Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) is an American federation of 39 separate community-based and locally operated health insurance organizations and companies. The 39 Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies provide top-quality and affordable health insurance services to over a hundred million people in the United States for about 80 years now.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is one of the country’s oldest and largest organizations in the health insurance industry. It is also one of the largest employers in its industry, utilizing a workforce of 1,000 employees. The organization provides its healthcare insurance services to all of the country’s 50 states.

The Blue Shield and Blue Cross associations were established separately, with the Blue Shield association created earlier in 1948, while the Blue Cross association was established a lot later in 1960. Blue Shield offered provided coverage physicians’ services, while its Blue Cross counterpart covered hospital services. The two entities only joined forces in 1982, forming into the BCBSA of today.

While the organization’s headquarters is located in Chicago Illinois, its extensive network of healthcare partners has reached 90% of hospitals and 80% of physicians in the U.S. Also, its brand and services have already reached 170 countries at the present.