Blue Cross and Blue Shield is an association of 39 independent, community based companies. It represents the oldest and also the largest group of health insurance providers in the United States. For around 70 years the companies have been offering the best products and some of the most affordable prices in the industry. The companies all have their foundation in a health plan created by Justin Ford Kimbal in 1929. The plan was offered to teachers at the Baylor College of Medicine and provided up to 21 days of hospital care (the price was an unbelievable $6 per year). Currently the structure of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies allows each independent association to define the insurance plans offered for their region. There is some form of Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance coverage offered in every state in the United States. Many state governments use the Blue Cross and Blue Shield policies for their group coverage. Even the United States government uses BC/BS. In the past the Blue Cross represented the hospitalization coverage and the Blue Shield represents the health care coverage. Today that split only exists in a few locations. Most policies fall under both sides of the coverage.