Blue Cross Blue Shield

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) is a national federation of 39 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more than 70 years, the 39 Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies have provided millions of families with top-quality, affordable health insurance.

Blue

Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance companies are franchisees, independent of the association offering insurance plans within defined regions under one or both of the association's brands. Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers offer some form of health insurance coverage in every US state. They also act as administrators of Medicare in many states or regions of the U.S., and regularly can be found providing group coverage to state government employees, as well as the U.S. Federal government under a nationwide option of the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan established by the association on their behalf. Thus a strong bond exists between the Blue Cross Blue Shield system and health insurance policy-making bodies.