WellPoint, Inc. has been honored with a 2009 BlueWorks^® award for their work on the Journey Forward program, a collaboration among the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS), the UCLA Cancer Survivorship Center, Genentech, Inc. and WellPoint.

The goal of Journey Forward is to improve management and continuity of care for cancer survivors throughout their lives. This goal is achieved by promoting understanding of post-treatment effects of cancer among physicians and patients through the development of survivorship care plans.

BlueWorks is a joint venture between the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and the Harvard Medical School Department of Health Care Policy. The award recognizes innovations that improve the quality and value of health care for the public. 

"WellPoint is committed to working with other health care partners to develop innovative programs and services that improve the health of our communities and consumers," stated WellPoint president and CEO Angela F. Braly. "Through collaborative efforts like Journey Forward, we can help physicians, members and insurers work together toward short-term and long-term treatment plans that help ensure the most appropriate health care services for each patient."

Journey Forward was developed following a November 2005 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report stating that many patients are "lost in transition" after active treatment, leaving patients unsure of how to best manage follow-up care.  Furthermore, patients are not informed about the physical and mental health issues that may arise as a result of their treatment.

The Journey Forward program was launched as a pilot by WellPoint earlier this year reaching over 40,000 primary care providers, oncology specialists, and members in California, Colorado, Maine, Nevada and New Hampshire. With the success of the pilot program, WellPoint has plans to grow the program into Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.

"WellPoint should be applauded for its efforts to improve the quality of health care for consumers," said Scott P. Serota, BCBSA president and CEO. "Journey Forward is a prime example of the great work that Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are doing to drive health and wellness and make navigating health care choices easier for consumers."