Most Michiganders know Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan as a health insurance company, supporting the better health of our communities for the past 84 years. It makes sense. We cover more than one in three people in Michigan – providing our members with access to high-quality health care through the largest network of doctors and hospitals. Our strong Michigan foundation has allowed us to become one of the top 10 health plans in the nation with leading PPO, HMO and Medicaid offerings, as well as competitive Medicare Advantage plans.
Many of our members work for Michigan-based employers, and we are ready to help businesses large and small, offering integrated solutions with medical, pharmacy and a full suite of specialty benefit offerings.
But the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan of today is much more than a health plan. Our enterprise family of companies has evolved – now offering services and products in health care and beyond. Blue Cross is a diversified, multi-business enterprise with members and customers in all 50 states. Our business portfolio includes:
- Commercial health insurance
- Dental and vision
- Health care technology
- Long-term care insurance
- Medicaid
- Medicare Advantage
- Business process services
- Specialty benefits
- Workers’ compensation
The diversification of our company is what allows us to stay true to our mission: helping everyone in Michigan achieve their best health – through affordable care at the right time and in the right place.
As a nonprofit mutual insurer, the importance of diversification is clear as we strive to maintain health care affordability for our members. Our financial margins have remained small, averaging 1% over the last 10 years. The strong performance of our subsidiary companies enables Blue Cross to not be solely reliant on health plan revenue for capital. This diversification has steered our enterprise through the economic challenges of the past three years, allowing us to moderate prices on health insurance – and keep our commitments to help the most vulnerable in our communities.
For example, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Blue Cross advanced more than $650 million to health systems and other Michigan providers who were closing down their elective services to shift resources to front-line care. This kept our health care economy financially sound. We also invested hundreds of millions in COVID-19 care for our members – without factoring those costs into our fully-insured customer premiums in either 2020 or 2021.
Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Blue Cross has put more than $2.8 billion behind support for members, customers and providers – including covering COVID vaccines, testing and treatment.
Our diversified business model is also helping us pursue innovative partnerships to drive the future of health care. Pending regulatory approvals, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan intends to enter an affiliation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont. This affiliation preserves strong, local and committed health plans in our respective states, with a unique approach to enable growth, pursue new solutions and strive for affordability.
Community is at the heart of our organization, as we fund efforts to expand access and break down barriers to health care, as well as our work with doctors and hospitals to improve quality and efficiency.
Learn more about how Blue Cross is ready to help our customers, members and communities here.
