14 Health Plans Adopt Microsoft’s Health Plan Sales Solution for Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Fourteen health plans, including Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, have deployed or are planning to implement the Health Plan Sales Solution for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Corp. announced at the America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Institute 2011.

The Health Plan Sales Solution for Microsoft Dynamics CRM integrates with existing systems and applications. Health plans can use the platform for acquisition, retention, health and care management as well as for grievances and appeals, application, provider credentialing, legal matter management, provider contract, and contact management, according to Microsoft.

The health plan sales platform is pre-integrated into the health plan solutions of the ISVs. Since the solution was first launched last June at AHIP Institute 2010, partner adoption has increased by 225%, according to Microsoft. To date, 13 system integrators and ISVs are supporting the framework, including Adapx, Aspect, Avanade, CIBER Inc., Colibrium Partners LLC, Connecture Inc., CosmoCom, Customer Effective, ExactTarget, PowerObjects, Sonoma Partners and VUE Software.

"With the changing health insurance environment comes the need for greater integration. This includes sales automation, online enrollment, e-billing and data collection on your customers and potential customers so that you are best able to work quickly and efficiently to satisfy their needs," said Kent Davidson, vice president of sales, Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, in a statement.

Davidson said Microsoft Dynamics CRM is critical to Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania's overall strategy to deliver health insurance solutions to its current and future customers.

"Hypercompetitive market pressures are driving health plans to seek simple solutions to decrease costs and points of failure in the sales process and improve member retention by executing a companywide CRM strategy," said Dennis Schmuland, worldwide managing director, Health Insurance Industry, Microsoft, in the statement.