CHICAGO, June 24, 2008 -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) and Evanston Northwestern Healthcare (ENH) announced today they signed a five-year contract effective July 1, 2008. The contract, which applies to all ENH facilities, continues all existing services for BCBSIL members.

"Part of the Blue Cross mission is to provide its members access to quality care." This extension ensures that our members will have access to the ENH system for years to come, Kevin O'Neill, BCBSIL's senior vice president of Health Care Management, said.

"This long term contract extension preserves access to all of the Evanston Northwestern Healthcare facilities for the Blue Cross patient population and is consistent with our mutual commitment to add value and enhance quality of care for the patients we are privileged to serve," said Jeffrey Hillebrand, ENH Chief Operating Officer.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
With more than 7 million members, BCBSIL (www.bcbsil.com) is the largest health insurance company in Illinois. Started in 1936, BCBSIL is committed to promoting the health and wellness of its members and its communities through accessible, cost-effective, quality health care.

BCBSIL is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), a Mutual Legal Reserve Company. HCSC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About Evanston Northwestern Healthcare
Located in Chicago's northern suburbs, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare (ENH) is an integrated healthcare system that includes Evanston, Glenbrook and Highland Park Hospitals, ENH Medical Group (comprising 65 medical offices and facilities), ENH Home Services, ENH Research Institute and ENH Foundation.

ENH is the only Illinois hospital named a 15 Top Major Teaching Hospital by Thomson Healthcare^®, and one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals^® 12 times.

ENH is in the top five percent of all institutions that receive funding from the National Institutes of Health; among multi-specialty independent research hospitals, it ranks 9th in the nation. ENH is ranked among the top 50 hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

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