EDS the world's most experienced outsourcing services company, today announced a 10-year, $320 million outsourcing services agreement with Blue Cross ...

EDS the world's most experienced outsourcing services company, today announced a 10-year, $320 million outsourcing services agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) to lower the costs of BCBSMA's computing capabilities and implement its future operating system. The contract extends EDS' previous seven-year contract with the company and becomes effective in January 2004.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is committed to keeping costs down while improving healthcare service to our stakeholders.Our long- standing relationship with EDS continues to give us measurable benefits. The addition of MetaVance will provide greater flexibility for our members account and healthcare providers," said Carl Ascenzo,BCBSMA's chief information officer.

A global leader in the healthcare IT services, with more than 250 clients in 20 countries, EDS will implement its agile MetaVance(R) Administration and Finance System for BCBSMA. MetaVance is a fully integrated, scalable enterprise system that allows healthcare organizations to administer benefit programs across multiple companies, lines of business and products.Comprehensive and flexible, it manages everything from membership eligibility and claims processing to provider management, billing and reporting. Many of its services can be Web-based, and are ideally suited to the rapidly evolving consumer-driven
healthcare market."This new contract underscores BCBSMA's confidence in EDS' service delivery and the commitment EDS has towards the MetaVance product and the healthcare industry," said Joe Fraser, EDS client delivery executive.

Additionally, EDS will continue to provide a number of key services to BCBSMA, including Web hosting, desktop, mainframe, mid-range, WAN network management, Middleware and integration support.The extension of the agreement along with the implementation of MetaVance will allow BCBSMA to focus on its member-centric business strategy and delivery of next generation services to its constituents while improving operational efficiency and maintaining excellent service performance.

"We are proud that this contract continues our 34-year history of providing services that lower costs and improve operations at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts," said Pat Costa, area director for healthcare, EDS Global Sales. "Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has re-engaged us to provide work across several IT areas, with the significant addition of our MetaVance System. It offers a broad range of related functions that can benefit BCBSMA and its members."
EDS in the HealthCare Industry EDS is a leading healthcare IT services provider, ranked No. 2 in worldwide healthcare revenues by Healthcare Informatics, with over 40 years of dedication to the healthcare industry. EDS employs more than 6,000 healthcare professionals and over 400 clinicians that focus on the challenges and opportunities facing the healthcare industry. EDS provides a broad range of IT outsourcing, consulting, critical technology, and business process services to Payer, Provider, Government Health, and Life Sciences organizations around the world.


About BCBSMA:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts was founded 66 years ago by a group of community-minded business leaders. Today, headquartered in Boston, BCBSMA provides coverage to 2.4 million members. Consistently recognized for standards of service that are among the highest in the nation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is the choice for health care consumers seeking reliable and high quality health care coverage. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

For more information on BCBSMA, please visit www.bluecrossma.com


About EDS:
EDS, the world's most experienced outsourcing services company, delivers superior returns to clients through its cost-effective, high-value services model. EDS' core portfolio comprises information-technology and business process outsourcing services, as well as information-technology transformation services. EDS' two complementary, subsidiary businesses are A.T. Kearney, one of the world's leading high-value management consultancies, and UGS PLM Solutions, a leader in product data management, collaboration and product design software. With 2002 revenue of $21.5 billion, EDS is ranked 80th on the Fortune 500. The company's stock is traded on the New York and London stock exchanges.

For more information on EDS, please visit www.eds.com