Newly Launched Regence Foundation to Help Transform Health Care and Influence the Nationwide Health Care Debate

Foundation will support nonprofit organizations that address health care
access and priorities in a four-state region

PORTLAND, Ore., April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Regence Group, the largest
health insurer in the Northwest/ Intermountain region, announced today the
launch of its corporate foundation dedicated to transforming health care in
the United States. The Regence Foundation estimates it will contribute .5
million in its first year and $4 million per year thereafter to
organizations addressing its three funding priorities: health care access
and quality, the use of technology to engage and educate health care
consumers, and improvements to the way the health care system supports
individuals and families during the end-of-life process.

"Philanthropy can be a powerful force for driving deep social change,"
said Mike Alexander, chair of The Regence Foundation's board of directors.
"The Regence Foundation allows us to identify and foster creative,
innovative ideas about how to fix our broken health care system."

In conjunction with its launch, the Foundation also announced five
employee-nominated inaugural grants of $10,000 each to organizations
working to improve health care access and quality. The inaugural grants
were awarded to the Coalition of Community Health Clinics in Portland,
Oregon; Fourth Street Clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah; Snake River Community
Clinic in Lewiston, Idaho; Whatcom Alliance for Health Care Access in
Bellingham, Washington; and Inland Northwest Health Services in Spokane,
Washington.

"We are focused on three funding areas that are rich both in need and
opportunity for improvement," said Alexander. "The Foundation will provide
flexible, strategically placed funds to local organizations that share our
vision and commitment to improving health care for the communities we
serve."

As chair of The Regence Foundation board of directors, Alexander is
joined by other board officers and members who provide oversight and
strategic direction for the Foundation's work: Kieren Porter, president;
Kerry Barnett, secretary; Steve Hooker, treasurer; Jennifer Cannaday,
Vivian Chi, Mark Ganz, Dr. Jeff Robertson and John Stellmon. The
Foundation's executive director is Monique Barton.

For more information, please visit http://www.regencefoundation.org.

About The Regence Foundation

The Regence Foundation is the corporate foundation of The Regence
Group, the largest health insurer in the Northwest/Intermountain region and
a not- for-profit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Association. A 501(c)3 grantmaking organization, the Foundation partners
with organizations driving significant change in health care delivery and
accessibility in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Starting in late 2008,
the Foundation will also partner with organizations addressing end-of-life
issues.





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Via: Healthcare