Nations Largest Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance Licensee Supports Plan for Universal Coverage.

Wellpoint, Inc the nations largest Licensee of Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance products has announced a plan that will provide all children with medical coverage and help the growing numbers of Americans without insurance gain access to health insurance.

The plan uses a combination of public and private cost containment measures and incentives to provide universal Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance products to all children in States served by Wellpoint, and also makes it easier for the uninsured in these areas to purchase private insurance policies. Of primary concern is the close to 10 million children who went without health insurance last year. Wellpoint supports plans that expand the States current programs of providing healthcare insurance to the poor and neediest among its populations. Several states have enacted programs that expand the income levels for those who qualify for such programs to families earning as much as 300 percent of the federal poverty level. Wellpoint recognizes that while such families do not qualify for Medicaid, it is still very difficult or impossible for them to purchase health insurance in the traditional market.  Furthermore, over 70% of those that already qualify for current programs to insure children have not taken advantage of them. The plan also proposes community outreach and public awareness programs to get those that already do qualify for Medicaid and other state run and federally mandated health insurance programs to sign up. In addition to expanding access to state run programs to more children, the WellPoint plan also encourages state health care to open up to include entire families that earn up to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, and even for working childless adults who earn as much as 100 percent of the poverty level. If enacted nationwide such increased inclusion in public programs, together with an effective outreach campaign, could provide coverage to more than half of the current 45 million people who are without health insurance.

Besides forming partnerships, and developing incentive programs with the federal and state governments, WellPoint is also committed to bringing Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance products to the marketplace that have been specifically designed to be more affordable to people who traditionally go without adequate health insurance. These include Blue Cross Blue Shield Products targeted at young Americans, novel products aimed at small businesses and entrepreneurs that have been unable to offer coverage to employees, and a unique group of products aimed at Hispanics. Wellpoint and all of the other providers of Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance coverage nationwide are working hard to developed new and affordable healthcare options and seeking innovative ways to expand in to new markets.