Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, chartered in 1933, was one of the state’s first health plans. Its founding mission was to promote a wider, more economical and timely availability of health services for the people of Minnesota. We’ve remained true to that mission for more than 70 years.

Membership

Blue Cross is the largest health plan in Minnesota, providing health care coverage to more than 2.6 million members, more than 1.7 million living in Minnesota. Blue Cross has achieved record enrollment each of the past five years, adding nearly 400,000 members since the beginning of 2001 from such new accounts as General Mills/Pillsbury, Northwest Airlines, Target, organized labor groups, and a variety of other organizations. Blue Cross also serves as a health care safety net for more than 126,000 Minnesotans enrolled in government-sponsored programs, more than 172,000 individual members through its Medicare supplement programs, and another 140,000 Medicare members carried through employment groups. In addition, Blue Cross covers employees of more than 315 public schools and around 345 city, county and other government agencies.

Financial stability

A not-for-profit, taxable organization, Blue Cross and its affiliates — under the parent corporation Aware Integrated Inc. — had total gross revenues in 2004 of more than $6.6 billion. More than 88 percent of health care premiums it received were paid back out for health care claims. In addition, Blue Cross and its affiliates paid more than $106.8 million in 2004 in taxes and assessments.

Network strength and service

Blue Cross offers its customers access to 96 percent of health care providers statewide. It’s the only Minnesota health plan with true statewide coverage and access to providers in all areas of the state. The National Committee for Quality Assurance has awarded its highest accreditation status, for service and clinical quality, to the three main components of Blue Cross’ managed care business. Headquartered in the St. Paul suburb of Eagan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has more than 4,000 full-time employees. In addition to its Eagan headquarters, Blue Cross operates district offices throughout rural Minnesota and runs business operations centers in Virginia and Aurora, Minnesota. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and its licensed affiliates are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association in Chicago.

Health improvement

Blue Cross empowers people to improve their health through its relationships with providers, benefit designs that cover preventive services, and care management efforts. Blue Cross focuses extensive efforts on three areas: tobacco reduction, influenza prevention, and heart disease prevention and management. Additional initiatives include Blue Cross’ groundbreaking care support programs for chronic conditions and diseases, as well as programs for healthy pregnancies and births, diabetes, hypertension, and mammography, plus nurse phone lines, and health education/consumer information.

Affiliates licensed by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation looks beyond health care today for ideas that create healthier communities tomorrow. The foundation is the largest grant-making foundation in Minnesota dedicated exclusively to improving community health in the state. Since 1986, it has awarded more than $15 million to make a healthy difference in Minnesotans’ lives.

BlueLink TPA

A full-service provider of third-party administrative services for self-funded companies located in Minnesota.

BluePlus

A state-regulated, traditional health maintenance organization (HMO) that offers health plans and care networks throughout Minnesota, conducts research and promotes quality improvement.

Care Delivery Management Inc.

Offers a variety of care management services, such as the Healthy Start® program, which encourages better health and care for new mothers and their babies.

First Plan of Minnesota

A regional HMO based in northeastern Minnesota that provides health care coverage through its network of primary care and specialty clinics. First Plan also conducts claims processing for Blue Cross.

MII Life Inc.

A Minnesota stock insurance corporation authorized to write life insurance in Minnesota.