support Services.  The moves are part of the not-for-profit insurer’s ongoing plan to organize its member service, technology, and business functions to most efficiently meet the needs of its members and customers.

“Adding Greg and Mike to our leadership team is part of a continuing effort to create organizational efficiency and better meet the challenges we face from a changing insurance market and economy,” said Chet Burrell, CareFirst President and CEO.  “Mike and Greg bring with them more than 45 years of experience in health care delivery.”
 
Maguire, with more than 30 years of experience in health care operations and systems, has held senior leadership positions at Aetna, AmeriHealth Mercy, CIGNA, Prudential, and most recently, TriZetto.  As a vice president with TriZetto, Maguire led the team working with CareFirst to implement an upgrade of claims processing for small and medium groups and individual subscribers.  Maguire holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP).
 
“In working with us on a day-to-day basis over the past several years to improve our claims processing function, Greg has gained extensive knowledge of CareFirst that will prove valuable as we make our final push to streamline this area of our business,” said Burrell.
 
Avotins, with more than 15 years of experience in management consulting and the health care industry, has held various roles in sales and marketing, service, and operations.  He has held progressively senior leadership positions at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, most recently having plan-wide responsibilty for all claims, customer service, and enrollment services for the plan’s 3 million members.  Avotins holds a Bachelor of Arts from Rhode Island University and a Master’s in Finance from Carnegie Mellon University.

“Mike brings a strong ability in customer service, sales and marketing, and account management. He will play an integral role in representing CareFirst on the Board of Directors for NASCO.”

CareFirst, in 2009, became a full partner in National Account Service Company, LLC (NASCO), a partnership among Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans to integrate claims processing for national accounts.  NASCO handles about 50 percent of CareFirst’s overall membership.

In its 73rd year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to nearly 3.4 million individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Northern Virginia. Through its CareFirst Commitment initiative and other public mission activities, CareFirst supports efforts to increase the accessibility, affordability, safety, and quality of health care throughout its market areas.

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