The nonprofit health care prepayment plans (health insurance plans) which originated with hospitals and physicians, respectively. In many areas the Blue Cross (BC) and Blue Shield (BS) plans have merged. There are about 77 of these health insurance plans linked by a national association, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA).
The national association of the nonprofit health care prepayment plans, originated by hospitals and physicians, respectively, called Blue Cross (BC) and Blue Shield (BS) plans. The original stimulus for the national association was to facilitate the BC and BS plans entering into “national” contracts, for example, with large corporations having plants or offices in the territories of several BC and BS plans, each of which has somewhat different policies and benefit structures.