Overview

  • HCSC operates the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, employing 17,000 people and serving more than 12.4 million members - 38% in national employer plans, 32% in large local employer plans, 10% in small employer plans, 10% in individual plans and 10% in government plans.
  • HCSC is the fourth largest health insurance company in the United States and the largest customer-owned health insurer. In 2008, the company's gross revenue totaled $39.9 billion.
  • HCSC is the most financially secure health insurer in the United States, with a rating of AA- (Very Strong) from Standard and Poor's, A1 (Good) from Moody’s and A+ (Superior) from A.M. Best Company.
  • HCSC retains full or joint ownership of a number of subsidiary companies, including Fort Dearborn Life Insurance Co., Dental Network of America, MEDecision, Availity, Prime Therapeutics and RealMed.

Measures of Success

  • As the largest customer-owned health insurer in the country, HCSC views health care financing, access and delivery with a long-term perspective that promotes the entire health care system, not just the company's position.
  • Among the keys to HCSC's success is the collaborative approach the company employs to develop health care solutions with physicians, hospitals, employers, the government and community-based health organizations.
  • HCSC measures its success in four primary ways:
    • Financial strength: HCSC recognizes that its members depend on the company to provide health-related financial security and protection from overwhelming health care costs.
    • Membership: By maintaining strong levels of health plan membership, HCSC is not only able to provide access to more affordable, quality health care, but also is able to spread risk and medical expenditures across a large enough population to help offset rising health care costs for its members.
    • Administrative costs: Although administrative costs only account for about 10 cents of a health care premium dollar, HCSC recognizes that as the company can reduce those costs, it can help slow the rate of premium price increases.
    • Member loyalty: HCSC's member loyalty in comparison to other health insurers' member loyalty shows how well the company is performing versus its peers in the eyes of the customer.

Performance Outcomes

  • In 2009, despite the economic recession and its impact on the health insurance industry, HCSC retained its industry-leading financial strength ratings of A+ (Superior) from A.M. Best Company and AA- (Very Strong) from Standard and Poor's. HCSC also has a rating of A1 (Good) from Moody’s.
  • In 2009, HCSC grew by nearly 300,000 members. That followed growth of 789,050 members in 2003; 760,940 in 2004; 1,035,306 in 2005; 663,195 in 2006; 559,458 in 2007; and 601,747 in 2008.
  • In 2009, HCSC's member loyalty score was 7.2 points above the member loyalty of other health insurers.