Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Rolls Out 100 Proud Bluebikes to Celebrate Pride Month

For every ride on a Pride-themed bike in June, Bluebikes title sponsor Blue Cross will donate $1 to Fenway Health, in support of LGBTQ+ health care

BOSTON, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of Pride Month, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts ("Blue Cross") is rolling out 100 Bluebikes wrapped in a rainbow pride-themed design through the month of June. Blue Cross Proud bikes will be integrated across the Bluebikes system's 11 municipalities (Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Newton, Revere, Salem, Somerville and Watertown). Blue Cross is the title sponsor of Bluebikes, which is owned by the municipalities and operated by Lyft.

To reflect its continued support of the LGBTQ+ community, Blue Cross will donate $1 for every ride taken on Blue Cross Proud bikes through the month of June to Fenway Health in Boston. Lyft will assume the $1 donation after the 10,000^th Proud bike ride of the month. Fenway Health, a longtime partner of BCBSMA, works to enhance the well-being of the LGBTQ+ community and beyond through access to the highest quality of health care, education, research, and advocacy.

"We're thrilled to once again celebrate Pride month by continuing our support of Fenway Health's mission," said Jeff Bellows, Blue Cross' vice president of corporate citizenship and public affairs. "Blue Cross is committed to creating more equitable communities and to making health care more accessible and affordable. We look forward to seeing the Proud bikes in the Bluebikes fleet and raising awareness of LGBTQ+ equality along the way."

The Blue Cross Proud bikes will be available within the more than 400 Bluebikes stations across the system's eleven municipalities through the end of June. Blue Cross is also a founding sponsor of the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce and, for the fourth year in a row, received a perfect score on the 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, as administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

"We appreciate the commitment Blue Cross continues to demonstrate to the health and wellness of the LGBTQ+ community," said Fenway Health Chief Executive Officer Ellen LaPointe. "This initiative will once again support our critical care, education and advocacy efforts. We're thankful for our ongoing partnership with Blue Cross and hope that everyone takes a ride on a Pride-themed Bluebike during Pride month."

This is the third time Blue Cross has supported Fenway Health via Blue Cross Proud bikes. In 2019 and 2021, the company donated $1 for every ride on a pride-themed Bluebike, in collaboration with Lyft, to the health center.

"We're proud to collaborate with Blue Cross on a Bluebikes Pride initiative that helps shine a spotlight on the need to improve access to health care for the LGBTQ+ community, especially queer and trans youth who are at a heightened risk for critical health issues," said Dom Tribone, Lyft General Manager for Bluebikes. "Through this effort, we celebrate the diversity and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community and support the compassionate care provided by Fenway Health."

Blue Cross has been the title sponsor of Bluebikes since its launch in May 2018. Through its partnership with the municipal owners of Bluebikes, Blue Cross continues to support system growth and accessibility, including station expansions, upgrades and additional bikes.

Bluebikes is public transportation by bike. The system is jointly owned and managed by the Cities of Boston, Cambridge, Everett, Salem and Somerville and the Town of Brookline. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is the system's title sponsor. Riders can find 400 stations and 4,000 bikes across 11 municipalities in Metro Boston. Since 2011, more than 14 million trips have been taken by bike share. For more information about Bluebikes, visit bluebikes.com.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (bluecrossma.org) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are committed to the relentless pursuit of quality, affordable and equitable health care with an unparalleled consumer experience. Consistent with our promise to always put our members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts