subject: A Closer Look At Two Health Insurance Providers [print this page] The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a group of 39 companies and organizations which provide health insurance coverage for at least 100 million Americans across the nation. There is a wide variety of companies which are part of this association, including publicly listed companies and single-state private firms.
This association first began as two separate business entities which later merged: Blue Cross' history dates back to 1929 while Blue Shield began in 1939. It has firms throughout the United States, the District of Colombia, and in Puerto Rico. They offer different types of healthcare insurance, such as Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Point of Service (POS), and even Flexible Savings Accounts to fit the needs of an employer needing a group healthcare subscription or individually purchased insurance.
Since Blue Cross Blue Shield Association insurance companies operate in different states, the laws which govern different policies and plans may be different. There are also different plans available for subscribers in different states because the association does not regularize the product offerings of the various companies operating within the organization; so a plan that is available in one state may not be in another.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is also the administrator of Medicare in many states of the United States. They are also responsible for providing federal government insurance coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan. This is a nationwide option where federal employees can choose their own insurance company.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association also provides a health insurance identity card called the BlueCard. It allows Blue Cross Blue Shield subscribers to avail of insured services even if travelling outside the service area of the Blue Company in which they are subscribed. This provides flexibility to subscribers so their insured services are not limited to one area, but anywhere a Blue company operates in. If a subscriber presents his BlueCard Identification card, he can avail of any service at any Blue company nationwide.
The largest health insurance provider within the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is Wellpoint Inc, which operates out of Indianapolis in Indiana.
Another valuable health insurance provider is the American National Insurance Company. It was first established in 1905 operating out of Galveston, Texas. It provides insurance throughout the United States, so it is under supervision from many different branches of government, both federal and state. It is a publicly traded company but most of the shares are owned by the Moody family. Like any other insurance company, it offers multiple types of health insurance coverage, such as Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), and Point of Service (POS).
It is listed in the Forbes 100 and is regarded as being one of the most trustworthy companies that are currently operating. Compared to other insurance providers which are still functioning, the American National Insurance Company is providing full coverage to slightly riskier cases. The American National Insurance Company operates many subsidiaries, one of which developed a large scale housing development project in Texas.
by: Casey Trillbar
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