Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

This article is about American medical insurance companies. For other uses, see Blue Cross (disambiguation).

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
Founded1929; 95 years ago (1929)
13-5656874[1]
Legal status501(c)(4) public welfare organization[1]
Location
Coordinates41°53′11″N 87°37′26″W / 41.8864516°N 87.6239771°W / 41.8864516; -87.6239771
ProductsHealth insurance PPOs and HMOs
Kim Keck[1]
SubsidiariesHealth Services Foundation
BC and BS Foundation on Health Care
BCBSA Services Inc[1]
Revenue (2014)
$457,383,677[1]
Expenses (2014)$449,635,361[1]
Employees (2014)
1,253[1]
Websitewww.bcbs.com Edit this at Wikidata

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, also known as BCBS, BCBSA, or The Blues, is a United States-based federation with 34 independent and locally-operated BCBSA companies that provide health insurance in the United States to more than 115 million people as of 2022.[2][3]

It was formed in 1982 from the merger of its two namesake organizations: Blue Cross was founded in 1929 and became the Blue Cross Association in 1960, and Blue Shield emerged in 1939 and the Blue Shield Association was created in 1948. Its headquarters are at 300 E. Randolph Street in Chicago, Illinois.[4]

BCBSA claims to control access to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield trademarks and names across the United States and in more than 170 other countries, which it then licenses to the affiliated companies for specific, exclusive geographic service areas.[5] It has affiliated plans in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, and licensees offering plans in several foreign countries; it also participates in the nationwide health insurance program for employees of the United States federal government.[6]

BCBSA manages communications between its members and the operating policies required to be a licensee of the trademarks. This permits each BCBSA company to offer nationwide insurance coverage through its BlueCard provider network and claims reimbursement program even though it operates only in its designated service area.[5]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax Archived June 16, 2021, at the Wayback Machine". Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Guidestar. December 31, 2014.
  2. ^ "Blue Facts Sheet 2022" Archived November 8, 2022, at the Wayback Machine Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, BCBS.com.
  3. ^ "Blue Cross Blue Shield Association - Supporting the 36 Independent, Locally Operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Companies - BCBS.com". bcbs.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  4. ^ The Blues: History of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield System by Robert Cunningham III and Robert M. Cunningham Jr. Archived April 12, 2019, at the Wayback Machine 1997; page 3. ISBN 9780875802244
  5. ^ a b "The Blue Cross Blue Shield System | Blue Cross Blue Shield". www.bcbs.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  6. ^ "BCBS® Companies and Licensees | Blue Cross Blue Shield". www.bcbs.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2019.