Blue Cross signs on to Google Health

Come this fall, members of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts will be able to go online to look up their healthcare claims and some medical records, which the insurer says will help them manage their medical care and have more productive conversations with doctors.

The feature is being offered through Google Health, the new online healthcare Web portal recently opened by the Internet search giant, based in Mountain View, Calif. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts said it is the first health insurer to sign on to the service.

"We believe Google Health will be an important tool used by our members to improve the safety and effectiveness of their healthcare," said Cleve Killingsworth cq, chairman and chief executive of Blue Cross, in a statement.

Steven Fox, a Blue Cross vice president heading the online project, said the Web tool will make it easier for members to access information about their claims.

"It will make the quality of your experience with the physician a little better," Fox said. "It will be portable. It could improve compliance with treatment protocols. Now, when you get blood work, you'll have the ability to see the actual report."

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has been at the forefront of healthcare information technology. It donated $50 million to the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative, a pilot project that outfitted physicians in three Massachusetts communities with equipment to start using electronic medical records.

Google Health debuted last month, with partners such as hospitals, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and pharmacies such as CVS/CareMark.
(By Jeffrey Krasner, Globe staff)