The Blue Cross Story
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Finance -> subcategory Insurance.
The Blue Cross Story
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association stands as the largest private health insurance system in the United States, including Puerto Rico, and Canada. Made up of 55 independent, locally operated plans, it offered health care coverage to over 88 million people by 2003.
Origins
The story begins in 1929 with Justin Ford Kimball, who, as vice president of Baylor University in Dallas, Texas, pioneered a groundbreaking health plan. With experience managing the College of Medicine, School of Nursing, College of Dentistry, and the university hospital, Kimball introduced a plan ensuring teachers 21 days of hospital care for just 50 cents a month. This concept quickly spread from Dallas to nationwide employee groups.
The Rise of Blue Shield
Simultaneously, the Blue Shield concept gained traction in the Pacific Northwest's lumber and mining camps. Due to the hazardous work conditions, these industries needed regular medical care. Employers collaborated with physicians, paying them a monthly fee to address workers' medical needs, laying the groundwork for what would become Blue Shield Plans.
Symbolism Emerges
The blue cross symbol premiered in a 1934 advertisement for the Hospital Service Association, which would later evolve into Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. Viennese artist Joseph Binder was commissioned by company secretary E.A. van Steenwyk to design a poster featuring a blue Greek cross. This symbol quickly became associated with health plans nationwide.
In 1939, the American Hospital Association (AHA) adopted the Blue Cross symbol, signifying health plans meeting specific standards. The symbol remained under AHA's use until 1960, when the Blue Cross Association was established, lasting in affiliation until 1972.
The Shield is Forged
In 1939, the shield symbol was crafted by Carl Metzger in Buffalo, New York. The same year saw the founding of the first official Blue Shield plan in California. An early advocate of the Blue movement, Metzger sought a distinctive design for the new medical service plan. By 1948, the symbol was embraced by nine plans now known as the National Association of Blue Shield Plans.
A Unified Legacy
Over time, the concepts of Blue Cross and Blue Shield firmly took root. In 1982, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association emerged from the merger of the Blue Cross Association and the National Association of Blue Shield Plans. This merger unified their brand symbols, creating one of America's most iconic emblems.
A Giant in Health Care
By 2003, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association boasted $182.7 billion in revenue, manifesting the evolution of managed health care in the United States. The designs and concepts introduced by Blue Cross-Blue Shield have deeply shaped the landscape of health insurance.
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