Anthem vs. Blue Cross Blue Shield: Cost, Coverage and Service
If you live in a state where both Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield sell health plans, Anthem is usually cheaper. In most states, though, you can only get either Anthem or Blue Cross Blue Shield.
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- Health Insurance
- Medicare Advantage
- Medicare Supplement
- Anthem usually has cheaper health insurance rates than Blue Cross Blue Shield in states where both companies are available.
- Both companies have good coverage options but worse-than-average customer service for health insurance plans.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield has better customer service on its Medicare Advantage plans, but Anthem usually has cheaper rates.
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| Full review | Anthem review | Blue Cross Blue Shield review |
Anthem isn't the same as Blue Cross Blue Shield, but it is part of the same group of companies.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield group is made up of several independent companies that all operate under the same brand. Blue Cross Blue Shield has at least one company in every state and Washington, D.C.
Anthem is one of the biggest Blue Cross Blue Shield companies and sells health insurance plans in 14 states.
Only the states where Anthem sells coverage alongside another Blue Cross Blue Shield company were used to compare the two companies. Focusing on states where Anthem and another Blue Cross Blue Shield company both sell plans makes it easier to show how the two companies are different.
Anthem vs. Blue Cross Blue Shield: Health insurance
Anthem usually has cheaper health insurance compared to Blue Cross Blue Shield, but both companies have good quality plans.
But in most states, you don't have to pick between the companies. You only have access to both companies if you live in California, Missouri, New York or Virginia.
Health insurance rates
Anthem health insurance is usually cheaper than Blue Cross Blue Shield.
- Anthem is cheaper than Blue Cross Blue Shield in California, Missouri and Virginia. If you live in New York, Blue Cross Blue Shield is a cheaper option.
- However, you can probably find a cheaper health insurance plan with another company entirely. Both Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield are more expensive than the state average in California, Missouri and New York.
- Only in Virginia is Anthem cheaper than the state average. And in New York, Blue Cross Blue Shield's average rate is the same as the state average.
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Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance rates by state
State | Anthem | BCBS | State avg. |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $785 | $802 | $728 |
| Missouri | $788 | $823 | $742 |
| New York | $1,148 | $1,090 | $1,090 |
| Virginia | $493 | $807 | $514 |
Average monthly costs for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan. Text color indicates whether each rate is worse, better or the same as the average.
Health insurance service
Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield both have worse-than-average customer service for health insurance.
Overall, both companies get more complaints than expected, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Anthem usually has lower-than-average scores from HealthCare.gov too, although Blue Cross Blue Shield gets better scores on that front.
Customer service metric | Anthem | BCBS |
|---|---|---|
| NAIC complaint index | 4.38 | 6.59 |
| Overall HC.gov rating | 3.0 | 3.6 |
| HC.gov medical care rating | 2.8 | 3.6 |
| HC.gov member experience rating | 4.3 | 4.5 |
| HC.gov plan administration rating | 3.4 | 3.8 |
Numbers are averages based on Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield companies in the states where both companies operate alongside each other. Text color indicates whether each metric is worse, better or the same as the average.
Because each Blue Cross Blue Shield company operates independently, service depends on where you live. In New York, for example, Anthem gets 11 times as many complaints as expected for a company its size, while the Blue Cross Blue Shield companies get hardly any complaints. Before buying a plan, it's worthwhile to check out the specific Anthem or Blue Cross Blue Shield company in your area to see if customers are happy.
Anthem vs. Blue Cross Blue Shield: Medicare Advantage
Anthem has cheaper Medicare Advantage rates but Blue Cross Blue Shield has better service.
You can only choose between Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield if you live in California, Georgia and New York. If you live anywhere else, you'll only have access to either Anthem or Blue Cross Blue Shield. And if you live in New Hampshire or Vermont, you can't get a Medicare Advantage plan from either company.
Medicare Advantage rates
Anthem usually has cheaper Medicare Advantage rates than Blue Cross Blue Shield.
- However, Anthem is only significantly cheaper than the state average in California, where its plans have no monthly rate.
- In New York, Anthem's average rate is just $1 less per month than the state average.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield's average rates are higher than the state average in California, Georgia and New York.
- Elevance, Anthem's parent company, is the fifth-largest Medicare Advantage company in the country, with about 2 million members.
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Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage rates by state
State | Anthem | BCBS | State average |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $0 | $21 | $15 |
| Georgia | $32 | $14 | $12 |
| New York | $48 | $81 | $49 |
Average monthly costs for plans with prescription drug coverage. Text color indicates whether each rate is worse, better or the same as the average.
Medicare Advantage customer service
Blue Cross Blue Shield has better Medicare Advantage customer service than Anthem.
The various Blue Cross Blue Shield companies get better overall scores and customer service scores from Medicare when compared to Anthem.
Anthem rating | BCBS rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.5/5
Star Fill
| 4.0/5
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| Customer service rating | 2.3/5
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| 4.0/5
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Star ratings are from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Ratings are averages for the Anthem and BCBS companies in each state.
If you have a choice between the two companies, BCBS is the better choice. But availability depends on your county. Even if both companies are in your state, they might not both be in your county.
Anthem vs. Blue Cross Blue Shield: Medicare Supplement
Both Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield usually have cheap rates for Medigap Plan G, but Anthem has slightly better service.
Only those living in California, Missouri and Virginia have access to both Anthem and another Blue Cross Blue Shield company for Medicare Supplement.
Medicare Supplement rates
Anthem usually has cheaper Medigap Plan G rates than Blue Cross Blue Shield.
- Anthem has cheaper-than-average rates in California, Missouri and Virginia.
- However, in California, Blue Cross Blue Shield has cheaper rates than Anthem for Plan G.
- In Virginia, Blue Cross Blue Shield's average rate for Plan G is higher than the state average.
- When you shop for a Medigap plan, price and customer service are the most important metrics to compare. Every company offers the same coverage ,although some companies may offer extra perks.
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Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield Medigap Plan G rates by state
State | Anthem | BCBS | State average |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $182 | $178 | $202 |
| Missouri | $172 | $205 | $214 |
| Virginia | $129 | $171 | $147 |
Average monthly costs are for a 65-year-old woman who does not smoke. Rates are for Plan G. Text color indicates whether each rate is worse, better or the same as the average.
Medicare Supplement customer service
Both Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield have more complaints than expected for their Medigap policies.
Anthem has slightly fewer complaints than BCBS, though, at 43% more than average. Blue Cross Blue Shield gets nearly double the number of complaints expected for a company its size.
Keep in mind that the service you get depends on the Anthem or Blue Cross Blue Shield company in your area. Each company operates independently, which means customer service varies.
Anthem vs. Blue Cross Blue Shield coverage options
Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield usually have similar coverage options where both plans are sold.
However, because Blue Cross Blue Shield sells plans in more areas than Anthem, it's usually easier to find the policy type you need.
The types of policies available to you will depend on the specific Blue Cross Blue Shield or Anthem company in your area. You might find your local company offers different types of policies, including supplemental coverage, dental and vision plans, or group health insurance.
Anthem vs. Blue Cross Blue Shield: Availability
Blue Cross Blue Shield sells health insurance and Medicare in more states than Anthem.
Anthem offers health insurance policies in only 14 states. In contrast, you can find a Blue Cross Blue Shield company in every state. The plans available to you will depend on the state you live in, what county you're in and the type of health coverage you're looking for.
You might even have access to both Anthem and another Blue Cross Blue Shield company. Four states have both an Anthem company and another Blue Cross Blue Shield option selling individual health insurance. Keep in mind, though, that availability still varies by county.
California
- Anthem Blue Cross
- Blue Shield of California
Missouri
- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
New York
- Anthem Blue Cross HP
- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield HP
- Excellus BlueCross BlueShield
- Highmark Blue Shield
- Univera Healthcare
Virginia
- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield HealthKeepers
- Carefirst BlueCross BlueShield
You might also have access to more than one Blue Cross Blue Shield company depending on where you live. For example, there are three Blue Cross Blue Shield companies in New York: Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Highmark Blue Shield and Univera Healthcare.
Anthem health insurance availability
Anthem sells individual health insurance in 14 states.
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Ohio
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance availability
At least one Blue Cross Blue Shield company is available in every state.
However, you can't buy BCBS health insurance from the federal marketplace in Mississippi.
You may be able to choose between Anthem and BCBS for Medicare Advantage plans in California, Georgia and New York.
Anthem sells Medicare Advantage plans in 12 states.
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New York
- Ohio
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
Blue Cross Blue Shield sells Medicare Advantage plans in 38 states and Washington, D.C.
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
You might be able to choose between Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield for Medigap plans in California, Missouri and Virginia.
Anthem sells Medigap plans in 13 states.
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- Ohio
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
Blue Cross Blue Shield sells Medigap plans in 48 states and Washington, D.C.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Frequently asked questions
Is Anthem or Blue Cross Blue Shield cheaper?
Anthem is usually cheaper than Blue Cross Blue Shield. However, Anthem still isn't usually a cheap option for health insurance or Medicare Advantage plans. It is often cheap for Medigap Plan G, though.
Is Blue Cross Blue Shield or Anthem better?
Anthem is usually a slightly better choice if you can choose between the two companies. However, in most states, only Anthem or Blue Cross Blue Shield sells policies, so you won't be able to compare them.
What did Anthem change its name to?
Anthem Inc., the parent company of Anthem, changed its name to Elevance Health in June 2022. Although the overall company is now Elevance Health, health insurance plans are still branded as Anthem.
Methodology and sources
Average rates are for 2026 and were collected from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) public use files (PUFs). For states that don't use the federal marketplace, data was obtained and analyzed based on state-run marketplaces. Average rates are for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan.
Cost and star rating data for Medicare Advantage plans is for 2026 and came from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) public use files (PUFs). Average costs are for plans with prescription drug coverage. Employer-sponsored plans, Health Care Prepayment Plans (HCPPs), Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MMPs), PACE plans, sanctioned plans and Special Needs Plans are excluded.
Rate data for all private insurance companies was used for Medicare Supplement costs. Rates are for a 65-year-old nonsmoking woman. Costs reflect the price at open enrollment with preferred or guaranteed-issue status and are for 2026 plans.
About the Author
Senior Writer
Cate Deventer is a Senior Writer who specializes in health insurance, Medicare, auto and home insurance. She's been a licensed insurance agent since 2011.
She started her insurance career working as a customer service agent for State Farm. She later moved to an independent agency, where she worked with several insurance companies and hundreds of clients. She quoted policies, filed claims and answered insurance questions. In 2021, she pivoted her career and began writing about insurance for Bankrate. She moved to ValuePenguin in 2023 and began writing about health insurance and Medicare.
Cate has a passion for helping readers choose insurance to fit their needs. She enjoys knowing that her research and knowledge help people choose insurance products that make a positive difference in their lives.
How insurance helped Cate
Cate used her health insurance knowledge to navigate a surgery in 2023. Understanding how her policy worked let her focus on recovery instead of worrying about bills.
Expertise
- Health insurance
- Medicare & Medicaid
- Auto insurance
- Home insurance
- Life insurance
Credentials
- Licensed Life, Accident & Health Insurance Agent
- Licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Agent
Referenced by
- CBS
- NBC
- Wall Street Journal
Education
- BA, Theatre, Purdue University
- BA, English, Indiana University
Editorial note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.
