Topeka — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and its potential buyer, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, have embarked on a statewide advertising campaign that praises the proposed merger.
The two insurers are using recent approval of the deal by policyholders as the basis for the blitz, which includes full-page newspaper ads, radio spots and television ads.
Before the merger can be made final, it also must be approved by Kansas Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius, who has until late February to make a decision.
Graham Bailey, a spokesman for Kansas Blue Cross, said the campaign was started because the proposal affects nearly every Kansan and the policyholder vote announced Monday in favor of the deal was a milestone.
"We wanted to reiterate the positive aspects of it," Bailey said.
Promised an average cash payment of about $1,500 to divest their ownership interests in Kansas Blue Cross, policyholders voted 63.4 percent to 36.6 percent in favor of the deal. If the proposal wins final approval from Sebelius, policyholders could receive their money as early as this summer.
Bailey refused to say how much the ad campaign cost.
"We don't give that out for competitive reasons," he said. He said the cost was being split between Kansas Blue Cross and Anthem, an Indianapolis-based insurer that has acquired Blue Cross plans in eight states.
Bailey said the ad campaign will last another two weeks and will also focus on Athem's community service.
"We'll start presenting the Anthem brand a little bit," he said.
Staff writer Scott Rothschild can be reached at (785) 354-4222.
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