Guide To Health Insurance.org

About Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield

The WellPoint Corporation, formed in 2004 by the merger of WellPoint Health Networks, Inc. and Anthem, Inc., is a leading U.S. health benefit company. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, WellPoint provides comprehensive group and individual health benefit, life, and disability products. Its family of businesses includes the fully owned, Blue-licensed subsidiary Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (Anthem BCBS).

Blue Cross Blue Shield is the brand name for an association of 38 independent BlueCross® BlueShield® companies—otherwise known as the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) —with member companies in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada. BCBSA has been around since 1982, but its founding entities, Blue Cross Organization and National Association of Blue Shield Plans, have been in operation since the early twentieth century. WellPoint is the largest single BCBSA member with operations in 14 states (including Anthem BCBS subsidiaries).

Anthem BCBS operates in Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Virginia. It offers a wide range of employer-provided and individual health insurance products, as well as select non-insurance products such as HSAs.

Anthem BCBS Plans

For individuals, families, and the self-employed, Anthem BCBS carries two lines of insurance plans:

• BluePreferred PPO for Individuals—a full-coverage PPO plan available with several deductible, premium and copay choices, no deductible for physician office visits, prescription drug, preventative and emergency care, and vision benefits. Benefits travel along with participants through the national BlueCard Program.
  
  
• TonikSM Health Plans—billed as “simple health care plans,” Tonik's three PPO healthcare plans are aimed at the young and healthy. They offer preventive, emergency, prescription, dental, and vision coverage.
  
  

Designed to provide Medigap coverage for Medicare beneficiaries, Anthem BCBS's Medicare Supplement Plans provide government-prescribed Basic Benefits. Five standardized plans (A, B, F, I, and J) offer a range of deductible, travel emergency, skilled nursing care, preventative care, and at-home recovery visit benefits to fit many needs and budgets.

Contracted with Medicare, Blue MedicareRxSM Prescription Drug Coverage provides a suite of three new Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D), designed to fit different needs and budgets:

• Blue MedicareRx Value—offers the lowest monthly premium and low co-payments after a deductible.
  
  
• Blue MedicareRx Plus—a no deductible mid-level plan.
  
  
• Blue MedicareRx Premier—benefits for generic drugs during gap coverage and the largest choice of medications as well as choice to use non-plan preferred medications.
  
  

Anthem BCBS's consumer-directed HSA plans and Anthem ByDesign™ plans give participants the opportunity to set aside pretax dollars in tax-advantaged savings accounts. Consumer-directed plans allow participants to spend a portion of their healthcare dollars as they choose. Anthem's HSA plan is only offered in conjunction with Anthem's High-deductible Health Plans (HDHPs), while ByDesign is offered in conjunction with employer/group health programs.

Anthem BCBS's employer-provided healthcare benefits consist of PPO, HMO, and POS programs tailored specifically to the unique needs of small, mid-sized, and large employers.

Anthem Headquarters

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is located at 120 Monument Circle, Indianapolis, IN 46204, (317) 488-6000.