Humana vs. Blue Cross Blue Shield

Humana and Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS, which is part of the Anthem family of brands) are two of the largest health insurance companies in the U.S.

The differences between these industry leaders may be difficult to recognize, but we’ve done our best to highlight the comparisons between Humana and Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Medicare plans they offer to help you compare your potential Medicare coverage options.*

Humana vs. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield

Company
Pros	Medicare plans are offered in many parts of the country Plans include large networks of providers, doctors and pharmacies	Wide variety of plans available in many areas of the U.S. Large networks of participating health care providers
Cons	Some competitors in your area may offer more $0 premium Medicare Advantage plans than Humana offers	Medicare plan quality ratings could be higher Many different affiliate companies can make it slightly more confusing to shop for a plan where you live
Find Plans	Visit Humana-MedicareAdvantage.com	Visit MedicareAdvantage.com

Humana is one of the most popular insurance companies in the country. Nearly 1 out of every 5 Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plan beneficiaries is enrolled in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan.

Blue Cross Blue Shield is part of the Anthem family of brands which operates under different names according to the state or region where the company does business.

For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona offers Medicare plans in the state of Arizona, but plans might be offered by Florida Blue in Florida or by other names depending on where you live. You may even see names like “Anthem,” "Horizon,” “Empire,” “Highmark” and other names associated with the Anthem brand.

Humana vs. Blue Cross Blue Shield: Types of Insurance Plans Offered

Both companies sell a variety of Medicare insurance plans, including Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) plans in certain parts of the country.

One primary difference is that Blue Cross Blue Shield also provides individual insurance plans outside of the types of Medicare plans listed above, while Humana doesn't offer some of the same individual non-Medicare plans.

Humana vs. BCBS Areas Served

Both companies have near-nationwide service areas. Humana has a presence in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and its Medicare Advantage plans are sold in 89% of U.S. counties.

Through its various regional affiliate companies, Blue Cross Blue Shield sells Medicare Advantage plans in 47 states, Medicare Part D plans in 42 states and Medicare Supplement Insurance in all 50 states.  

Humana vs. BCBS Provider Access

Blue Cross Blue Shield and Humana are two of the largest insurers in the U.S. with two of the most expansive provider networks.

Blue Cross Blue Shield is accepted by more than 90% of doctors and specialists. Doctor.com reports more than 856,000 health care providers in the Blue Cross Blue Shield network.

Humana boasts more than 592,000 network providers according to Doctor.com. Humana has one of the largest pharmacy networks in the U.S. thanks to several partnerships with major chain retailers.

Individual plan networks, availability and coverage can vary from one plan and one area to another. Be sure to check with your doctor or health care provider to find out what insurance plans they accept. You can also work with a licensed insurance agent to find out if your doctor is in a plan network before enrolling in the plan.

Financial Ratings for Humana and BCBS

Humana is rated “BBB” from Fitch Ratings, “BBB+” from Standard & Poor’s, “Baa3” from Moody’s and “BBB-” from A.M. Best, all of which are considered strong financial ratings.

Most of the Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliates and regional subsidiaries have strong ratings with the leading credit agencies.

Medicare Star Ratings

Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. Stars are used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to indicate various measures of plan quality, with five stars being the highest score.

Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliate companies and plans are rated individually, but Anthem has a 4.5 star rating in 2023.¹

In 2023, 96% of Humana Medicare Advantage plan members were enrolled in plans rated 4-stars or higher by Medicare. More than half of all Humana Medicare Advantage plans members, in fact, are in plans rated 4.5 stars or higher out of 5 stars.²

Customer Experience

Neither Blue Cross Blue Shield nor Humana take any shortcuts when it comes to the customer experience. Both companies allow anyone to look up participating providers online, and members can log into an online portal to perform a variety of tasks related to their benefits.

Both companies have mobile apps for more streamlined access along with phone, email and social media support. Each customer experience may be slightly different with Blue Cross Blue Shield, however, as each affiliate company has its own member portal. 

Blue Cross Blue Shield vs. Humana: The Verdict

Blue Cross Blue Shield and Humana are two of the largest health insurance carriers in the U.S., offering a robust portfolio of plans in nearly every region of the country that are accepted by large networks of doctors and pharmacies.

Blue Cross Blue Shield has 35 independent and locally operated affiliate companies, so not every customer experience will be the same.

Speaking with a licensed insurance agent can help you explore more differences between BCBS and Humana as you shop for best Medicare insurance plan for your needs.

*Helpadvisor.com is owned and operated by Tranzact, the parent company of TZ Insurance Solutions LLC, which is the owner/operator of Medicareadvantage.com and other websites mentioned on HelpAdvisor and which has a financial relationship with some of the carriers listed on HelpAdvisor. This may influence which products we write about, but HelpAdvisor maintains editorial independence, and our opinions and evaluations are our own.