CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Is it a stretch to squeeze in a workout? Is it a pain to go to the doctor? What happens when your regular child care arrangements fall through? These typical everyday challenges just got a bit easier for employees of the state's largest health insurer.
 
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) today opened the doors to its new Customer Service Center (CSC) Commons Building during a ribbon-cutting event at the Durham facility.
 
The CSC Commons Building features a state-of-the-art Club BlueSM fitness center, an Employee Health Services center that includes an on-site nurse practitioner and staff of occupational health nurses, and a 4,000 square-foot "back-up" child care facility, provided to employees caught in an unexpected child care pinch.
 
"Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is committed to the health and well-being of its employees," said Bob Greczyn, BCBSNC president and CEO. "As the company expands and creates more jobs, it becomes increasingly important for us to do more to meet the needs of our employees. We want to remain an employer of choice."
 
The CSC facility is the latest in BCBSNC's long track record of workplace quality initiatives. In September 2005, Carolina Parent Magazine designated BCBSNC as one of North Carolina's top 40 family-friendly companies, an honor the company received for the sixth consecutive year.
 
"Helping our employees stay healthy and successfully manage both their professional and personal lives makes perfect business sense," said Greczyn. "By doing so, BCBSNC is investing in its most valuable asset – its people."
 
"We understand the demands and challenges of today's busy lifestyles," said Bob Vavrina, BCBSNC senior vice president of Human Resources. "A couple of years ago, we asked employees about benefits that matter most. We not only listened to their answers, but took action, and this is just one of the results. In fact, through the lens of our employment brand, CareerStylesSM1, we continually assess what we can offer to attract and retain the best workforce to serve our customers."
 
The 29,000 square-foot CSC building will also house the BCBSNC Staffing Center, a division of the company's Human Resources department that manages employee recruitment and selection. The building is adjacent to the company's existing Customer Service Center on Ivy Creek Blvd. in Durham's University Place neighborhood, near the intersection of U.S. 15-501 and Garrett Rd.
 
BCBSNC added more than 500 employees statewide last year. Overall, the company's Durham County presence – which includes occupancy in the new CSC Commons Building and two additional University Park area office buildings – totals approximately 1,500 employees. BCBSNC currently employs over 4,000 North Carolinians statewide.
 
"Because we are the only major health insurer based in North Carolina and focused solely on its residents, our future is entirely dependent upon the success and continued economic growth of this great state," said Greczyn. "As we continue to grow and expand, we will reinforce our efforts to keep Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina a reliable, stable presence for our members, and we will do it in ways that foster economic growth for all North Carolinians."
 
BCBSNC continues to increase its membership each year and was among the nation's fastest growing Blue Plans from 2001 through 2003. The company processes more than 117,000 claims daily, totaling more than $7 billion per year in payments to hospitals, doctors and other health care professionals. As the state's largest health insurer, BCBSNC serves more than three million members – equivalent to one in three North Carolinians.
 
BCBSNC is a fully taxed company that paid more than $142 million in local, state and federal taxes last year.
 
 
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina:
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.3 million members, including approximately 639,000 served on behalf of other Blue Plans. For 72 years, the company has served its customers by offering health insurance at a competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Access BCBSNC online at bcbsnc.com.
 
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