Which health insurance company is the best option for you and your family? Compare Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield side by side.
In 1850, Aetna Insurance Company created a fund to sell life insurance. In 1953 the life and health divisions of Aetna separated. The company’s first president was Eliphalet A. Bulkeley. The name “Aetna” was taken from an 11,000-foot volcano in Sicily, Italy, which was also the most active volcano in Europe.
Blue Cross was formed in 1929 as a partnership between Baylor University Hospital and its patients who were struggling financially. The administrators of the hospital wanted to make healthcare more affordable for some patients, many of whom were Dallas public school educators on restricted budgets. The initial payment plan set up by Baylor University Hospital consisted of a 50-cent prepay each month for up to 21 days of hospitalization per year. The success of the program leads to enrollment by employees in other professions across Dallas.
To learn more about each company, you can check out the Aetna Overview and Blue Cross Blue Shield Overview.
Which health insurance company is better? We've made it easy to compare companies side by side. See how Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield ranked among the industry ratings.
Comparison | Aetna | Blue Cross Blue Shield |
---|---|---|
Year Founded | 1853 | 1929 |
BBB Rating | A+ | A- |
NAIC Complaint Index | 6.27 for individual health insurance | |
Market Share Percentage | 4.53% | 14.1% |
Financial Strength | Excellent | Excellent |
S&P Rating | A+ |
The Aetna Health app allows you to find a doctor in your area and see estimates of what certain procedures may cost. You can also view your benefits, review account balances, and manage your claims. The App is available on ios and Android.
Each state has its own Blue Cross Blue Shield app on iTunes and GooglePlay. The app allows users to find doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies, view claims, pay bill, and manage prescriptions.
Aetna Mobile App | ||
---|---|---|
iOS | 4.5 | 29.3K users |
Android | 3.4 | 2,316 users |
Blue Cross Blue Shield Mobile App | ||
---|---|---|
Blue Cross Blue Shield mobile app varies by state |
Aetna
Aetna is available through participating employers. You can also buy an individual or family plan directly from Aetna, the health insurance marketplace or you can get several free quotes here.
At this time, Aetna offers Medicare, Medicaid, student health insurance and international insurance. For individual and family plans, they offer plans through eHealth, which compares rates from several companies for the Affordable Care Act plans, short-term plans, and medical indemnity plans.
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Blue Cross Blue Shield is available through participating employers for group insurance. You can also buy an individual or family plan directly from Blue Cross Blue Shield, the health insurance marketplace or you can get several free quotes here.
You can also contact 888.630.2583 to learn more about Blue Cross Blue Shield options for individuals and families or find a local BCBS company by visiting here.
Aetna
If you use a network doctor or hospital, your claims will be submitted by that provider. If you see an out-of-network provider, you need to submit the claim yourself. You must submit a completed claim form or alternative documentation via fax or mailing address. As an alternative to sending a claim form, supply a description of services, a bill of charges from the provider and any medical documents you received from your provider.
Blue Cross Blue Shield
If you use a network doctor or hospital, your claims will be submitted by that provider. If you see an out-of-network provider, you need to submit the claim yourself. You must submit a completed claim form or alternative documentation via fax or mailing address. As an alternative to sending a claim form, supply a description of services, a bill of charges from the provider and any medical documents you received from your provider.
For medical and/or dental services in the U.S. Puerto Rico or the U.S Virgin Islands, Use these claim forms. For anywhere else or on a cruise ship outside the U.S. use the Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core international claim forms. For prescriptions inside or outside the U.S. or U.S. territories: Use these claim forms.
Aetna
Aetna offers Aetna Medicare, Aetna Medicaid, student health insurance and international insurance. They offer the Affordable Care Act plans, short-term plans, and medical indemnity plans through e-Health, which compares insurance partners’ rates for you. Or, you can just visit here for free health insurance quotes.
Medicare Part D plans have a network of participating pharmacies you can find here. For all other types of plans, visit here to find a pharmacy.
Most Aetna plans exclude coverage for hearing aids. Any applicable benefit plan exclusions and limitations for coverage of hearing aids would apply to air conduction hearing aids, implantable hearing aids, and semi-implantable hearing aids.
Aetna offers Medicaid plans, which vary according to individual state Medicaid programs and have a different name in each state.
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield offer a Medicare Supplement Plan, also called “Medigap” which pays for out-of-pocket expenses you’ll have with Original Medicare. Blue Cross Blue Shield also offers Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C. This is Medicare coverage through private health insurance companies approved to participate in the Medicare program.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has an award-winning Medigap plan.
If your Blue Cross ID card is lost or damaged, you can get a replacement ID card by logging into your Blue Cross Account. After signing in, go to the right-hand column and select “order new cards.”
BlueCard® is a national program that allows Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan members to get health care services while traveling or living in another Blue Plan’s service area.
Aetna Contact Info | |
---|---|
Address | 151 Farmington Ave., Hartford, CT 06156 |
Phone | 1 (800)-872-3862 |
Website | https://www.aetna.com/ |
https://www.facebook.com/aetna/ | |
Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/aetna |
https://twitter.com/Aetna | |
https://www.linkedin.com/company/aetna/ |
Blue Cross Blue Shield Contact Info | |
---|---|
Address | 225 North Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60601 |
Phone | 1 (888) 630 - 2583 |
Website | https://www.bcbs.com/ |
https://www.facebook.com/AnthemBlueCrossBlueShield/ | |
Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/user/bluecrossblueshield |
https://twitter.com/BCBSAssociation | |
https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-cross-and-blue-shield-association/ |
Enter your zip code, answer a few questions, and compare rates in less than 3 minutes.