<Tr> <Th> Mission </Th> <Td> To promote the common good and general welfare of the community by fostering broad - based health insurance coverage . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> www.bcbs.com </Td> </Tr> <P> Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) is a federation of 36 separate United States health insurance organizations and companies, providing health insurance in the United States to more than 106 million people . Blue Cross was founded in 1929 and became the Blue Cross Association in 1960, while Blue Shield emerged in 1939 and the Blue Shield Association was created in 1948 . The two organizations merged in 1982 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Health care in the United States </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Government Health Programs </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Federal Employees Health Benefits Program </Li> <Li> Indian Health Service </Li> <Li> Medicaid / State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) </Li> <Li> Medicare </Li> <Li> Prescription Assistance (SPAP) </Li> <Li> Military Health System / TRICARE </Li> <Li> State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) </Li> <Li> Program of All - Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) </Li> <Li> Veterans Health Administration </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Private health coverage </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Consumer - driven health care <Ul> <Li> Flexible spending account (FSA) </Li> <Li> Health Reimbursement Account </Li> <Li> Health savings account (HSA) <Ul> <Li> High - deductible health plan (HDHP) </Li> <Li> Medical savings account (MSA) </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> Private Fee - For - Service (PFFS) </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> Health insurance in the United States </Li> <Li> Managed care (CCP) <Ul> <Li> Exclusive provider organization (EPO) </Li> <Li> Health maintenance organization (HMO) </Li> <Li> Preferred provider organization (PPO) </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> Medical underwriting </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Health care reform law </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (1986) </Li> <Li> Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (1996) </Li> <Li> Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (2003) </Li> <Li> Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (2005) </Li> <Li> Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (2009) </Li> <Li> Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010) </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> State level reform </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Dirigo Health (Maine) </Li> <Li> Massachusetts health care reform </Li> <Li> Oregon Health Plan </Li> <Li> SustiNet (Connecticut) </Li> <Li> Vermont health care reform </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Municipal health coverage </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Fair Share Health Care Act (Maryland) </Li> <Li> Healthy Howard (Howard Co., Maryland) </Li> <Li> Healthy San Francisco </Li> <Li> Healthy Way LA </Li> <Li> My Health LA </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> This box: <Ul> <Li> view </Li> <Li> talk </Li> <Li> edit </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Is blue cross the same as blue shield