Anthem (insurance)

Anthem was an insurance company which began in the 1980s as a spin-off of the group insurance operations of American General Insurance. From its move to a publicly-traded company in 2001 until its final merger in 2004, it merged the Blue Cross Blue Shield organizations of several states to achieve economy of scale, converting them in the process from non-profit to for-profit status. In late 2004, Anthem and WellPoint merged, with the combined company taking the WellPoint name.

While Anthem no longer exists as a company, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield brand name is used by WellPoint in 11 states.