An individual covered under a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan is called a(n):

• A. insured
• B. member
• C. subscriber
• D. policyholder

Answer: (C)

Understanding health plan terminology helps you see who is who in a policy. The policyholder is the person who owns the contract and pays the premium. The person actually covered by the plan—who enrolls and receives benefits—is identified in many Blue Cross Blue Shield materials as the subscriber. This term highlights the enrollment and entitlement to benefits under the plan, especially in group plans where the employee (the subscriber) is the primary enrollee and the policy covers dependents as well. While the insured is the person whose risk is being covered, the exam commonly uses subscriber to refer to the person who holds coverage and benefits under the plan. That’s why subscriber is the best answer.