Blue Shield of California may be best known as the first insurance company to provide coverage for a heart transplant in 1984. It's also responsible for a number of other "firsts": It is the first insurance company to offer coverage to clients in both California and Mexico. It also began offering online benefit and enrollment information in 1996, before anyone else. Founded in 1939, the nonprofit now has 3.2 million members, 4,500 employees and one of California's largest provider networks.
Year founded: 1939
Estimated number of members in California: More than 3,200,000
Rating from A.M. Best: A-
URL: www.mylifeplan.com