Pacific Blue Cross and Blue Cross Canassurance Form a National Alliance with Blue Cross Life

Minister of Finance Provides Final Approval

MONCTON, NB, Jan. 2, 2020 /CNW/ - Blue Cross Life Insurance Company of Canada, Pacific Blue Cross and Blue Cross Canassurance have formed an alliance, to bring together local service and insight, with national expertise and scale, to provide best Life and Living Benefits products and services across Canada. Both organizations will become shareholders of Blue Cross Life, in alignment with the other members of the Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans. This alliance has been approved by the Minister of Finance and is effective as of today.

Members of the Association of Blue Cross Plans have always favoured working collaboratively to optimize their individual and shared strengths in order to offer customers solutions that support improved health and wellness.

Pacific Blue Cross will continue to offer the same Life and Living Benefits products sold under its policies as a distributor for Blue Cross Life. Coverage for existing policyholders will continue within the current plan design.

"Pacific Blue Cross is excited to bring the benefits of a national carrier to our local expertise," said John Crawford, President & CEO, Pacific Blue Cross. "This alliance with Blue Cross Life is a foundational building block towards improving health and wellbeing for British Columbians. We have created the ability to bring on new business with our trusted advisors while improving our value proposition to our clients and members."  

"Blue Cross Canassurance is very pleased to join Blue Cross Life together with the other Canadian Blue Cross Plan members. This alliance will reinforce our ability to provide excellent products and services to our customers and business partners," stated Sylvain Charbonneau, President and CEO of Blue Cross Canassurance.

"This alliance is a key milestone in our strategy to build a truly national scope; making our organization stronger and improving our ability to collaborate with other Blues Cross plans across Canada," said Marie-Josée Martin, President & CEO, Blue Cross Life. "I look forward to working closely with both Pacific Blue Cross and Blue Cross Canassurance."

About Blue Cross Life Insurance Company of Canada

Blue Cross Life is a federally-licensed company with operations located in several provinces.

The Company is owned by four Shareholders, operating as Alberta Blue Cross, Saskatchewan Blue Cross, Manitoba Blue Cross, and Medavie Blue Cross. It specializes in life insurance and disability income protection products to supplement the portfolio of health and dental products distributed by its Shareholder Blue Cross Plans.

About Pacific Blue Cross

Pacific Blue Cross is a Health Benefits Society and British Columbia's number one health benefits provider. Based in Burnaby, BC, the not-for-profit organization provides health, dental, life, disability and travel coverage for 1 in 3 British Columbians through group benefits and individual plans. As part of its mission to improve health and wellbeing in BC, Pacific Blue Cross proactively supports charitable organizations across the province working to improve health outcomes.

About Blue Cross Canassurance

The Canassurance Hospital Service Association (Blue Cross Canassurance) contributed to introducing health and travel insurance to Quebec and Ontario. Founded over 75 years ago, the organisation is built on solid foundation of excellence and continues to be the reference standard for individual insurance and assistance, thanks to services that continually adapt to the changing needs of its clients. It operates under the names Québec Blue Cross^® and Ontario Blue Cross^® and provides assistance through its subsidiary CanAssistance Inc.

SOURCE Pacific Blue Cross