BCBS of North Carolina Health Insurance Ratings

Best health insurance companies 2021: Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina also known as Blue Cross NC has been in business since 1933. It is a full taxed, not for profit North Carolina insurance company that has large operation centers in Durham, Fayetteville and Winston-Salem.

Blue Cross NC employs about 4,800 North Carolinians while also serving customers and communities of more than 3.81 million members. Blue Cross NC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

BCBS of North Carolina is part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield association, which is a national association of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross Blue Shield companies. The BCBS association provides healthcare coverage to more than 107 million members in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Nationwide, more than 96% of hospitals and 95% of doctors and specialists contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield companies which is more than any other insurer.

BCBS of North Carolina offers a variety of health plans targeted to individuals and families. Medicare plans and supplemental coverage are also available. With an extensive network of doctors and hospitals in North Carolina, BCBS of North is an excellent choice for health insurance.

How BCBS of North Carolina stacks up

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina earned a 3.5 out of 5-star rating in our annual review of Best Health Insurance Companies. They got 3.5 out of 5-star ratings in claims, price and customer service and 4-star ratings in website & apps.

When we asked BCBS of North Carolina customers if they would recommend the company to others, 77% said yes and 90% said they planned to renew their plan.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina also known as Blue Cross NC has been in business since 1933.

George Watts Hill, a prominent businessman, and Dr. W.C. Davison, dean of Duke University School of Medicine, founded the Hospital Care Association in Durham in 1933.

In 2015, Anthem acquired Simply Healthcare Holdings, a Medicaid and Medicare managed care company based in Florida and in 2020 Anthem acquired Beacon Health Options and independently held behavioral health organization.

The new organization, one of the parent organizations of today’s BCBSNC, offered prepaid hospital care to families for as little as 2 cents a day. The nation’s first “Blue Cross baby,” Ann Woodard, was born in December 1933 at Durham’s Watts Hospital to parents enrolled in the new Hospital Care Association.

In 1934, Graham David of the Duke Endowment and Dr. I.H. Manning, former dean of UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Medicine founded the Hospital Saving Association in Chapel Hill which was a rival hospital prepayment plan and eventually became a parent organization to BCBSNC as well.

In 1938, both the Hospital Saving Association and the Hospital Care Association were approved to use the Blue Cross symbol and in 1947 the Hospital Saving Association receives approval to act as an official Blue Shield Plan and was among the first 17 Plans authorized to use the Blue Shield emblem.

In 1968, after 35 years of competition, the two associations consolidated to become North Carolina Blue Cross and Blue Shield (NCBCBS)

In 2014, Blue Cross NC was the only insurer to offer ACA-compliant plans to all North Carolinians and in 2016, Blue Cross NC relocated its headquarters to Durham.

Contact BCBS of North Carolina

Corporate Headquarters

4615 University Drive

Durham, NC 27707

Member services:

1-800-324-4973 for individual or family plans

1-800-291-6315 for group plans