Cyphermint software and IBM kiosks make it easy to enroll in health insurance via the Web

IBM Business Partner: Cyphermint, Inc.

Cyphermint, Inc., is a leading provider of secure electronic payment solutions and turnkey kiosk solutions. Its PayCash System is used both for business-to-business and business-to-customer transactions over the Internet. Cyphermint is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

Many employees enroll annually for health insurance via the Web -– either using a computer at work or at home. But what happens to people who don’t have ready access to the Internet?

For subscribers of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, the answer is a portable kiosk with remote Web access delivered to their place of work. The health insurer owns nine IBM Anyplace Kiosks using the Cyphermint PayCash solution.

“The kiosks are user friendly,” said Bryan Volkmar, unit manager for technology strategy and solutions for the insurance company. A current subscriber or someone who might want to become a subscriber can use a flat-panel touch screen to select a health insurance policy that is best for them, Volkmar noted.

“Cyphermint software secures all the personal information so the next person using the touch screen can’t go back and see what someone else has entered,” Volkmar said.

He said Blue Cross operations in other states are considering the purchase of similar IBM Anyplace Kiosks with Cyphermint PayCash software. An Anyplace Kiosk combines processor, flat-panel touch screen and scanner.

Volkmar explained that subscribers use the kiosks to access their accounts and make coverage changes such as adding new family members and updating postal and e-mail addresses. Subscribers also can locate medical providers.

“We put the kiosks to work in July of 2006 and quickly found that subscribers like the speed with which they can complete the enrollment process,” he noted. “The kiosks eliminate paperwork and issues related to transferring written information to computer files. Subscribers enter their own data so people in our office don’t have to decipher handwriting on written applications,” he said.

Volkmar added, “What’s cool is the kiosks are an informative, useful tool with cutting-edge looks. They attract attention. I like to think of them as another way to reach out directly to people interested in learning more about Blue Cross.”

In addition to using the kiosks during health insurance enrollment periods, Blue Cross sends them to health fairs so potential new subscribers can check out the company offerings.

Cyphermint sees IBM relationship valuable on many levels
Dennis Bache, Cyphermint director of sales, noted that Cyphermint kiosk solutions complement the IBM kiosk solution perfectly. Cyphermint kiosk user interface, monitoring and peripheral device integration tie into the Blue Cross and Blue Shield existing backend process and applications as if they were designed for each other.

Bache noted that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois had been working with IBM for years “so it was natural for the Blue Cross staff members to call in IBM when they started discussing mobile kiosks.” In turn, IBM engaged Cyphermint because of its secure informational and transactional kiosk solutions.

“Cyphermint software solutions can turn a simple kiosk into a virtual center with functions such as financial services, enrollment, shopping and advertising,” Bache said. “They extend our clients’ reach, generate return on investment and improve customer service. Even people who have never used a computer before can interact through these kiosks with a variety of functions,” he said.

Cyphermint participates in IBM PartnerWorld® Industry Networks, which offers a rich set of benefits to all IBM PartnerWorld members who want to team with IBM to build their vertical market capabilities, expand their partner network and attract customers in the markets they serve. It is “optimized” in the insurance industry, which means it has developed further specialization by optimizing its applications with IBM technologies, achieving success with its own solutions and other criteria.

“It’s rewarding to work with IBM because we share a common market space and initiative,” Bache explained. “IBM is eager to explore emerging markets, which is exactly where we’re experienced.”

Cyphermint certified in two important IBM programs

Bache also is proud that IBM certified Cyphermint in two important programs: IBM Ready for Retail Store Innovations and IBM Store Integration Framework.
Ready for Retail Store Innovations allows Cyphermint and other IBM Business Partners to test their solutions to make sure they operate properly with specific IBM system configurations. As a result, a business partner’s customers can be confident that the partner’s applications have been successfully tested against an extensive IBM checklist.

Store Integration Framework is a powerful integrated infrastructure that enables retailers to “snap in” advanced applications such as kiosks, hand-held devices, point of sale systems, radio frequency identification and digital media solutions.