CHARLESTON, SC – Benefitfocus has landed a contract with one of the largest health insurers on the Atlantic coast.

The Charleston, S.C.-based healthcare benefits software provider announced Tuesday a deal with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield of Owings Mills, Md., which administers healthcare plans to some 3.3 million people in the Mid-Atlantic states, and will provide the payer with a comprehensive Web platform for its consumer, employer and broker constituents.

"Broadening and enhancing our technology capabilities is essential top maintaining CareFirst's strong position throughout our service area," said Shekar Subramaniam, CareFirst's associate vice president of broker sales. "Having a comprehensive Web presence for all of our markets will help us further improve our ability to serve our employer groups, members, consumers and brokers."

CareFirst, which already uses Benefitfocus' eEnrollment application, privately labeled as CareFirst Connect, for its small employer groups, will implement the company's eBlling, eSales, Video as a Service, eExchange and eDirect applications. The platform is offered via Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) technology.

"Providing a comprehensive front-end for the many CareFirst constituents, including CareFirst employees, the 'Model Office' technology is designed to ensure that a single data view is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said Shawn Jenkins, Benefitfocus' president and CEO. "This model will promote increased visibility, tremendous flexibility and a great platform to build upon for the future."

Company officials say Benefitfocus applications are in use in more than $291,000 employer groups across the country, as well as 410 insurance carriers, covering some 52 million customers.