Illinois Health Insurance Practice Exam

Blue Shield originally assured payment of:

1. Hospital charges

2. Physician's charges

3. Nursing charges

4. Lab charges

The correct answer is: Physician's charges

The correct answer is focused on the historical context of Blue Shield insurance. Blue Shield was established primarily to cover physician services, making physician’s charges the fundamental focus of their insurance plans. Historically, it was designed to provide financial protection for patients against the costs incurred when receiving medical care from doctors. While other types of charges—such as hospital, nursing, and lab charges—are certainly important components of the healthcare system and may be covered by other insurance plans, Blue Shield's original intent was specifically aimed at guaranteeing payment for fees charged by physicians. This specialization highlights the role of Blue Shield in the broader landscape of health insurance, where it distinctly catered to physician services at its inception. In contrast, while hospital, nursing, and lab services are essential to healthcare, they do not reflect the foundational purpose of Blue Shield's establishment in addressing physician payments directly.