Wellpoint has about 10% of the entire United States covered in one of its affiliated plans. That translates in to about 35 million members. As such, Wellpoint is now one of the few true national health insurance plans as it stretches nationwide. In the NYC marketplace the local Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield plan is a Wellpoint member plan.
Wellpoint is a Blue Cross or Blue Shield licensee in 14 of the states in the U.S. including New York, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri and Nevada. Some of the plans were or are currently considred Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield products, as Wellpoint and Anthem recently merged, and were both large consolidators of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans across the U.S.
Wellpoint-Anthem plans have introduced many EPO plans in several states including New York City, which have lowered premiums, and if coupled by a consumer-directed strategy, seem to have favorable risk-reward strategies for employer groups looking for an alternative to copay plans and prices.
