What's the difference between Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield?
Asked by: Dr. Chad Anderson II | Last update: June 27, 2025Score: 4.6/5 (18 votes)
Is Anthem Blue Cross different from 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.
Why is Blue Cross Blue Shield now an Anthem?
The Blues plans are unique and how they work has been largely answered. Anthem is a brand--a brand that's owned by a company called ``Elevance Health''. They were formerly called ``Anthem'', but rebranded in 2022. They held on to the Anthem brand because of the strength it has across its footprint.
What states does Anthem Blue Cross cover?
We serve our members as the Blue Cross licensee for California and as the Blue Cross and Blue Shield, or BCBS, licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (in the New York City metropolitan area and ...
Did Anthem buy out Blue Cross Blue Shield?
In 1996, The Associated Group changed its name to Anthem Insurance Company. In August 1997, Anthem acquired Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Connecticut. It also sold Acordia to management. In 1999, Anthem acquired Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Hampshire and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado and Nevada.
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Vs. Aetna: Who is Better?
What is the cheapest health insurance in California?
Affordable health insurance in California for 2025
L.A. Care has the cheapest rates in California, and it's the cheapest health insurance company for about a quarter of the people in California. But you can only get L.A. Care if you live in Los Angeles County.
What is the lawsuit against Anthem Blue Cross?
The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office's lawsuit alleged that Anthem Blue Cross used secret internal units to identify and target policyholders who became ill. Furthermore, the lawsuit alleged 500,000 consumers were tricked into buying ultimately worthless insurance policies because of the company's false advertising.
Does Anthem cover anesthesia?
The spokesperson added, "To be clear, it never was and never will be the policy of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to not pay for medically necessary anesthesia services. The proposed update to the policy was only designed to clarify the appropriateness of anesthesia consistent with well-established clinical guidelines.”
What states is Blue Cross Blue Shield accepted?
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.
Is Anthem Blue Cross Medicare?
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, a Medicare Advantage Organization with a Medicare Contract in Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin, offer HMO, HMO D-SNP, HMO C-SNP, HMO I-SNP, LPPO, LPPO D-SNP and/or RPPO.
Does Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield have another name?
Why are you changing the name of Empire BlueCross BlueShield and Empire BlueCross? Empire has been an Anthem company since 2006. Becoming Anthem in New York represents our continued journey to bring together everything that Anthem offers our members and our communities across our 14 states.
What happened to Blue Cross Blue Shield?
Court issues preliminary approval of $2.8 billion Blue Cross Blue Shield provider settlement. A $2.8 billion settlement from Blue Cross Blue Shield to health care providers resolving a 12-year antitrust lawsuit received preliminary approval yesterday from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
What is Anthem Life?
Group Life Insurance Products
Anthem Life's product offerings for employee benefit plans include group term life, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), dependent life, supplemental life, and AD&D. The employer selects the coverage and benefit amounts and pays all or part of the premium.
How do I know which Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield I have?
If you forget or aren't sure what type of health insurance plan you have (like an HMO or PPO), you can find out on your BCBS ID card. If you have an HMO, your card may also list the physician or group you've selected for primary care.
Is Anthem the same as blue card?
BlueCard PPO gives you access to Anthem PPO benefits all across the nation by uniting Anthem's network with those of other Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensed companies. In fact, more than 85 percent of all hospitals and physicians throughout the U.S. contract with Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.
What is the difference between a PPO and epo?
For example, members can only use hospitals, doctors, imaging facilities, and pharmacies contracted by the EPO. In comparison, a PPO offers coverage for both in-network and out-of-network providers and facilities. However, Members will pay a higher out-of-pocket cost for using providers outside the network.
Is Anthem Blue Cross the same as Blue Cross?
Anthem is part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield group. Blue Cross Blue Shield is made up of independent companies. Anthem is one of these companies. Other Blue Cross Blue Shield brands include Highmark, Regence and CareFirst.
What is the difference between Blue Cross and Blue Shield?
Blue Cross and Blue Shield developed separately, with Blue Cross providing coverage for hospital services and Blue Shield covering physicians' services. Blue Cross is a name used by an association of health insurance plans throughout the United States.
What is Anthem out of pocket maximum?
$6,600 Individual / $13,200 Family for Anthem Preferred PPO Providers. $8,600 Individual / $19,200 Family for Out-of- Network Providers. UC Select and Anthem Preferred PPO Out of Pocket maximum amounts cross accumulate.
Does Anthem pay for MRI?
Anthem has stopped covering patients in nine states1 for MRI and CT scans performed in hospital outpatient settings - unless the exam qualifies for an “exception.”
Does Anthem cover colonoscopy?
Colonoscopies that are done for screening purposes and use an appropriate preventive screening diagnosis code (even if polyps are removed) are covered as a preventive screening with no member cost share (such as copayment, coinsurance and/or deductible).
Why is Blue Cross Blue Shield being sued?
The lawsuit, filed on January 8, 2013, alleged antitrust violations by Blue Cross and Blue Shield (“BCBS”), including accusations that the BCBS companies entered into agreements not to compete with each other by allocating specific geographic markets that each sold insurance in.
How much is the payout for the Blue Cross Blue Shield lawsuit?
If you or your business provided health care services, equipment or supplies to Blues Plan enrollees, including Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California or out-of-state Blue Card patients, anytime from July 24, 2008, to October 4, 2024, you may be eligible to submit a claim for your share of the $2.8 billion ...
Is Anthem a Blue Cross product?
Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. Anthem Blue Cross and Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Association.