Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

Company Overview
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) holds true to its mission to make healthcare work by improving healthcare experience for members and communities they serve. Their vision is to be known as the best health plan locally and nationally by helping members achieve and maintain their health.

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History
The Blue Cross brand originated in 1929 at Baylor University with a plan offering teachers three weeks of hospital care for $6 per year. As the company grew, it began offering coverage to other employee groups in Dallas and later expanded to national coverage. The Blue Shield brand was developed at the start of last century with lumber and mining employers in the Pacific Northwest paying a monthly fee to a designated group of physicians.Blue Shield and the Blue Cross Association merged in 1982 to become the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey was founded as First Hospital Service Plan of Essex County and went statewide in 1936 as Hospital Service Plan of New Jersey (HSPNJ). HSPNJ would later go on to be known as Blue Cross of New Jersey. In 1942 the Medical-Surgical Plan of New Jersey (MSPNJ) was incorporated. MSPNJ would later go on to be known as Blue Shield of New Jersey. In 1986, the two plans merged to become Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey, Inc. In 1998, BCBSNJ began doing business as Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.
Current Organization
Horizon BCBSNJ is headquartered in Newark and maintains satellite offices in Trenton, Mt. Laurel, Newark, Wall, and Harrison. It saw total revenues in 2009 of over $8-billion. The company has over 3.6-million members and employs over 4700. Horizon BCBSNG is a not-for-profit health insurance service corporation and an independent licensee of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.