CareFirst, Inc. is the not-for-profit, non-stock, parent company of CareFirst of Maryland, Inc., and Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc., affiliates that do business as CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.  CareFirst, Inc. is governed by a Board of Directors and special statutes regulating its business in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia.

The mission of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is to provide health benefit services of value to customers across the region comprised of Maryland and the National Capital Area.

About CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield

CareFirst is the largest health care insurer in the Mid-Atlantic region, serving nearly 3.4 million members, and employing more than 5,000 associates in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Northern Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia.

CareFirst has received 11 consecutive national Brand Excellence awards, recognizing its customer service, financial strength, membership growth and promotion of the Blue brand name. The company now includes more than 80 percent of all providers in Maryland and National Capital Area participating in one or more of its provider networks.

Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, Inc.

Corporate Headquarters:
10455 and 10453 Mill Run Circle
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Corporate Switchboard: (410) 581-3000
CEO:
Chester "Chet" Burrell
Employee Number:
5,000+
2007 Revenue:
$6.1 Billion

Product Types Offered

Individuals

Individual and Family health insurance plans provide long-term protection and comprehensive medical coverage for you and your family.

Individual and family health insurance is a type of health insurance coverage that is purchased by the individual or family for themselves, rather than being covered under a group health insurance plan. CareFirst offers plans specially designed for several groupings:

• Individual only
• Individual and Adult (Spouse or Partner)
• Individual and Child(ren)
• Individual & Family
  1. Health Insurance
  2. HSA-Eligible Plans
  3. HSA-eligible health insurance plans are often less expensive than other health insurance plans.

Employers

CareFirst's BlueFund plans are an affordable, flexible and dependable choice for you and your employees. CareFirst believes that involving members more closely in managing their health care will result in better outcomes and lower health care costs. BlueFund Plans put your employees in charge - and give them the tools they need to manage their health care.

CareFirst's BlueFund Plans offer two funding options:

Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
The Health Reimbursement Arrangement (or HRA) is an allocation by the employer for each eligible employee. HRA funds are not deposited to a separate trust account in advance, but payments are made when claims are processed. The employer sets a maximum allocation each year, for each employee.

With an HRA, the employer can set limits on how an employee's funds are used. They can be as unconditional as allowing access to all services outlined by the IRS (Section 213(d) of tax code) or as restrictive as limiting use of these funds to those services outlined in the group health coverage.

Health Savings Account (HSA)
Unlike the HRA, which is funded exclusively by the employer, the Health Savings Account (or HSA) can be funded by the employer, the employee or both. Employer contributions can be made in a lump sum at the beginning of the plan year, or made throughout the plan year. Employee contributions are made through a pre-tax payroll deduction.

HSA funds are deposited with a third-party trustee. Only funds actually in the account can be accessed for reimbursement.

Medicare Plans

Medicare is the nation’s largest health insurance program, covering 40 million Americans. It was designed to provide high-quality health care to people 65 and over, as well as to others with disabilities.

Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield offers two basic types of plans:

Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage (MA) plans
These plans cover the same type of services as Original Medicare (Parts A and B), and may give you additional benefits such as vision, hearing, and preventive and/or wellness coverage. Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield also offers Medicare Advantage Plans with prescription drug coverage (MAPD) that give you all your coverage in one plan, with one monthly plan premium and one ID card.

Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare RxSM plans
These plans offer stand-alone prescription drug coverage that can be added to your Original Medicare (Parts A and B) coverage or may be added to a Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO or PFFS plan.

Provider Network

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield also has other subsidiaries and affiliates that sell other products, including health insurance. These companies do not sell Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance. For a listing of licensed CareFirst affiliates, please visit their CareFirst Locations page.

Network Facts:

• CareFirst operates a for-profit regional HMO subsidiary – CareFirst BlueChoice – that is a licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.  HMO features more than 4,500 primary care physicians.
• CareFirst is affiliated with 165 hospitals in Maryland, D.C. and Northern Virginia.
• The company serves more than 500,000 members in the Federal Employees Health Program – largest FEP  enrollment in the nation.

Recent News

Here are some of the most recent news regarding Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield:

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Names Kevin C. O'Neill Senior Vice President

BALTIMORE, MD (June 22, 2008) - CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) has named Kevin C. O'Neill as Senior Vice President of Strategic Managed Care Initiatives. The newly created position will lead CareFirst's efforts to reshape health care delivery and reimbursement practices.

"Kevin's 20-plus years of experience as a managed care executive will be instrumental to CareFirst as we work to transform care delivery and associated reimbursement practices," said David D. Wolf, CareFirst Executive Vice President of Medical Systems and Corporate Development. "Kevin has a wealth of experience and a great familiarity with our market, both of which will help us tackle these complex issues."(Continue Reading)

Rating

Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield’s rating, as rated by A.M. Best Company. A.M. Best Company is a full-service credit rating organization dedicated to serving the financial services industries, including the banking and insurance sectors.

Financial Strength Rating
Lowest Rating: A-
Highest Rating: A
Outlook/Implication: Stable