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Blue cross Blue Shield

Introduction

Blue Cross is a name used by an association of health insurance plans throughout United States. Justin Ford Kimball, at Baylor University in Dallas, Texas, developed Blue Cross in 1929. It is an independent membership association that operates on service basis and provides protection against the costs of hospital care. Benefit payments are made directly to the hospital. Benefits differ among a variety of Blue Cross associations. Blue Cross plans are usually established on a group basis. However, individual enrollment is sometimes permitted, and plans of community enrollment are undertaken in some localities. Blue Cross plans are usually, but not always organized under special state legislation.

The familiar title for the Associated Medical Care Plans, an independent membership association cooperating with Blue Cross and provides protection against the costs of surgery, doctors, and other items of medical care. Benefit payments are made directly to the doctor and not to the policy owner. Blue Shield is an independent, non-profit membership corporation providing protection on a service basis against the cost of surgical and medical care in a limited geographical area.

The Blue Shield concept was developed at the beginning of the twentieth century by the employers in lumber and mining camps of the Pacific Northwest to provide medical care by paying monthly fees to medical service bureaus composed of groups of physicians. The first official Blue Shield Plan was founded in California in 1939. In 1948 the symbol was casually adopted by nine plans called the Associated Medical Care Plan, and was later renamed as the National Association of Blue Shield Plans. A physician expense insurance plan offered by a regionally operated health care provider affiliate with a large national nonprofit health care organization.

Blue cross Blue shield association

Blue cross/ Blue shield is a registered trademark of blue cross and blue shield association. Blue Shield of California offer resources for consumers seeking medical and dental health plan information. It is an independent member of the Blue Shield Association. Blue Shield and the Shield Symbol are registered marks of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, an Association of Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans. With 3.3 million members and $6.9 billion in annual revenue, Blue Shield of California is the state's third largest health plan. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco, Blue Shield is a not-for-profit corporation with about 4,300 employees and more than 20 offices throughout California.