PHILADELPHIA – Independence Blue Cross' healthcare information technology capabilities helped the company land a new health benefits contract with Lincoln Financial Group, IBC executives announced Thursday.

Philadelphia-based IBC will be the primary health insurance provider for approximately 10,000 Lincoln Financial Group employees, retirees and their dependents across the nation. The Lincoln plan offerings will include the PPO option and comprehensive major medical plans.

"We are pleased Lincoln recognizes our expanded capabilities in health information technology, consumer resources and overall member satisfaction and are happy to extend these offerings to all Lincoln locations, both nationally and in our region," said Joseph A. Frick, president and CEO of Independence Blue Cross.

On Jan. 1, 2010, IBC will become the primary health insurance option for Lincoln employees in key offices, including Fort Wayne, Ind., Hartford, Conn., Omaha, Neb., Greensboro, N.C., Concord, N.H., and headquarters in Radnor, Pa. Employee enrollment sessions at all of these locations have been under way over the past few months.

Lincoln Financial Group is a diversified financial services organization in the Philadelphia region with $137 billion in assets under management as of Sept. 30, 2009. The company offers advice and solutions to help customers secure their financial futures. Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation and its affiliates.

"At Independence Blue Cross we are thrilled to extend our services to Lincoln Financial Group. As a whole, our company has a strong focus on national business and we are eager to expand upon our long-standing relationship with Lincoln," said Lawrence Kissner, vice president of national account sales at IBC. "We worked closely with Lincoln to develop a custom option that will satisfy the needs of their employees nationally. Previously, we insured many of their employees based in the southeastern Pennsylvania region only."

Independence Blue Cross offers the BlueCard network, a system of healthcare experts in hundreds of locations. As Blue Plan members, Lincoln employees around the country will have national access to care and coverage in  urban and rural areas with more than 764,000 doctors and 5,700 hospitals included in the independent Blue Plan PPO networks. Outside the United States, BlueCard members have access to doctors and hospitals in 200 countries and territories.