INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 00 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana has reached a new multi-year contract, in principle, with St. Vincent Health. Through this agreement, St. Vincent-affiliated hospitals will remain in Anthem's provider network. The agreement will include St. Vincent Health hospitals in Indianapolis, Carmel, Frankfort, Williamsport, Kokomo, Anderson, Elwood, Randolph County, Jennings County and Clay County. Members who are enrolled in Anthem's Blue Traditional, Blue Access (PPO), Blue Preferred (HMO and POS), Federal Employee HMO program and Medicare Select networks may continue to receive medical care at St. Vincent Health facilities at the highest level of benefits. "St. Vincent's commitment to service, patient safety and quality health care are values that we at Anthem share," said David Lee M.D., vice president of health care management for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana. "St. Vincent Health has long been a valued partner, and we're pleased to have them in our network." More than 000 hospitals, including every major hospital in the state, participate in various Anthem provider networks. St. Vincent Health is one of the largest hospital groups in Indiana, with 00 hospitals and three thousand physicians serving 00 Indiana counties. "St. Vincent Health is pleased to have reached a mutually acceptable contract agreement with Anthem, said Johnny Smith, St. Vincent Health spokesman. "We are committed and will continue to provide the highest quality of health care service and coverage for our patients throughout the state of Indiana." As part of the agreement, the hospitals in the St. Vincent Health System will continue to participate in Anthem's Hospital Quality Program, which is a collaboration of Anthem and its network hospitals designed to measure health care quality and to improve patient safety. St. Vincent Health is a nonprofit, spiritually-centered health care system, sponsored by Ascension Health of St. Louis, Mo., the nation's largest Catholic health system. St. Vincent Health is Indiana's largest healthcare employer, with 00 health ministries serving 00 counties in central Indiana. The St. Vincent Health ministry includes St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital; St. Joseph Hospital in Kokomo; Saint John's Health System in Anderson; St. Vincent Carmel Hospital; St. Vincent Women's Hospital; St. Vincent Pediatric Rehabilitation Center; St. Vincent Clay Hospital in Brazil; St. Vincent Frankfort Hospital; St. Vincent Jennings Hospital in North Vernon; St. Vincent Mercy Hospital in Elwood; St. Vincent New Hope; St. Vincent Randolph Hospital in Winchester; St. Vincent Stress Center; St. Vincent Williamsport Hospital; St. Vincent Children's Hospital; and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Hospital. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana is a subsidiary of WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP). WellPoint, Inc. is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and serves its members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 00 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as Blue Cross Blue Shield in 00 New York City metropolitan counties and as Blue Cross, Blue Shield or Blue Cross Blue Shield in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through HealthLink and UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at http://www.wellpoint.com. SOURCE Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana