Blue Cross Blue Shield employer health plans in Massachusetts
Who Blue Cross Blue Shield insures among Massachusetts employers and what those plans pay in premium and broker compensation, and what the Blue Cross Blue Shield network pays physicians.
Blue Cross Blue Shield employer health plans in Massachusetts at a glance
What the data shows
Blue Cross Blue Shield is the largest insurer of employer health plans in Massachusetts: 801 plans held a Blue Cross Blue Shield major-medical contract in form year 2024, 53% of the state's 1,524 insured large plans, ahead of Cigna with 194.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield book in Massachusetts has held steady since 2020 (783 plans then).
Most of these plans cover 100–499 people (494 plans); 91 cover 1,000 or more.
Median premium per person covered was $8,043, 3% below the Massachusetts all-carrier median of $8,252. Benefit design and group mix differ, so this is not a price comparison.
93% of these plans reported broker or agent pay on their Blue Cross Blue Shield contracts; where paid, the median was 2.6% of premium (middle half 2.0%–3.2%).
In BCBS: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts HMO Blue, Inc., 27 of the 50 Employer 50 services have a Massachusetts benchmark, at a median of 170% of Medicare across those services.
Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in Massachusetts, 2020–2024
| Form year | Plans | Persons covered | Share of state | Median premium / person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 783 | 426,166 | 53% | $6,753 |
| 2021 | 749 | 428,883 | 50% | $7,037 |
| 2022 | 767 | 424,249 | 50% | $7,353 |
| 2023 | 853 | 459,641 | 53% | $7,783 |
| 2024 | 801 | 436,191 | 53% | $8,043 |
| 2025 (partial) | 500 | 273,847 | 51% | $8,622 |
Plan size
| Persons covered | Plans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 100 | 55 | 7% |
| 100–499 | 494 | 62% |
| 500–999 | 159 | 20% |
| 1,000–4,999 | 88 | 11% |
| 5,000 or more | 3 | 0% |
Premiums and broker pay
| Measure | Blue Cross Blue Shield | All carriers, Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Median premium per person covered | $8,043 | $8,252 |
| Premium per person, middle half | $6,813–$9,482 | $6,634–$10,794 |
| Plans reporting broker or agent pay | 93% | 89% |
| Median broker pay, % of premium | 2.6% | 2.8% |
| Broker pay, middle half | 2.0%–3.2% | 2.1%–3.8% |
| Median broker pay per person covered | $202 | $225 |
Industries
Blue Cross Blue Shield's Massachusetts employer clients are concentrated in professional and technical services (223 plans) and health care and social assistance (120), followed by manufacturing (112).
| Industry | Plans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Professional and technical services | 223 | 28% |
| Health care and social assistance | 120 | 15% |
| Manufacturing | 112 | 14% |
| Educational services | 55 | 7% |
| Finance and insurance | 52 | 6% |
| Information | 43 | 5% |
Blue Cross Blue Shield employer clients in Massachusetts
767 employers in Massachusetts have a Blue Cross Blue Shield major-medical contract, 91 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 Massachusetts →
What the Blue Cross Blue Shield network pays physicians in Massachusetts
| Service | Code | Median | Middle half | % of Medicare | Other networks, median | Provider groups |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic complete with Doppler | 93306 | $116 | $77–$132 | 172% | $139 | 80 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), complete | 93000 | $26 | $17–$29 | 170% | $32 | 79 |
| Nuclear stress test (SPECT myocardial perfusion) | 78452 | $128 | $85–$146 | 172% | $109 | 80 |
| Treadmill stress test, complete | 93015 | $135 | $88–$151 | 183% | $144 | 79 |
| Skin biopsy, single lesion (tangential) | 11102 | $204 | $121–$217 | 214% | $172 | 103 |
| Colonoscopy (diagnostic, with biopsy, with polyp removal) | 45378 | $364 | $255–$436 | 221% | $487 | 90 |
| Upper GI endoscopy (diagnostic, with biopsy) | 43235 | $243 | $189–$324 | 220% | $453 | 88 |
| Abdominal ultrasound, complete | 76700 | $61 | $44–$75 | 163% | $72 | 93 |
| Bone density scan (DXA), axial | 77080 | $15 | $11–$18 | 161% | $17 | 94 |
| CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $138 | $98–$169 | 165% | $147 | 94 |
| CT chest without contrast | 71250 | $85 | $58–$99 | 172% | $92 | 90 |
| Chest X-ray, 2 views | 71046 | $17 | $12–$20 | 173% | $19 | 90 |
| MRI brain without and with contrast | 70553 | $174 | $124–$212 | 165% | $186 | 94 |
| MRI cervical spine without contrast | 72141 | $112 | $80–$137 | 165% | $126 | 94 |
| MRI knee (lower-extremity joint) without contrast | 73721 | $103 | $73–$125 | 164% | $118 | 94 |
Professional fee only: facility, implant and anesthesia charges are not included. Limited: rates come from a sample of providers, and groups are counted only in specialties that perform the service.
Carriers in Massachusetts
| Carrier | Plans | Share | Median premium / person | Median broker % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 801 | 53% | $8,043 | 2.6% |
| Other insurers (regional and local plans) | 405 | 27% | $10,172 | 2.5% |
| Cigna | 194 | 13% | $7,701 | 4.5% |
| UnitedHealthcare | 117 | 8% | $7,229 | 3.2% |
| Kaiser Permanente | 108 | 7% | $9,680 | 4.5% |
| Aetna | 52 | 3% | $7,400 | 1.8% |
| Anthem (Elevance Health) | 5 | 0% | $7,414 | 2.7% |
Blue Cross Blue Shield in other states
FAQ
How many Massachusetts employers have Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance?
801 employer health plans in Massachusetts reported a Blue Cross Blue Shield major-medical contract in their 2024 filings, covering 436,191 persons. Self-funded plans that Blue Cross Blue Shield only administers are not counted.
What is Blue Cross Blue Shield's share of the Massachusetts insured employer market?
53% 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 Massachusetts?
Where broker or agent pay was reported, the median was 2.6% of premium (2.8% across all carriers in Massachusetts).
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 801 Massachusetts 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: 772 contracts with 20+ persons covered and a reported premium; broker percentages use the 743 contracts that reported broker or agent pay.
- Network rates: BCBS: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts HMO Blue, Inc., professional fees only, from a sample of providers.
- Full method and limits: how the employer health plan data is built.