Facts at a Glance

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is a not-for-profit organization. The company:

Is the state’s leader in health care financing
Was founded in 1945 and now serves 3 million members in Tennessee and across the country
Paid almost 62 million claims and $8.7 billion in health care benefits in 2010
Has more than 5,000 employees
Is headquartered in Chattanooga, with regional offices in Jackson, Johnson City, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville
Provides benefits to about 16,000 companies
Contributed $7.7 million to Tennessee charities through community outreach efforts
Supports major statewide sponsorships, including the TSSAA state football and basketball championships, and Tennessee Senior Olympics
Is one of the largest TennCare providers (MCOs) in the state with approximately 455,000 members
Has a flagship network of providers, call Blue Network P, that includes:

Americans spend more than $7,500 per person on health care services annually.
Spending on health care in the U.S. accounts for 16 percent of gross domestic product.
Tennesseans spend 3.4 percent more on average for health care than the U.S. average.
Tennesseans buy 17.3 prescriptions per person per year, compared to 12 nationally.
Despite paying more for health care, Tennesseans:
Have one of the highest rates of obesity nationally, 32.3 percent of all adults
Have a rate of 8.8 cases of diabetes per 100 residents, compared with a U.S. rate of 5.5
Have a smoking rate of 23 percent of adults, compared with a U.S. rate of 18.3 percent
Have a rate of 8.7 infant deaths per 1,000 births, compared to 6.8 nationally
23 percent of Tennesseans participate in TennCare.
15 percent of Tennesseans are uninsured.

Online Resources Offer More Info

For more information on BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, visit the company’s website at www.bcbst.com.

Mary Danielson, APR
(423) 535-7694 (office)
(423) 802-8322 (mobile)
E-mail: media@bcbst.com

Page Modified:May 15, 2012