Is Blue Shield of California a good insurance?
The vast majority of Blue California's customers say they would recommend it to friends and family and just about all those polled said they'd renew their policies. It's No. 12 on Insure.com's 2024 Best Health Insurance Companies list – earning 3.7 stars out of 5.
Kaiser Permanente is the best health insurance company in California. Kaiser Permanente has the highest quality and satisfaction rating possible, according to Covered California. In most of California, Kaiser isn't the cheapest option.
Anthem Blue Cross is a publicly-trade, for profit company. Blue Shield of California is a non-profit.
Blue Shield of California is a mutual benefit corporation and health plan founded in 1939 by the California Medical Association. It is based in Oakland, California, and serves 4.5 million health plan members and more than 65,000 physicians across the state.
The five largest health insurance companies are UnitedHealth Group, Anthem, Kaiser Permanente, Ambetter and Humana. Currently insured?
- Best Overall: Blue Cross Blue Shield.
- Highest Quality Plans: Kaiser Permanente.
- Most Health Management Programs: Oscar.
- Best for Same-Day Care: Aetna CVS Health.
Health insurance company ratings
Kaiser Permanente is the top-rated health insurance company in the U.S. Good insurance companies include Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Aetna and Cigna. The worst-rated health insurance companies are Oscar, Molina and Ambetter.
All Blue Shield plans provide nationwide coverage; we tap into the same network of providers as other Blue plans across the country.
Most Blue Cross Blue Shield members can rest easy since Blue Cross Blue Shield coverage opens doors in all 50 states and is accepted by over 90 percent of doctors and specialists. And if your extended travel plans take you abroad, you can ensure you have access to quality care through GeoBlue.
While Anthem usually has lower rates, Blue Cross Blue Shield has better customer service and is available in more areas. Anthem is one of the brands within the Blue Cross Blue Shield group, which is one of the largest health insurance companies in the country.
Is Blue Shield of California only for California residents?
Is Blue Shield available outside of California? Yes! Blue Shield is a California-based national carrier with nationwide coverage for 100% of U.S. zip codes. We offer plans to California-headquartered groups and to groups with employee populations in California.
- Kaiser Permanente: Best health insurance.
- Aetna: Best health insurance for young adults.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield: Best health insurance for the self-employed.
- UnitedHealthcare: Best health insurance provider network.
Blue Shield of California is an HMO, HMO D-SNP, PPO, and PDP plan with a Medicare contract and a contract with the California State Medicaid Program. Enrollment in Blue Shield of California depends on contract renewal.
| Company | Forbes Advisor Rating | Our expert take |
|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | 5.0 | Best overall |
| USAA | 4.8 | Best for military members and veterans |
| Travelers | 4.7 | Great for drivers with speeding tickets |
| Erie | 4.6 | Best for drivers who caused an accident |
HMO plans typically have lower monthly premiums. You can also expect to pay less out of pocket. PPOs tend to have higher monthly premiums in exchange for the flexibility to use providers both in and out of network without a referral. Out-of-pocket medical costs can also run higher with a PPO plan.
Platinum health insurance is the highest-priced level of health insurance you can buy. You pay expensive monthly premiums. In exchange, you get a low deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, copays and coinsurance. A Platinum health plan will best fit you if you have serious or chronic health concerns.
Kaiser Permanente's overall star ratings are higher, but Cigna gets better scores for member experience. Kate Ashford is a writer and NerdWallet authority on Medicare. She is a certified senior advisor (CSA)® and has more than 18 years of experience writing about personal finance.
Major California carriers
Currently, depending on the market segment you're looking at, Kaiser, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Health Net, Aetna, United (group), and AARP (Senior) are the main carriers in California.
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. Healthcare coverage is one of the most important decisions you make. Choose the card that opens doors in all 50 states.
What's the worst medical insurance company?
UnitedHealthcare is the worst insurance company for paying claims with about one-third of claims denied. Kaiser Permanente is the best large health insurance company for paying claims, denying only 7% of medical bills.
Among the private health and general insurance companies, Reliance General Insurance tops the list with 98.75% of claims settled within the first three months of initiating the claim in 2023-24. HDFC Ergo General Insurance comes next.
Thank you for choosing Blue Shield. As a PPO plan member, you have a lot of flexibility. The benefits of being a PPO plan member are: You have access to our Exclusive PPO Network, which is the only statewide PPO network and includes more than 50,000 doctors and 350 hospitals across California.
Ambulance, litter van, wheelchair van and by air medical transportation are covered when a member needs transportation to obtain medically necessary health care services but a member's medical and physical condition is such that transportation by ordinary means of public or private vehicle is not medically advisable.
Since Anthem licenses with Blue Cross Blue Shield, it only offers its own health insurance brands in certain states, including California, New York, and a dozen more. If you don't live in a state with Anthem health insurance, you may want to search for your own regional Blue Cross Blue Shield regional company.
