JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- With Florida's population growing more diverse, the ability to communicate with people from different cultures is an important part of serving customers. As a result, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) is now offering Subimo's Healthcare Advisor(SM),

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"As employers and individuals opt for consumer-driven health plans, BCBSF is committed to providing members and their families with interactive tools to help them make better, more informed decisions regarding their health and their health care needs," said Dr. William Kerr, vice president, chief medical officer, BCBSF. "The addition of these web-based tools in Spanish is expected to make a positive impact on our members' ability to make informed health care decisions."

Subimo's Healthcare Advisor, Physician Selection Advisor and Hospital Advisor are web-based research tools that include more than 150 medical conditions and procedures, as well as suggested questions to ask a physician or benefit plan regarding managing a condition or preparing for a procedure. The tools allow members to research and compare physicians on attributes such as demographics, education, training, affiliations and certifications, as well as find and compare hospitals side-by-side for specific procedures or types of care. WebMD recently acquired Subimo.

"BCBSF's ongoing dedication to providing relevant, trustworthy health care information to its wide-ranging membership shows its market leadership and commitment to empowering consumers with the online tools they need," said Ann Mond Johnson, senior vice president, Subimo. "Subimo shares BCBSF's commitment to driving consumerism through enabling transparency into the cost and quality of care. We are pleased to support BCBSF's efforts to provide content for Spanish-speaking Americans -- a market segment that continues to access the Internet in record numbers every year.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida is a leader in Florida's health industry. BCBSF and its subsidiaries serve more than 8.6 million people. Since 1944, the company has been dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of all those it serves by offering an array of choices. BCBSF is a not-for-profit, policyholder-owned, tax-paying mutual company. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., BCBSF is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information concerning BCBSF, please see its website at http://www.bcbsfl.com/.

CONTACT: Mark S. Wright of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, +1-904-905-6935, cell, +1-904-233-3481

Web site: http://www.bcbsfl.com/