Is Blue Cross Blue Shield private or state?

Asked by: Cordia Kling  |  Last update: May 11, 2025
Score: 5/5 (34 votes)

Blue Cross Blue Shield is a private insurer that offers Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. The plans they offer have various pros and cons, including cost and coverage.

Is Blue Cross Blue Shield public or private?

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana is a tax-paying non-profit that was founded in 1934 in New Orleans. An independent licensee of the BCBSA, it is a privately held mutual company without shareholders, which is wholly owned by its policyholders.

Is Blue Cross Blue Shield a federal or state program?

About the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan (FEP®) The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan, also known as the Federal Employee Program® (FEP), has been part of the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program since its inception in 1960.

Is BCBSNC a private company?

BCBSNC is a fully taxed, not-for-profit North Carolina company with with major operations centers in Durham, Fayetteville, Winston-Salem, and an office in Charlotte. We employ more than 4,700 North Carolinians and serve more than 3.89 million customers.

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield cover across state lines?

You and your enrolled dependents may access PPO benefits when you're traveling or temporarily living outside your home state with the BlueCard program. The BlueCard also covers enrolled dependents, including students and family members, who temporarily reside outside your home state.

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31 related questions found

Is BCBS accepted in all states?

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield System

BCBS understands and answers the needs of local communities, while providing nationwide health care coverage for 115 million members in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Can I use my health insurance out of state?

Some plan types, like PPO or OAP plans, allow for full access to any and all participating providers in that carrier's network, regardless of which state you reside in. Other plan types, like HMO or POS plans, will cover emergency services anywhere in the country but may not cover routine care in another state.

Who owns Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance?

The Association owns and manages Blue Cross and Blue Shield trademarked plans in over 170 countries and grants licenses to independent companies to use the names in exclusive geographic areas. BCBSA companies provide health insurance to over 115 million people in the United States.

What is the best healthcare insurance?

Investopedia's analysis ranks Kaiser Permanente as the best health insurance company for 2025 because of its blend of affordability and low customer complaints. UnitedHealthcare and Aetna also earned top marks. We evaluated nine insurers using dozens of criteria, such as customer satisfaction, plan types, and costs.

Can I use Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina out of state?

Your ID card gives you access to participating providers in and outside the state of North Carolina through the Blue Card® Program, and benefits for these in-network providers are covered at the in-network benefit level.

Is BCBS a state insurance?

Blue Cross Blue Shield is a private insurer that offers Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. The plans they offer have various pros and cons, including cost and coverage.

Is Blue Cross Blue Shield Basic a PPO?

The Basic plan from BC Life & Health is a PPO that covers you for hospital care and other expensive health services.

Is Blue Shield PPO or HMO better?

HMO plans are generally less expensive than PPO plans, with lower monthly payments, making them ideal if your favorite doctors are already in the network, or if you receive most of your care close to home.

Who is buying out Blue Cross Blue Shield?

Elevance Health's $2.5 billion acquisition of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA) is on pause yet again amid concerns about the impact on competition.

Is Blue Cross Blue Shield government?

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) is the trade association for the independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield member companies. BCBSA negotiates annually with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to determine the benefits and premiums for the Service Benefit Plan.

Is $200 a month good for health insurance?

Health insurance that costs $200 per month is a good deal in California. Silver plans typically cost $513 per month for a 21-year-old or $656 per month for a 40-year-old. The best way to get cheap rates is to use health insurance subsidies, which lower the cost of an insurance plan based on your income.

What is the most expensive health insurance?

Platinum health insurance is the most expensive type of health care coverage you can purchase. You pay low out-of-pocket expenses for appointments and services, but high monthly premiums.

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield cover all 50 states?

With access to the largest provider network in the world, your Excellus BlueCross BlueShield plan offers a world of options. Our members have access to medical assistance services, doctors, and hospitals in all 50 states and more than 200 countries and territories around the world.

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield cross state lines?

Every Blue Cross Blue Shield plan participates in the BlueCard program that allows you to use your plan benefits to access care anywhere inside the United States. Depending on the type of plan you have, you may only be covered in emergency situations. This is the case if you have an HMO network plan, for example.

What's the difference between Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield?

Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield are related, but they are not the same company. While they are both top health insurance providers in the USA, the big difference is that Blue Cross Blue Shield is the umbrella that is made up of several independent companies, and one of these smaller companies is Anthem.

What insurance is accepted in all 50 states?

Medicare is run by the federal government, which is why Original Medicare coverage is the same in every state and includes nationwide access to providers.

What is the difference between a PPO and a HMO?

HMOs (health maintenance organizations) are typically cheaper than PPOs, but they tend to have smaller networks. You need to see your primary care physician before getting a referral to a specialist. PPOs (preferred provider organizations) are usually more expensive.

How long can I stay on my parents insurance blue cross blue shield?

The Affordable Care Act requires plans and issuers that offer coverage to children on their parents' plan to make the coverage available until the adult child reaches the age of 26.