WellPoint serves millions of people through our affiliated health plans and subsidiaries, and we have the associated wealth of data to go with them. By giving consumers access to all that information on the rapidly changing the healthcare industry, we expect to generate a significant amount of personal and corporate value.

The immediate goal of our online tool, Anthem Care Comparison, is to provide price and quality comparisons for some of the most-used healthcare services in a given geographic area. The larger goal is to move to a more consumer-driven healthcare model and drive the industry toward increased transparency. Access to data from the National Consumer Cost Tool and Anthem's data consolidation repository enables all our members to make more-informed decisions on healthcare services based on quality, cost and proximity. Before, many members chose providers based only on name, location, word-of-mouth or provider referrals.

Our members can now make personal care choices based on cost data for 102 procedures in 49 states (excluding Mississippi) and Puerto Rico. Informed consumers have increased accountability for their healthcare and continue to play a bigger role in improving healthcare quality and reducing costs, one of the key focuses of our business.

Henry, Zodikoff and Lang are all members of the CIO Executive Council, a global peer advisory service and professional association of more than 500 CIOs, founded by CIO's publisher. To learn more, visit .