Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield is the New York regional health insurance brand of Elevance Health, offering medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, and supplemental coverage to individuals, employers, Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and federal employees across eastern and southeastern New York counties.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1944
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield does
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield is a regional health insurance brand operated by Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE: ELV, formerly Anthem Inc.) through its legal entity Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc., headquartered in New York. The company provides medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, behavioral health, supplemental health, and life and disability coverage to individuals, families, employers, Medicare beneficiaries, Medicaid members, and federal employees across the eastern and southeastern counties of New York, with national account capabilities extending into other states.
The product portfolio spans Individual & Family Plans, Medicare Advantage and supplement plans, state-sponsored Medicaid managed care, Small Business group plans (2 to 50 or 100 employees), Large Group plans, National Accounts for multi-state employers, and Federal Employee Programs under FEHB. The technical platform is anchored by the Sydney Health mobile application for iOS and Android, which consolidates claims submission, benefits review, prescription management, payments, ID card access, and live chat with representatives. Adjacent digital services include the Whole Health Index for member health tracking and Sydney Care, delivered through a partnership with Carelon Digital Platforms, an Elevance Health affiliate. Life and disability insurance is offered via a partnership with The Standard.
Empire generates revenue through recurring premium payments across its seven customer segments, distributed through direct-to-consumer channels (website and licensed agents), a producer/broker portal for employer groups, and a dedicated enterprise field sales force for large group and national accounts. As a subsidiary of Elevance Health, Empire benefits from the parent's scale in provider network negotiations, claims administration, regulatory licensing, and capital allocation, while operating as the licensed Blue Cross Blue Shield carrier within its New York service area.
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Legal name
- Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.
- Website
- https://empireblue.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1944
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield is the New York regional health insurance brand of Elevance Health, offering medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, and supplemental coverage to individuals, employers, Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and federal employees across eastern and southeastern New York counties.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Health Insurance
- NAICS
- Direct Life, Health, and Medical Insurance Carriers (52411)
- SIC
- Accident & Health Insurance (6321), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Medicare Quality, Risk Adjustment & Stars Analytics/Services (FSAIAGAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Medigap Marketing, Lead Gen & Compliance (CMS/Do-Not-Call/TPMO) (HLAEADAE), Individual Disability Income Insurance (Non-Group) (FSAIAIAA)
Keywords
Where Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Health Insurance Premiums: Recurring premium payments from individuals, families, and employers for medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, and supplemental health insurance coverage.
- Medicare Plans: Government-sponsored Medicare Advantage and supplement plan premiums paid by beneficiaries and subsidized by federal government.
- Medicaid Plans: State-sponsored Medicaid managed care premiums funded through federal and state government programs.
- Federal Employee Health Insurance: Health benefits for federal employees under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield is a health insurance company that sells medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, behavioral health, supplemental, life and disability coverage to individuals, families, employers, Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries across eastern and southeastern New York. It distributes products via direct-to-consumer, producer/broker, and enterprise field sales channels, and supports members through the Sydney Health mobile app, online member portal, and live chat service.
Product overview
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield (operating as Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in New York) offers a comprehensive health insurance platform serving multiple market segments. The core products include Individual & Family Plans, Medicare Plans, Medicaid Plans, and Employer Group Plans (Small Business, Large Group, National Accounts, and Federal Employee Programs). Insurance offerings are structured as modular components including Medical Insurance, Pharmacy Benefits, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Behavioral Health, Health & Wellness Programs, Employee Assistance Program, Supplemental Health Insurance, and Group Medicare. The digital experience is delivered through the Sydney Health mobile application (iOS/Android) and an online member account portal, enabling claims submission, benefit management, prescription management, payments, and Live Chat support. Life & Disability coverage is provided through a partnership with The Standard.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sydney Health: Mobile application for members to manage their health insurance, access benefits, find care, and connect with representatives.
Products and services
- Sydney Health Mobile App
- Individual & Family Health Plans Affordable health, dental, and vision coverage for individuals and families in New York, with potential eligibility for financial assistance to lower coverage costs.
- Medicare Plans Medicare health plans (Advantage and Supplement) for seniors and Medicare-eligible individuals in New York, available with various coverage options and plan years.
- Medicaid Plans State-sponsored Medicaid managed care health insurance serving eligible low-income individuals and families in New York, with comprehensive coverage and enrollment support.
- Small Business Group Health Plans Group health insurance for small businesses with 2 to 50 or up to 100 employees, offering a full range of medical, dental, vision, and supplemental coverage options.
- Large Group Health Plans Flexible group insurance plans for larger businesses, including medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage, sold through dedicated enterprise field sales and broker channels.
- National Accounts Health Plans National health insurance plans for large employers operating across multiple states, providing coordinated coverage and account management through dedicated enterprise sales teams.
- Federal Employee Health Benefits Program Health insurance coverage specifically designed for federal employees and retirees under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Confidential support services for employees of group customers, including counseling, legal assistance, and financial coaching.
- Online Member Account Portal Web-based member portal enabling members to submit and track claims, review benefits, make payments, manage prescriptions, access ID cards, and chat with representatives.
- Whole Health Index Digital tool helping members understand and navigate their overall health by providing personalized health insights and resources.
Companies that use Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- The StandardminorThe Standard provides life and disability insurance products offered alongside Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield health plans for employer benefit packages.
- Carelon Digital PlatformscoreCarelon Digital Platforms provides mobile application services for Sydney Care, a separate arrangement offering digital health services on behalf of the health plan.
- Ameriben (Third-Party Administration)minorThird-party administrator reference for certain administrative services related to employer health benefits.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Oscar Health: A technology-forward health insurer with significant individual and small-group presence in New York. Competes with Empire on ACA individual plans and digital member experience.
Regional players
- Healthfirst: A New York-focused not-for-profit insurer with strong Medicare and Medicaid presence. Competes directly with Empire in NY government programs and individual ACA markets.
- EmblemHealth: A New York-based not-for-profit health plan offering individual, employer, Medicare, and Medicaid coverage. Directly competes with Empire across all major NY segments.
- Excellus BlueCross BlueShield: The BCBS licensee for upstate New York regions. A fellow BCBS licensee with overlapping product types (individual, employer, Medicare, Medicaid) but largely non-overlapping geography.
- Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield: A regional BCBS licensee serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and New York. Comparable as a fellow BCBS licensee with similar multi-segment product portfolio and analogous regulatory dynamics.
Direct peers
- Fidelis Care (Centene): A New York-focused health plan owned by Centene, with deep Medicaid and individual market share. Directly competes with Empire in Medicaid managed care and ACA plans across NY.
- UnitedHealthcare: The health insurance arm of UnitedHealth Group and the largest US health insurer. Competes head-to-head with Empire across individual, employer, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid lines in New York and nationally.
- Aetna (CVS Health): A national health insurer owned by CVS Health, offering individual, employer, Medicare, and Medicaid plans. Directly competes with Empire's full product suite in the New York market.
- Cigna Group: Major national carrier offering employer-sponsored and individual health plans. Overlaps with Empire's Large Group and National Accounts products and competes for multi-state employer contracts.
- Humana: A leading Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement carrier. Directly competes with Empire in MA, Medigap, and Group Medicare retiree coverage, especially in NY metro markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield social profiles
Digital presenceEmpire Blue Cross Blue Shield financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
What does Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield do?
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield is a health insurance company that sells medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, behavioral health, supplemental, life and disability coverage to individuals, families, employers, Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries across eastern and southeastern New York. It distributes products via direct-to-consumer, producer/broker, and enterprise field sales channels, and supports members through the Sydney Health mobile app, online member portal, and live chat service.
Is Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield a public or private company?
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield founded?
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield was founded in 1944. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield based?
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Health Insurance Premiums are the primary driver. The others are medicare Plans, medicaid Plans and federal Employee Health Insurance.
Who are Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield's main competitors?
Oscar Health is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Healthfirst, EmblemHealth, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. Direct peers are Fidelis Care (Centene), UnitedHealthcare, Aetna (CVS Health), Cigna Group and Humana.
Does Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield have an API?
No public API is recorded for Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield.
What industry is Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield in?
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield's product category is Health Insurance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAIAGAJ, Medicare Quality, Risk Adjustment & Stars Analytics/Services, with a secondary code of HLAEADAE, Medigap Marketing, Lead Gen & Compliance (CMS/Do-Not-Call/TPMO). Its NAICS code is 52411 and its SIC code is 6321.