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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Blue Cross Becomes ‘Anthem’ in California

Blue Cross of California, the state’s largest health benefits company, adopted the trade name, Anthem Blue Cross, on April 1. “Taking on the Anthem name allows us to combine the security and heritage of the Anthem brand with the strength of Blue Cross,” stated Leslie A. Margolin, president of Anthem Blue Cross, based in Woodland Hills. Anthem Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and serves as the Blue Cross licensee for California. Anthem is the registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies Inc. The name Anthem Blue Cross derives from Anthem’s merger in 2004 with WellPoint, the company that owns Blue Cross. Company executives felt that a name that reflected the relationship between the companies would be more unifying, according to Blue Cross spokeswoman Peggy Hinz. Blue Cross’s affiliate BC Life & Health Insurance Company has changed its name to Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company and its subsidiary Blue Cross of California Partnership Plan will use the trade name Anthem Blue Cross Partnership Plan. To introduce customers to the Anthem Blue Cross name, the company initiated a new statewide advertising campaign on March 23. Not all of the company’s 8.4 million members are aware of the name change, however. Accordingly, those who log onto the former Web site at www.bluecrossca.com will be automatically re-directed to the new Web site at www.anthem.com.ca. Margolin, who became president of Blue Cross of California in January, said that she is excited to be at the helm of the company as it makes the transition to Anthem Blue Cross. “We will have a new name, but our sincere commitment to member-focused service will remain the same, just as it has for more than 70 years,” she stated.

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