WellChoice Announces Enhancements to Online Personal Health Record

WellChoice, Inc. (NYSE: WC) today announced that its
primary operating subsidiary, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, has
expanded the functionality of its online personal health record, My
Health Record, to allow Empire members to provide their doctors with
access to their record via the Internet. Launched in June 2005, My
Health Record is a secure, Internet-based health record that is
controlled by the member and gathers and stores extensive individual
medical information.
   "We expect My Health Record to help put consumers in charge of
their own healthcare and to be an example of how technology can
enhance the delivery of quality healthcare," said Michael A. Stocker,
M.D., president and CEO of WellChoice. "Now that members can authorize
their treating physicians to see their personal health record, we
expect to see a reduction in the number of tests performed and the
delivery of more efficient care. When a doctor has current medical
test results in hand, and doesn't have to wait for a record to show up
from another medical office or a hospital, he or she has a clearer
picture of the patient's progress, and won't have to repeat tests
unnecessarily.
   "In addition, an online personal health record can easily provide
critical health information in case of emergency, such as a trip to
the emergency room, when a complete medical history can be invaluable
in developing a treatment plan, or in the case of a natural disaster
such as Hurricane Katrina, when records can be temporarily unavailable
or destroyed."
   Nearly 30,000 Empire members have logged on and created their
personal health record at My Health Record during the first three
months since the launch of the program.

   About WellChoice

   WellChoice, Inc. is the parent company of the largest health
insurer in the State of New York, based on PPO and HMO membership.
WellChoice, through its Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield subsidiaries,
has the exclusive right to use the Blue Cross and Blue Shield names
and marks in 10 downstate New York counties and one or both of these
names and marks in selected counties in upstate New York. WellChoice
offers a broad portfolio of products, including managed care and
traditional indemnity products, and has a varied customer base
including large group, middle-market and small group, individual, and
national accounts. Additional information on WellChoice can be found
at http://www.wellchoice.com.

   Cautionary Statement

   Some of the information contained in this press release is
forward-looking, including statements relating to future financial or
business results. Forward-looking information is based on management's
estimates, assumptions and projections and is subject to significant
uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the
company's control. Important risk factors could cause future results
to differ materially from those estimated by management. Those risks
and uncertainties include but are not limited to: our ability to
accurately predict health care costs and to manage those costs through
underwriting criteria, quality initiatives and medical management;
product design and negotiation of favorable provider reimbursement
rates; our ability to maintain or increase our premium rates; possible
reductions in enrollment in our products or changes in membership
including the loss of either the New York City or the New York State
account; the regional concentration of our business in the New York
metropolitan area and the effects of economic downturns in that region
or generally; future bio-terrorist activity or other potential public
health epidemics; the impact of health care reform and other
regulatory matters; and the outcome of litigation. For a more detailed
discussion of these and other important factors that may materially
affect WellChoice, please see WellChoice's filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Annual Reports
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 and Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q for the reporting periods of 2005.