Blue Cross Blue Shield

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas knows health care coverage in Texas — we invented it. We’re Texas born and bred, and this is the only place we do business.

We have been around for more than 80 years, and the cross and shield have come to represent the most experienced health care coverage organization in the state and the nation. Our mission is still focused on providing financially sound health care coverage to as many Texans as possible.

As the state’s largest health insurer, we serve some of the best known Texas companies, including American Airlines, Brinker International, Brookshire Grocery, Dell, Halliburton, H.E.B. Grocery, Pilgrim’s Pride, Rent-a-Center, Southern Methodist University (SMU), the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, Temple Inland, the Texas A&M System, Texas Instruments, Texas Medical Association and The University of Texas System.

We maintain our state headquarters in Richardson, with regional offices in Houston, Austin and Lubbock. In addition, we process our members’ claims in Texas in our claims and customer service facilities in Abilene, Marshall, Richardson, San Angelo, Waco and Wichita Falls.

We’re a statewide customer-owned health insurer in Texas. We believe Texas consumers and employers deserve the best of both worlds — access to affordable, quality health care and top-notch service from a company that focuses solely on customers, not shareholders. Customer value is our cornerstone.

We grew up in local Texas communities, and we’ve stayed there. However, our significant local presence throughout the state is just one reason why the cross and shield create peace of mind when it comes to choosing health insurance. Here are a few other reasons:

• We have a special relationship with physicians and hospitals dating back to 1929. We remain committed to partnering with physicians and hospitals to provide access to affordable, quality health care, and we are a collaborative partner seeking solutions to joint concerns with employers, physicians, hospitals and governmental bodies.
• Our health maintenance organization (HMO) and preferred provider organization (PPO) networks are large. For example, the HMO Blue Texas network includes more than 451 hospitals and 38,000 providers statewide (Source: Internal PREMIER Reports, July 2009).
• In addition to providing broad access to affordable care, we have a commitment to member empowerment in personal health and wellness.
• We administer the state’s Texas Health Insurance Pool, which provides health insurance to eligible Texas residents who, due to medical conditions are unable to obtain coverage from commercial insurers (Source: Texas Health Insurance Pool website).
• Since 1997, our statewide Care Van Program has given more than 712,522 free immunizations/screenings to over 428,890 uninsured Texas children through November 2009. (Source: Internal Care Van Program Activity Report, November 2007).

As a division of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is among the financially strongest health insurers in the nation, providing our members with a high level of confidence and security.