Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance Review
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield has a large network of doctors, but you can often find better rates and customer service with another company.
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Editor's Rating
Anthem, which is part of Blue Cross Blue Shield, gives you flexibility when choosing doctors because most medical offices take its plans. But Anthem's rates for health insurance are high in most states, and other companies have better customer service.
Pros and cons
Pros
Large doctor network
Helpful extra perks
Cons
Rates are high in many states
Customer service is often below average
Is Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield good insurance?
Anthem insurance plans have good coverage, but you can probably find a better deal.
In most states, Anthem has high average rates, and its customer service is often worse than average. But if you're willing to pay more to be able to see more in-network doctors, Anthem could be a good option. Anthem is part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield network of companies, and many doctors accept Anthem insurance.
Cost of Anthem health insurance
In most states where Anthem sells plans, its rates are high.
But if you live in Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Ohio or Virginia, Anthem might be a cheap option.
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Anthem insurance rates by state
State | Anthem rate | State average |
|---|---|---|
| California | $685 | $656 |
| Colorado | $570 | $554 |
| Connecticut | $660 | $708 |
| Georgia | $568 | $553 |
| Indiana | $388 | $432 |
Average monthly rates for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan.
Nationally, Anthem is cheaper than many other insurance companies. But because its rates are high on a state level, it's still not usually the best choice.
Anthem health insurance cost vs. competitors
Insurance company | Average rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Permanente | $507 |
| Ambetter | $516 |
| Anthem | $543 |
| Aetna | $587 |
| Cigna | $591 |
Average monthly rates for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan. Blue Cross Blue Shield rates include Anthem.
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Anthem Medicare rates
Anthem usually has cheap rates for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans.
If you can get Medicare, an Anthem Medicare Advantage plan might be a good option if you want more coverage and perks.
Anthem Medicare Advantage rates by states
State | Anthem rate | Average rate |
|---|---|---|
| California | $13 | $13 |
| Colorado | $0 | $16 |
| Connecticut | $10 | $19 |
| Georgia | $23 | $16 |
| Indiana | $29 | $23 |
Average monthly rates for Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage.
Medicare Supplement plans, also called Medigap plans, are a good option if you need or think you may eventually need a lot of medical care. Medigap plans lower your medical costs by paying for a lot of the things that Original Medicare doesn't. Plan G is the best option for people new to Medicare, and Anthem usually has cheap rates.
Anthem Medicare Supplement Plan G rates
State | Anthem rate | Average rate |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $147 | $154 |
| California | $169 | $182 |
| Colorado | $136 | $150 |
| Connecticut | $263 | $312 |
| Georgia | $148 | $158 |
Average monthly Plan G rate for a 65-year-old woman who does not smoke. Anthem sells Medigap plans in Nevada but Plan G is not available.
Anthem plan options
Anthem offers many different health insurance plans, including plans that you get from employers, options for individuals and families on marketplace websites, Medicare and Medicaid.
Anthem health insurance plans
You might get Anthem health insurance from your job. This is called group insurance. If you don't have health insurance from your employer, you can buy it through HealthCare.gov, your state's health insurance marketplace or directly from Anthem.
Anthem sells five different levels of health insurance coverage, which lets you pick a level that fits your needs. The plan level determines how much of your medical costs the plan pays and how much you have to pay yourself.
Plan level | Best for | Anthem rate |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | Best as a last resort | $293 |
| Bronze | Best for healthy young adults | $451 |
| Silver | Best for most people | $543 |
| Gold | Best for frequent medical care | $623 |
| Platinum | Best for expensive medical care | $1,429 |
Average monthly rate for Catastrophic plans are for a 21-year-old. Average monthly rates for Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum plans are for a 40-year-old.
Anthem plans have three choices for different network types. While your plan level determines how much of your medical bills the plan will pay, the plan network determines where you can go for medical care and if you have to go through your primary doctor.
- HMO (health maintenance organization) plans: These plans only cover you when you go to doctors within the plan's network. You also have to get a referral to see a specialist. Anthem HMOs cost $514 per month, on average.
- EPO (exclusive provider organization) plans: These plans only cover in-network medical care, but they let you visit specialists without a referral. EPO plans from Anthem cost $641 per month, on average.
- POS (point of service) plans: POS plans let you go to any doctor you want, but you need a referral to see a specialist. Anthem's POS plans cost $685 per month, on average.
Anthem also offers other types of insurance through its website.
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Supplemental insurance
- Travel medical insurance
Medicare
For seniors and people eligible for Medicare, Anthem offers several coverage options.
- Medicare Advantage (Part C): Medicare Advantage plans combine Medicare Part A and Part B into one plan, and they also usually include prescription drug coverage. Anthem Medicare Advantage plans are cheap, but the company has slightly below-average star ratings, which can be used to determine the overall quality of a plan.
- Prescription drugs (Part D): If you don't have a Medicare Advantage plan that has drug coverage, you may want to get a standalone Part D plan to cover your prescriptions.
- Medicare supplement (Medigap): Medicare Supplement plans can help you cover the part of your medical bill that you're responsible for paying if you have Original Medicare. Anthem sells Medigap plans A, F, G and N.
- Dental and vision insurance: Anthem sells stand-alone dental and vision plans. You should consider buying stand-alone coverage if you buy a Medicare Advantage plan that doesn't have bundled dental or vision benefits.
Medicaid
Anthem works with several states to offer Medicaid coverage to people who have a low income, disabilities or other qualifying conditions. Anthem Medicaid plans are available in California, Indiana, Kentucky, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Is Anthem the same as Elevance?
Elevance is the company that owns Anthem.
Anthem is one brand that's part of Elevance, but it isn't the same thing as Elevance. Elevance also owns other brands, like Carelon, Health Sun, Simply Healthcare and Wellpoint.
Anthem Inc., which was the parent company for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, changed its name to Elevance Health in 2022. But Elevance is not changing the name of any Anthem plans. And both Elevance and Anthem are still part of Blue Cross Blue Shield.
You'll still go to Anthem.com to shop for a plan, and will see the familiar Blue Cross and Blue Shield logo when you visit the site.
Where can you get Anthem?
Anthem sells health insurance in 14 states. Depending on where you live, you might also be able to get Anthem Medicare plans.
Health insurance
Medicare Advantage
Medigap
Part D
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Ohio
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
Health insurance
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Ohio
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
Medicare Advantage
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Ohio
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
Medigap
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- Ohio
- Texas
- Virginia
Part D
- California
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- Ohio
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
Anthem member resources and unique features
Anthem insurance offers several ways to improve your coverage, help you get more value from your plan and improve how you manage your health care.
- Dental and vision coverage: Anthem offers stand-alone vision and dental insurance. Adding these policies to your health insurance plan lets you combine multiple coverage types while only using one insurance company.
- Telehealth: Anthem has several ways that you can talk to your doctor or another medical professional online, called telemedicine. Members have access to the 24/7 NurseLine, called LiveHealth Online, for virtual doctor visits.
- Support for healthy living and mental health: Members can also access resources like weight management programs, discounted gym memberships, stress management and SilverSneakers memberships.
- Anthem mobile app: With Anthem's app, you can access digital ID cards, find a doctor, check your plan's costs and benefits, ask questions, sync your account with a fitness tracker and more.
The specific benefits and perks available to you depend on where you live and what Anthem company your policy is with.
Customer reviews and complaints
Anthem doesn't have the best customer service for health insurance plans.
Of the five largest Anthem companies, four of them get complaints at a higher rate than average about the company's health insurance plans.
But keep in mind that customer service will depend on where you live and what Anthem company is in your area. In Maine, for example, Anthem has almost three-and-a-half times as many complaints as an average company its size. But in Colorado, one of the Anthem companies only has one-quarter of the complaints than expected for a company its size. In many states, Anthem has more than one company, and the customer service you get will depend on the company you buy a plan from.
Medicare customer service
Anthem's Medicare service depends on where you live.
In California, Anthem ranks poorly for Medicare Advantage customer service. But in Ohio, it's one of the best companies for Medicare Advantage plans.
Anthem's customer service is also uneven for Medigap plans. In Kentucky, Anthem's Medigap plans have 40% fewer complaints than average. But in Connecticut, Anthem has almost three times as many complaints for Medicare Supplement compared to the average.
Frequently asked questions
Is Anthem good insurance?
Anthem has good plans but its rates are often high. The policies are usually popular in states where they're available, and the company has a large network of doctors and hospitals. Keep in mind that Anthem's customer service reputation varies widely depending on where you live.
What is Elevance Health?
Elevance Health is the company that owns Anthem. Elevance also owns Wellpoint, Carelon, Health Sun and others. Anthem isn't changing the name of its plans. Your health insurance will continue to come from Anthem, not directly from Elevance.
What is the difference between Blue Cross Blue Shield and Anthem?
Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield are part of the same organization, the Blue Cross Blue Shield companies. Depending on where you live, you might have access to an Anthem company or a Blue Cross company, and sometimes both.
How much is Anthem health insurance per month?
A Silver plan from Anthem costs $543 per month, on average. Rates depend on where you live, how old you are and the plan level you buy.
Methodology
Health insurance rates for Anthem and competitors are from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for plans sold on HealthCare.gov as well as state marketplace sites for states that do not use HealthCare.gov. All rates are for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan unless another plan level or age is specifically mentioned.
Medicare Advantage rates are also from CMS and only include plans with prescription drug coverage. Rates exclude employer-sponsored plans, Medicare-Medicaid plans (MMPs), Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) plans, prepayment plans (HCPPs), Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) plans, sanctioned plans and Special Needs Plans (SNPs).
Medicare Supplement rates are from actuarial data for private insurance companies. The rates are for a 65-year-old woman who does not smoke and who purchased her policy when she was first eligible.
ValuePenguin rated Anthem by reviewing average rates, coverage offerings, customer service and unique features.
Other sources include Anthem, Elevance, J.D. Power and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Editorial note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.