Anthem Blue Shield and Blue Cross is a entity that provides health insurance coverage in many states.
Not so in California.
Their website notes that the Blue Cross Blue Shield Product is comprised of 35 independent and locally operated companies. Actually, the various trade names for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association companies differ in certain states. And, in California, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California are actually separate and competing companies.
According to the corporate write-up in Wikipedia,
“Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is really a federation of 35 separate Usa medical health insurance companies that provide medical health insurance in the United States to more than 106 million people.”
A Look at Anthem Blue Cross
As we noted here, Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California, part of the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, or Anthem BCBS, system.
Anthem Blue medical health insurance offers affordable health coverage for members in California, as well as dental and vision coverage.
As the California subsidiary of Anthem, Inc., Anthem Blue Cross is a separate company from Blue Shield within the state of California. The insurance provider offers HMO, PPO, EPO, and Health Savings Account (HSA) compatible plans for small groups, large groups, and seniors. Employee group members are provided integrated health care and intuitive online tools.
Anthem may be the second-largest medical insurance provider within the U.S. for total members, with over 40 million covered, and was handed a b rating from the.M. Very best in 2022. Their network includes 330 acute care hospitals, as well as 52,874 contracted physicians and specialists.
Anthem's PPO networks are extensive and include most doctors and hospitals. With more than 8.3 million members just in California, Anthem Blue Cross provides coverage for additional Californians than every other medical health insurance provider within the state.
HealthForCalifornia.com notes,
“Anthem makes strides to strengthen physician partnerships, including those serving the rural Amador, Monterey, Shasta, Humboldt, Sutter, and Butte counties. It's also working to improve its provider list to ensure that consumers receive accurate information on current providers that can be found and could be covered.
And now, using its BlueCard program, EPO members that travel the U.S. will have access to a wide network of doctors and hospitals.”
In addition, Anthem is a a part of California's health exchange, Covered California, forever from the Affordable Care Act in 2022.
Considering Blue Shield of California
In contrast to Anthem Blue Cross, a for-profit company, Blue Shield of California is a not-for-profit health plan that was founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco. Blue Shield currently serves over 3 million members in California.
Blue Shield of California is the third-largest health plan within the state after Kaiser and Anthem Blue Cross and earned an A rating from the.M. Best in 2022.
As a not-for-profit corporation operating only in California, Blue Shield of California offers coverage for people, small and large groups markets, as well as Medicare supplemental plans and Medicare Advantage plans.
The company highlights that,
“With Blue Shield, you'll find the coverage in the price that's affordable for you. Blue Shield also provides financial assistance, and when you qualify, you may receive help with paying your coverage through Covered California.”
Blue Shield's small group plans are well-priced; however, business owners are only able to offer a full network or narrow network option, but not both networks.
Blue Shield of California is also certainly one of 3 preferred provider organizations to provide plans to all California ZIP codes and counties. According to the company, Blue Shield of California HMO plan members get access to a lot more than 29,700 doctors and 300 hospitals, while their PPO plan members get access to a lot more than 49,700 doctors and 350 hospitals.
As a nonprofit health plan provider, in 2011, the organization pledged to consider only two percent of the net income as revenue and give the rest to their visitors and community. Since causeing this to be pledge, Blue Shield has returned a lot more than $560 million.
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield – California Style
Because both of these health insurance California competitors are part of the same corporate association, their premiums are usually comparable. Based on your region, Anthem Blue Cross or Blue Shield of California might offer less expensive health plans.
However, overall, the rates tend to be about the same. The primary advantages would be the size of their networks.
Remember, too, that you can only see doctors in your HMO's network with an HMO plan. You will normally have a principal care doctor along with a medical group who refers and coordinates your care to specialists when needed.
With PPO plans, however, you can decide to see out-of-network doctors. However, remember that you are responsible for managing and paying the cost for any out-of-network visits.
Essentially, both Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California are consistently well-rated, relatively affordable, and both offer extensive coverage in California.
When you are looking at the supply of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California, both companies are part of the Covered California plans, in the state's health exchange program, and both offer affordable medical health insurance plans.
Suppose you are looking to choose from both of these major medical care insurance providers on your own and for your family. In that case, it is usually useful to seek the advice of a skilled health insurance agent, such as the folks at J.C. Lewis Insurance.
J.C. Lewis Can Help You when choosing the very best Health Care Coverage
J.C. Lewis Insurance, a long-time local and family-owned firm based in Sonoma County since 1979, consists of a team of expert brokers that provide individual and family medical health insurance plans.
We offer small company and individual health insurance plans from only the leading medical health insurance carriers which are licensed to do business in California.
In accessory for being experienced, professional brokers, we are licensed and authorized by each of these insurance companies to offer coverage to individuals, families, and small group employers along with Medicare supplemental and prescription drug plans for seniors.
When you're looking for vision, dental, or medical health insurance for the employees or you and your family, you probably have several questions and concerns.
At J.C. Lewis Insurance Services, we welcome your questions about insurance coverage, and you can be reassured that we will assist you in finding the best solution.
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