Blue Cross Blue Shield employer health plans in Louisiana
Who Blue Cross Blue Shield insures among Louisiana employers and what those plans pay in premium and broker compensation, and what the Blue Cross Blue Shield network pays hospitals.
Blue Cross Blue Shield employer health plans in Louisiana at a glance
What the data shows
Blue Cross Blue Shield is the largest insurer of employer health plans in Louisiana: 287 plans held a Blue Cross Blue Shield major-medical contract in form year 2024, 65% of the state's 443 insured large plans, ahead of UnitedHealthcare with 95.
Blue Cross Blue Shield has shrunk 5% in Louisiana since 2020, from 301 plans, as insured plans moved carrier or to self-funding.
Most of these plans cover 100–499 people (217 plans); 12 cover 1,000 or more.
Median premium per person covered was $7,541, 18% above the Louisiana all-carrier median of $6,385. Benefit design and group mix differ, so this is not a price comparison.
90% of these plans reported broker or agent pay on their Blue Cross Blue Shield contracts; where paid, the median was 5.0% of premium (middle half 4.0%–5.6%).
At Louisiana hospitals, Blue Cross Blue Shield's commercial rates run higher than other carriers' at the same hospital for 12 of 17 services; a hip or knee replacement stay has a median rate of $22,006 across 17 hospitals.
Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in Louisiana, 2020–2024
| Form year | Plans | Persons covered | Share of state | Median premium / person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 301 | 85,317 | 60% | $6,583 |
| 2021 | 309 | 86,543 | 61% | $6,789 |
| 2022 | 288 | 88,134 | 60% | $6,667 |
| 2023 | 315 | 98,789 | 64% | $6,963 |
| 2024 | 287 | 85,129 | 65% | $7,541 |
| 2025 (partial) | 205 | 66,312 | 64% | $7,396 |
Plan size
| Persons covered | Plans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 100 | 38 | 13% |
| 100–499 | 217 | 76% |
| 500–999 | 20 | 7% |
| 1,000–4,999 | 11 | 4% |
| 5,000 or more | 1 | 0% |
Premiums and broker pay
| Measure | Blue Cross Blue Shield | All carriers, Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Median premium per person covered | $7,541 | $6,385 |
| Premium per person, middle half | $5,749–$9,492 | $4,748–$9,024 |
| Plans reporting broker or agent pay | 90% | 90% |
| Median broker pay, % of premium | 5.0% | 4.9% |
| Broker pay, middle half | 4.0%–5.6% | 3.9%–5.7% |
| Median broker pay per person covered | $347 | $320 |
Industries
Blue Cross Blue Shield's Louisiana employer clients are concentrated in health care and social assistance (57 plans) and construction (35), followed by manufacturing (33).
| Industry | Plans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 57 | 20% |
| Construction | 35 | 12% |
| Manufacturing | 33 | 11% |
| Professional and technical services | 31 | 11% |
| Finance and insurance | 23 | 8% |
| Retail trade | 20 | 7% |
Blue Cross Blue Shield employer clients in Louisiana
274 employers in Louisiana have a Blue Cross Blue Shield major-medical contract, 12 of them covering 1,000 or more people. For each one Medlyze has the plan year, the broker on each contract and what that broker was paid, and compiles the list for a state, an industry or a single employer on request.
| Employer | Persons covered | Plan year ends | Broker | Broker pay, % of premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employer name | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Employer name | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Employer name | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
Brokers: request the Blue Cross Blue Shield Prospect List for Louisiana →
What the Blue Cross Blue Shield network pays hospitals in Louisiana
Blue Cross Blue Shield commercial rates are on record at 40 Louisiana hospitals (the hospitals covered so far, not every hospital). Compared at the same hospitals, Blue Cross Blue Shield's rate is higher than the other carriers' median for 12 of 17 services and lower for 3. For Emergency visit, level 4, the rate runs from $270 to $884 across 18 hospitals.
This page shows 3 of the 17 services in full. The other rates, the size of each gap and every hospital's prices are in the Plan Cost Benchmark.
| Service | Hospitals | Median rate | Range (P10–P90) | vs other carriers, same hospitals | Cash price, median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip or knee replacement (hospital stay) | 17 | $22,006 | $13,528–$28,633 | Higher | – |
| C-section delivery (hospital stay) | 15 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Vaginal delivery (hospital stay) | 15 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| MRI, lower back | 14 | $438 | $230–$720 | Lower | $777 |
| MRI, knee | 14 | Locked | Locked | Lower | Locked |
| CT, head | 18 | Locked | Locked | About the same | Locked |
| CT, abdomen and pelvis | 18 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Screening mammogram | 14 | Locked | Locked | About the same | Locked |
| Colonoscopy, diagnostic | 15 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy | 16 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Knee arthroscopy | 17 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Cataract surgery | 18 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Gallbladder removal, laparoscopic | 18 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Knee replacement, outpatient | 13 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Emergency visit, level 4 | 18 | $622 | $270–$884 | Lower | $387 |
| Comprehensive metabolic panel | 20 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Complete blood count | 19 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
Hospitals with the most published Blue Cross Blue Shield rates
| Hospital | Joint replacement | MRI lower back | CT abdomen | Colonoscopy | ER level 4 | Vaginal delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acadian Medical Center | $22,984 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Byrd Regional Hospital | $23,814 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Christus Dubuis Hospital Of Alexandria | $30,057 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Minden Medical Center | $20,007 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Natchitoches Regional Medical Center | $21,734 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Northern Louisiana Medical Center | $23,278 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Oakdale Community Hospital | $22,006 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Our Lady Of The Lake Surgical Hospital | $13,528 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Rapides Regional Medical Center | $14,299 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| St. James Parish Hospital | – | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
How the contracts are written: case rates 1%, fee schedules 77%, per diem 10%, percent of billed charges 10%, other 2% of Blue Cross Blue Shield's published commercial rates for these services in Louisiana.
Employers: see all 17 services and every hospital near your people in a Plan Cost Benchmark →
Hospital facility rate only: physician, anesthesia and implant charges are separate. Rates are what hospitals publish, not claims paid, and are not weighted by use.
Carriers in Louisiana
| Carrier | Plans | Share | Median premium / person | Median broker % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 287 | 65% | $7,541 | 5.0% |
| UnitedHealthcare | 95 | 21% | $5,367 | 4.2% |
| Other insurers (regional and local plans) | 47 | 11% | $2,323 | 14.9% |
| Cigna | 19 | 4% | $751 | 5.3% |
| Aetna | 10 | 2% | $6,397 | 4.9% |
| Kaiser Permanente | 4 | 1% | $11,886 | 4.0% |
| Humana | 4 | 1% | $123 | 4.4% |
Blue Cross Blue Shield in other states
FAQ
How many Louisiana employers have Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance?
287 employer health plans in Louisiana reported a Blue Cross Blue Shield major-medical contract in their 2024 filings, covering 85,129 persons. Self-funded plans that Blue Cross Blue Shield only administers are not counted.
What is Blue Cross Blue Shield's share of the Louisiana insured employer market?
65% of insured large employer health plans, 1st of 7 carrier groups by plan count.
How much do brokers earn on Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in Louisiana?
Where broker or agent pay was reported, the median was 5.0% of premium (4.9% across all carriers in Louisiana).
Can I see the figures for a specific employer?
Yes. Brokers can request an Employer Account Brief on one employer, or a Prospect List for this market. Employers can request a Plan Cost Benchmark for their own plan. Use the request form on this page.
About these numbers
- Plans counted: the 287 Louisiana employer health plans with a Blue Cross Blue Shield major-medical contract in their 2024 filings. Self-funded plans that Blue Cross Blue Shield only administers are not counted here.
- Premium and broker figures: 268 contracts with 20+ persons covered and a reported premium; broker percentages use the 249 contracts that reported broker or agent pay.
- Hospital prices: Blue Cross Blue Shield commercial rates at Louisiana hospitals; stay and facility prices only.
- Full method and limits: how the employer health plan data is built.