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Molina vs. Anthem Insurance
Which health insurance company is the best option for you and your family? Compare Molina and Anthem side by side.
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 Written & Edited by Fran Majidi Fran MajidiFran Majidi manages content on SmartFinancial's website. She's had nearly a decade's worth of experience writing about i... Read more |
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Molina vs. Anthem: What You Need to Know
Molina Healthcare was founded in 1980 by C. David Molina, an emergency room physician in Long Beach, CA. After seeing that patients were being turned away because the hospital would not accept Medi-Cal, he established his first primary care clinic in Wilmington, California in 1980. His goal was to treat the lowest-income patients. For 20 years, his son and fellow physician, J. Mario Molina, ran the company while he served as president and CEO. His younger son, John, was the CFO of Molina Healthcare. The two sons took over the company after their father’s death in 1996.
In 2004, WellPoint Health Networks Inc and Anthem, Inc. merged and became the nation’s leading health benefits company. In December 2014 WellPoint Inc. changed its corporate name to Anthem, Inc. The Anthem companies offer health care plans and related services like dental, vision, behavioral health, life insurance and disability insurance benefits as well as long-term care insurance and flexible spending accounts. Anthem has about 40 million members and is ranked 33rd on the Fortune 500.
To learn more about each company, you can check out the Molina Overview and Anthem Overview.
What is Molina and Anthem Insurance Rating?
Which health insurance company is better? We've made it easy to compare companies side by side. See how Molina and Anthem ranked among the industry ratings.
| Comparison | Molina | Anthem |
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1980 | 2004 |
| Medicare Star Rating | 3.5 stars (out of 5) | |
| BBB Rating | F | A+ |
| NAIC Complaint Index | 0.30% for individual health insurance | |
| Market Share Percentage | 6.3% | |
| Financial Strength | Excellent |
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Pros & Cons of Molina or Anthem
Pros
Molina
- Affordable coverage for underserved communities, like Medicaid and Medicare recipients.
- Affordable marketplace plans for people who do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare.
- Popular mobile app makes it easy to stay on top of your account.
Anthem
- Anthem Inc. is one of the largest providers of health insurance plans in the country, serving approximately 40 million members
- Anthem Inc. is a financially secure health insurance carrier.
Cons
Molina
- Molina Healthcare only offers Medicaid plans in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Anthem
- Anthem received some bad press in 2014, for refusing to cover the hospitalization of a man with stage 4 cancers. Anthem ended up paying for coverage after public outcry.
- In 2017, Anthem was fined for untimely responses to complaints.
Molina and Anthem Mobile Apps Options
The Molina app allows users to find doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies, view claims, and pay your bill.
The Anthem Medicaid app is only available to policyholders in 5 states. Indiana, Kentucky, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Virginia. The app allows users to find doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies, view claims, pay your bill, and manage your prescriptions.
| Molina Mobile App | ||
|---|---|---|
| iOS | 4.6 | 1.6K users |
| Android | 2.9 | 351 users |
| Anthem Mobile App | ||
|---|---|---|
| iOS | 2.2 | 42 users |
| Android | 2.9 | 101 users |
Molina and Anthem Enrollment Process
Molina
Molina offers plans through the health insurance marketplace. You can begin searching plans here or you can get several free health insurance quotes.
Each state has its own marketplace. If you’re not sure where to begin, visit https://www.healthcare.gov/.
Anthem
Anthem is available through the health insurance marketplace or you can get several free quotes with SmartFinancial. Each state has its own marketplace. If you’re not sure where to begin, visit https://www.healthcare.gov/.
How to File a Claim with Molina and Anthem Insurance
Molina
To submit claims for reimbursement, contact member services at 1-888-898-7969. You can only inquire about 3 or fewer claims per call. You can also submit claim to: Molina Healthcare, P.O. Box 22668, Long Beach, CA 90801. You must make timely submissions of your claims or else you may forfeit your right to payment. For filing limits and instructions about electronic claims submissions with Molina Healthcare visit here.
Anthem
Make sure you use the claim form from your benefit plan because each type is different. You’ll need to get procedures codes from your doctor’s office. File the paperwork within the time limit. Include pre-approval if it’s needed.
Common Questions About Anthem and Molina Insurance
Molina
How to renew Molina Healthcare?
You need to renew your Medicaid eligibility and your child’s Medicaid eligibility with your local County Department of Social Services every 12 months. This is called Medicaid Redetermination. Your Medicaid does not automatically renew. If you miss the deadline you may lose benefits for a whole year. You can renew either by phone using the Medicaid Renewal Hotline in your state or your local County Department of Social Services (each state has a different name for this).
What is Molina’s healthcare coverage?
Molina Healthcare is a managed care company headquartered in Long Beach, Ca. The company provides health insurance to lower-income people through government programs like Medicaid and Medicare as well as the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) also called CHIP in some states.
Does Molina healthcare cover contacts?
Molina Healthcare covers one eye exam per year by a provider, ophthalmologist, or optometrist. They also cover one pair of eyeglasses or lenses every two years. Prior approval is required for contact lenses.
Which states accept Molina Healthcare?
Molina Healthcare offers Medicaid plans in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Check out our full list of common questions about Molina.
Anthem
Are the Anthem Insurance reviews positive or negative?
The complaint ratio on individual health plans is lower than complaint ratios on group health plans. Both falls below the average number of complaints compared with other carriers.
Is Anthem medical insurance good?
Anthem is a trusted medical insurance provider that serves millions of Americans. Complaint ratios, however, tend to be a bit higher than average on group insurance plans.
How does Anthem deductible work?
Like most health care plans, Anthem has an annual flat-dollar deductible you must meet before your plan begins to pay your medical expenses.
Is Anthem Blue Cross the same as Blue Shield?
Anthem offers health insurance as a Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliate.
Check out our full list of common questions about Anthem.
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Molina and Anthem Insurance Contact Info
| Molina Contact Info | |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 Oceangate, Suite 100, Long Beach, CA 90802 |
| Phone | 1 (562) 435-3666 |
| Website | https://www.molinahealthcare.com/ |
| https://www.facebook.com/groups/Molinaheathcare/ | |
| Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/user/MolinaHealthcare |
| https://twitter.com/molinahealth | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/molina-healthcare/ | |
| Anthem Contact Info | |
|---|---|
| Address | 220 Virginia Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46204 |
| Phone | 1 (800) 331-1476 |
| Website | https://www.anthem.com/ |
| https://www.facebook.com/AnthemBlueCrossBlueShield/ | |
| Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCInrJqNqrSpvHwNErijbVyg |
| https://twitter.com/AnthemInc | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/antheminc/ | |
Fran Majidi manages content on SmartFinancial's website. She's had nearly a decade's worth of experience writing about insurance-related topics. Prior, she was an arts and entertainment editor in New York City. She has a B.A. from Barnard College and an M.F.A. in writing from The New School. She writes books under her given name, Afarin Majidi.
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