Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield vs. Cigna Healthcare

In this article...
  • How do Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Cigna Healthcare compare for their Medicare plans? In our review, we compare BCBS vs. Cigna Healthcare Medicare plans including what they cover and who may be eligible.

It’s hard for Medicare shoppers to go wrong with either Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield or Cigna Healthcare. Both insurance companies offer a range of quality and affordable Medicare plans across many states, though plans aren't available in all locations.

In some states, certain types of plans from Cigna or Anthem BCBS may be offered by one of their affiliate companies.

Blue Cross Blue Shield vs. Cigna Healthcare: Plan Availability


You can only enroll in a Medicare plan that is available in the area in which you reside. And not all insurance carriers sell plans in every state or county, so some beneficiaries have more plans available to them than others. 

Blue Cross Blue Shield is part of the Anthem family of insurance company brands. Because of this, Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare plans or plans from one of their affiliate companies can be found in different states. 

BCBS and Cigna Healthcare both sell Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap), Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans and Medicare Part D plans.

Once you know a carrier sells plans in your area, it’s then time to review their selection.

Cigna Healthcare vs. Anthem BCBS: Medicare Plan Star Ratings


Medicare shoppers should never overlook quality. Fortunately, Medicare makes measures the quality of Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans and releases annual Star Ratings for each company’s plan lineup.

Every year, Medicare evaluates plans using a 5-star rating system. A rating of Five Stars is considered excellent, Four Stars is above average or highly rated, and Three Stars is considered average. 

67% of Cigna Healthcare Medicare Advantage plan members were enrolled in a plan rated 4 stars or higher by CMS in 2024.

Because Blue Cross Blue Shield operates under dozens of regional affiliate names throughout the country, each affiliate is assigned its own Medicare Star Ratings, so your local Blue Cross Blue Shield may differ in quality. 

Is Cigna Healthcare Better than Blue Cross?

Both have advantages and disadvantages, but it all comes down to what satisfies your Medicare needs more.

What is the most accepted health insurance company?

If you have the choice of both Cigna Healthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield, compare the coverage, costs and plan quality of Medicare Advantage plans available where you live.

Helpadvisor.com is owned and operated by Tranzact, the parent company of TZ Insurance Solutions LLC, which is the owner/operator of Medicareadvantage.com and other websites mentioned on HelpAdvisor and which has a financial relationship with some of the carriers listed on HelpAdvisor. This may influence which products we write about, but HelpAdvisor maintains editorial independence, and our opinions and evaluations are our own.

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