CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is the largest health insurance company in the Mid-Atlantic region ýý serving over 3 million members.

CareFirst BCBS operates in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and northern Virginia.

Health Plans from CareFirst

CareFirst BCBS offers a wide variety of health plans that can be tailored for specific needs. They specialize in plans for individuals, families, and businesses of all sizes.

Individuals and families have a range of choices including the BlueChoice HMO or POS plans and the BluePreferred PPO plan. CareFirst also offers plans that are compatible with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

Businesses also have a broad range of options to provide health insurance for their workforce ýý including HMOs, PPOs, and POS plans. Employers can choose plans that allow employees to open an HSA.

CareFirst also offers traditional indemnity plans and optional dental and vision coverage.

CareFirstýýs History

The history of CareFirst BCBS dates back to 1934, when a hospital association formed Group Hospitalization, Inc. in Washington D.C. Group Hospitalization officially started using the Blue Cross service mark in 1942.

Then in 1948, a physicians group founded the Medical Service of the District of Columbia, and soon after adopted the Blue Shield name.

The two companies operated independently until 1971, when they opened a central office in Towson, Maryland. During that time they were known as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maryland.

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield was eventually created in 1998 ýý seven years after the Maryland Blues acquired the CareFirst Health Plan.

Today, CareFirst BCBS is the leader in health insurance for the Maryland and D.C. area ýý operating as a non-profit insurer.

The CareFirst Commitment Initiative

The mission of CareFirst is to provide affordable access to high-quality health care for every community they serve.

Thatýýs why they created the CareFirst Commitment. The goal of the initiative is to:

• Keep health care and insurance costs affordable
• Improve health care quality
• Advocate patient safety
• Improve health care access for racial and ethnic minorities

In 2005, CareFirst BCBS also pledged to use 2 percent of their net income to fund organizations and programs to help those in need.

Comparing Plans from CareFirst BCBS

If you want to view plans online from CareFirst and other leading insurance companies, use our Instant Quote tool. Or get competitive quotes from multiple agents licensed in your area. You can also Click-To-Call a local agent to get connected instantly, or see plans that match your budget with our Plan Finder.

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