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BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina

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BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Company typeMutual insurance
IndustryHealth Insurance
Founded1946 (Began)
1950 (Incorporated)
FounderSouth Carolina Hospital Service Plan
HeadquartersColumbia, South Carolina
Key people
Mike Mizeur,
Chief Executive
Ed Sellers,
Chairman, Board of Directors
Joe Sullivan,
Chairman, Board's Executive Committee
Number of employees
11,000+
Websitesouthcarolinablues.com

BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (BlueCross) is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.[1] BlueCross serves 21.5 million people through private business and government contracts.[2]

BlueCross has several subsidiaries, two of which are affiliates licensed with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Licensed subsidiaries include BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation and BlueChoice HealthPlan. Non-licensed affiliates include Companion Captive Insurance Company, Companion Life, PGBA, LLC, Planned Administrators, Inc. (PAI) and TCC of South Carolina.[3]

History

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BlueCross began as the South Carolina Hospital Service Plan, later becoming BlueCross of South Carolina (BlueCross), when the General Assembly passed legislation bringing this group into existence. In the spring of 1947, the South Carolina Hospital Service Plan merged with the Hospital Benefit Association of Greenville, giving them a financial base.[4] In 1971, BlueShield of South Carolina merged with BlueCross to form the current company.[5]

In July 2020, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation joined several organizations well-established in the trenches of diabetes care, including the Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina and the state's Department of Health and Environmental Control, to launch Diabetes Free SC, a long-term, multi-million dollar, statewide initiative dedicated to addressing these disparities in care in three strategic directions: improved pregnancy outcomes in women with diabetes; reduced lifelong risk of diabetes in children; and the prevention of diabetes and its complications in adults. The BlueCross Foundation awarded $11.6 million in three- to-five year grants to Prisma Health, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and FoodShareSC to support efforts in each of these categories.[6]

BlueChoice HealthPlan

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BlueChoice HealthPlan was founded in 1984, originally as Companion HealthCare, and was the first health maintenance organization (HMO) offered by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina.[7] To date, BlueChoice HealthPlan has nearly 200,000 members.[8]

In 2008 the HMO added a Medicaid option called BlueChoice HealthPlan Medicaid[9] for eligible South Carolinians.[10]

In 2013, A.M. Best affirmed BlueChoice HealthPlan's A+ (Superior) financial strength rating[11] as part of the group rating for BCBSSC.[12]

Other companies

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Other companies owned by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina include:[13][14]

  • Companion Benefit Alternatives - behavioral health benefits administrator founded in 1984
  • Companion Life - life, disability, and dental insurance, acquired by Blue Cross of South Carolina in 1970
  • Celerian Group - government programs, founded 2011
    • CGS - formerly Cigna Government Services, Medicare contracting, acquired in 2011[15]
    • Companion Data Services (CDS) - founded in 2000
    • JBS International - consulting, acquired in 2017[16]
    • Karna - consulting, acquired in 2018
    • Palmetto GBA - Medicare contracting, founded 1992
    • PGBA, LLC - TRICARE contracting, founded 1996
  • Planned Administrators, Inc. (PAI) - third-party administrator, acquired 1973
  • TCC of South Carolina - third-party administrator, formerly Thomas H. Cooper and Company

Coronavirus pandemic

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BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina decided to waive all out-of-pockets fees of the members for COVID-19 related treatments.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina". Cyberwoven. Archived from the original on 3 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  2. ^ "BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina - South Carolina Health Insurance Plans from BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina". Ehealthinsurance.com. Archived from the original on 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  3. ^ "Our Family of Companies | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina". Web.southcarolinablues.com. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  4. ^ "Company History". Company History | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. Cyberwoven. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  5. ^ "BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF SOUTH CAROLINA|Company Profile|Vault.com". Vault.com. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  6. ^ "BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Announces Statewide Initiative to Markedly Improve Health Outcomes through Diabetes Free SC". BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. Archived from the original on 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
  7. ^ "BlueChoice HealthPlan of South Carolina, Inc.: Private Company Information - Businessweek". Businessweek.com. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  8. ^ "BlueChoice HealthPlan". Bluechoicesc.com. Archived from the original on 2015-11-19. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  9. ^ "BlueChoice HealthPlan of South Carolina - Medicaid - Home". Bluechoicescmedicaid.com. Archived from the original on 2015-11-19. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  10. ^ "BlueChoice HealthPlan of South Carolina - Medicaid". Bluechoicescmedicaid.com. Archived from the original on 2015-11-19. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  11. ^ "BlueChoice HealthPlan of South Carolina, Inc. - Company Profile - Best's Credit Rating Center". 3.ambest.com. Retrieved 2015-12-01.[permanent dead link‍]
  12. ^ "About Blue Option". HealthInsuranceSC. BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08.
  13. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2024-06-12. Retrieved 2024-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2024-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2024-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2024-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. ^ Anderson, Zuri (2020-04-02). "BlueCross BlueShield of SC to waive COVID-19 treatment costs to members". WCIV. Archived from the original on 2021-12-03. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
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