Archives Documents, Manuscripts, Maps, & Photographs

MG 1227

Blue Shield of New Jersey

Records, 1940-1988

6.5 linear ft.

Records, 1940-1988, of Blue Shield of New Jersey, a medical insurance plan established in 1942.  Originally known as the Medical-Surgical Plan of New Jersey,  the organization was founded through the efforts of Dr. Edward W. Sprague, Dr. Elton W. Lance and John S. Thompson, with the support and financial backing of the Medical Society of New Jersey.  Blue Shield was created to provide adequate medical care, “preventive and curative, at the lowest cost compatible with efficient service.” The Medical-Surgical Plan and the Hospital Service Plan of New Jersey (Blue Cross) worked in conjunction, but as separate corporations, until they merged into a single corporation in  1986.

            Records include by-laws, contracts and other legal documents, annual reports, legislative hearing reports, press releases, speeches, and correspondence. Bulk of the collection concerns the Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Jersey merger of 1986. Among the records documenting the merger are correspondence, legislation, financial statements, press releases, memoranda of agreement, merger plans, court briefs, and meeting summaries. Includes chronological files of Joseph A. Cox, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Shield, and correspondence with the N.J. Department of Insurance Commissioner Hazel Gluck.

            Also, enrollment data, plan rates, conference materials, subscriber booklets and forms, employee newsletters, historical narratives, and papers discussing types of coverage, individual plan subscribers, and Blue Shield’s relationship with the Medical Society of New Jersey.

USE OF COLLECTION IS RESTRICTED.

Gift of Blue Shield of New Jersey, 1985.

MG 1227

BLUE SHIELD OF NEW JERSEY

Records, 1940-1988

Container List

HSP = Hospital Service Plan of New Jersey (Blue Cross)

MSP= Medical-Surgical Plan of New Jersey (Blue Shield)

Box                 Folder                                     Title                                                                                                                                                                            Dates

                                                            Certificates of Incorporation, By-laws & Agreements:

1                                              1                      Certificates of Incorporation with                                                                                                          1942, 1944, 1983

Amendments

                                                2                      Resolution to Amend By-Laws of Medical            Service                                     n.d.

                                                                                    Administration of N.J.   

                                                3                      Joint Operating Agreement:  HSP & MSP                                                                                  1955, 1958

                                                4                      Agreement between N.J. Dental Service Plan Inc.                                                            1970, 1974

                                                                                    & HSP/MSP

                                                5                      Agreement between HSP/MSP and Local 32 Office                                                 1982

                                                                                    of Professional Employees International Union

A.F.L.-C.I.O.

                                                6                      Participating Physicians Agreement                                                                                                        1983-84

                                                            Reports:

                                                7                      Annual Reports                                                                                                                                                                         1950, 1958-61

                                                8                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               1962, 1964-67

                                                9                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               1968-72

                                                10                                                         “                                                                                                                                                                                               1977-79

                                                11                     Supplemental Reports to the Medical Society      of                                                            1948, 1966

                                                                                    New Jersey

                                                12                     Financial & Enrollment Data, 1944-82                                                                                         1984

                                                13                     Financial Statements                                                                                                                                                      1983-84

                                                            General Subject Files:

                                                14                     Basis of Rates of Medical Service Plan                                                                                      1940-41

                                                15                     Board of Trustees:  Proceedings of MSP Board of Trustees                       1960

and Medical Society of New Jersey Board of Trustees

                                                16                     Board of Trustees:  Blue Shield of N.J.                                                                                       1983

                                                17                     Conference on Medical Welfare in N.J., Proceedings                                                1952

                                                18                     Conflicts of Interest on Blue Shield Boards of Directors:                      1978

                                                                                    U.S. House of Representatives Committee on

Foreign Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight and

Investigations Report

                                                19                     Dependent Children Coverage                                                                                                                1979, 1982

                                                20                     History and Background                                                                                                                                                1966, 1973 & n.d.

Box                 Folder                                     Title                                                                                                                                                                            Dates

1                                              21                     Medical Director’s Letter to Participating Physicians                                    1950-51

                                                22                     Medical Service Administration of N.J.                                                                                       1950

                                                            General Subject Files:

2                                              1                      Miscellaneous                                                                                                                                                                           1974, 1988 & n.d.

                                                2                      News Releases                                                                                                                                                                         1963-83 w/gaps

                                                3                      Paperless Claims Processing                                                                                                                              1982

                                                4                      Photographs                                                                                                                                                                                          ca. 1950s-60s

                                                5                      Physicians’ Fees                                                                                                                                                                       1960

                                                6                      Public Hearing #4 to Investigate the Administration of                                 Nov. 16, 1960

                                                                                    the Hospital Service Plan of N.J./N.J. Legislative

Commission

                                                7                      Public Hearing #5 to Investigate the Administration of                                 Dec. 8, 1960

                                                                                    the Hospital Service Plan           of N.J./N.J. Legislative

Commission

                                                8                      Public Hearing #6 to Investigate the Administration of                                 Dec. 22, 1960

                                                                                    the Hospital Service Plan           of N.J./N.J. Legislative

Commission

                                                9                      Radiologists, Coverage of Services of                                                                                         1980

                                                10                     Rate Hearing Materials                                                                                                                                      1970

                                                11                     Riders for Subscribers’ Contracts                                                                                                           1961

                                                12                     Subscription Contract Announcement                                                                                         1956

                                                13                     Surgical Assistants Services:  Civil Action Brief                                                  1980

                                                                                    Superior Court of N.J., Appellate Div.

                                                            Speeches/Papers:

                                                14                     “Evolution of Medical Care Plans in N.J.”                                                                                   n.d.

                                                15                     “Eyes Right at the Crossroads…An Objective            Appraisal                                  1958

                                                                                    of the Voluntary Health Insurance Movement”

16             “General Information Concerning MSP of N.J.”                                                1951

17             “An Historical Review of the Relationships Between the                         ca. 1954

       Medical Society of N.J., Medical Service

Administration of N.J. & MSP of N.J.”

                                                18                     “The Non-Group Subscriber – A Blue Shield Problem                                    1951

19             “Observations and Impressions re:  Medical- Surgical                            1952

Plan” Annual Meeting of the Medical Society of N.J.

                                                20                     “Operation Bootstrap” – How MSP Functioned                                                  1963

                                                                                    in Strike Crisis

                                                21                     “Proposals of the Medical Society of N.J. for a National                        1950

                                                                                    Health and Medical Care Program”

                                                22                     “Public Health in New Jersey:  Current Issues in                                                             1984

                                                                                    Historical Perspective”

Box                 Folder                                     Title                                                                                                                                                                            Dates

                                                                        Blue Cross Blue Shield Merger Files:

2                                              23                                             “                                                                                                                                                                                                           1976, 1982

                                                24                                             “           :  Blue Cross Blue Shield Committee                                                        1983

                                                                                                                        Task Force

                                                25                                             “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Feb. 22, 1984

                                                26                                             “           :  Memorandum of Agreement                                                                                Mar. 6, 1984

                                                                        Blue Cross Blue Shield Merger Files:

3                                              1                                              “           :  N.J. State Legislative Act                                                                                                Oct. 1984

                                                2                                              “           :                                               “                                                                                                                                               Oct. 1984

                                                3                                              “           :  N.J. Assembly Health Care Bill                                                                       Nov. 1984

                                                                                                                        and Hearing Summary

                                                4                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Dec. 1984

                                                5                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Jan. 1985

                                                6                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Feb. 1985

                                                7                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Mar. 1985

                                                8                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Apr. 1-15, 1985

                                                9                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Apr. 17-30, 1985

                                                10                                             “                                                                                                                                                                                                           May 1985

                                                11                                             “                                                                                                                                                                                                           June 24, 1985

                                                12                                             “                                                                                                                                                                                                           June 1985

                                                13                                             “                                                                                                                                                                                                           July 2-11, 1985

                                                14                                             “                                                                                                                                                                                                           July 16-24, 1985

                                                15                                             “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Aug. 1985

                                                16                                             “           :  Financial Statements                                                                                                               Sept. 1985

                                                            Blue Cross Blue Shield Merger Files:

4                                              1                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Oct. 1985

                                                2                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Nov. 1985

                                                3                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Dec. 1985

                                                4                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Dec. 1985

                                                5                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Jan. 1-8, 1986

                                                6                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           Jan. 9-29, 1986

                                                7                                              “           :  Notification & Report Form for                                                                       Jan. 13, 1986

                                                                                                                        Certain Mergers & Acquisitions

                                                            Blue Cross Blue Shield Merger Files:

5                                              1                                              “           :  Notification & Report Form for                                                                       Jan. 14, 1986

                                                                                                                        Certain Mergers & Acquisitions

                                                2                                              “           :  Certificate of Change of Corporate                                                         Jan. 29, 1986

                                                                                                                        Name

                                                3                                              “           :  Certificates of Merger                                                                                                            Feb. 4, 1986

                                                4                                              “                                                                                                                                                                                                           1988 & n.d.

                                                            Printed Materials:

                                                5                      The Story of  Blue Cross and Blue Shield                                                                                1969

Box                 Folder                                     Title                                                                                                                                                                            Dates

5                                              6                      The New Jersey Blue Cross Story & The Story                                                            ca. 1968, ca. 1972

                                                                                    of The Hospital Service Plan of New Jersey

                                                7                      The Story of Blue Shield                                                                                                                                              1954

                                                8                      Blue Shield Pulse                                                                                                                                                                     1962-66

                                                9                      The 2 Blues News                                                                                                                                                                     1963-68

                                                10                     Two Blues News                                                                                                                                                                       1968-79

                                                11                     Little Blue Notes                                                                                                                                                                       1977-78

                                                12                     Blue Notes                                                                                                                                                                                           1981-85

                                                13                     Labor News                                                                                                                                                                                         1984-85

                                                14                     Subscription Certificate Forms                                                                                                                1973-83

                                                            Blue Cross Blue Shield Merger Files:

6                                              1                      Schedule of Payments                                                                                                                                                   1978, 1982

                                                2                      Who’s Blue: The Blue Shield Book of Preferred                                                            1985

                                                                                    Physicians and Providers (and Dentists)

                                                3                      Medical Surgical Plan of N.J.:  Participating Physicians                                 1942

                                                4                      Booklets                                                                                                                                                                                                           1973-84

                                                                Chronological Files:

                                                5                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       Jan. 1986

                                                6                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       Jan. 1986

                                                7                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               Dec. 1985

7                                              1                      Chronological Files                                                                                                                                                                    Nov. 1985

                                                2                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       Oct. 1985

                                                3                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       Oct. 1985

                                                4                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               Sep. 1985

                                                5                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               Aug. 1985

                                                6                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 3)                                                                                       July 1985

                                                7                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 3)                                                                                       July 1985

                                                8                                                          “                                               (Folder 3 of 3)                                                                                       July 1985

8                                              1                      Chronological Files                    (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       June 1985

                                                2                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       June 1985

                                                3                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               May 1985

                                                4                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 4)                                                                                       Apr. 1985

                                                5                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 4)                                                                                       Apr. 1985

                                                6                                                          “                                               (Folder 3 of 4)                                                                                       Apr. 1985

                                                7                                                          “                                               (Folder 4 of 4)                                                                                       Apr. 1985

9                                              1                      Chronological Files                    (Folder 1 of 3)                                                                                       Mar. 1985

                                                2                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 3)                                                                                       Mar. 1985

                                                3                                                          “                                               (Folder 3 of 3)                                                                                       Mar. 1985

                                                4                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       Feb. 1985

                                                5                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       Feb. 1985

                                                6                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       Jan. 1985

Box                 Folder                                     Title                                                                                                                                                                            Dates

9                                              7                      Chronological Files                    (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       Jan. 1985

                                                8                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               Dec. 1984

                                                9                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       Nov. 1984

                                                10                                                         “                                               (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       Nov. 1984

10                                             1                      Chronological Files                                                                                                                                                                    Oct. 1984

                                                2                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               Sep. 1984

                                                3                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               Aug. 1984

                                                4                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       July 1984

                                                5                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       July 1984

                                                6                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               June 1984

                                                7                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       May 1984

                                                8                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       May 1984

                                                9                                                          ”                                              (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       Apr. 1984

11                                             1                      Chronological Files                    (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       Apr. 1984

                                                2                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 3)                                                                                       Mar. 1984

                                                3                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 3)                                                                                       Mar. 1984

                                                4                                                          “                                               (Folder 3 of 3)                                                                                       Mar. 1984

                                                5                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       Feb. 1984

                                                6                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       Feb. 1984

                                                7                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       Jan. 1984

                                                8                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       Jan. 1984

12                                             1                      Chronological Files                    (Folder 1 of 2)                                                                                       Dec. 1983

                                                2                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 2)                                                                                       Dec. 1983

                                                3                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 3)                                                                                       Nov. 1983

                                                4                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 3)                                                                                       Nov. 1983

                                                5                                                          “                                               (Folder 3 of 3)                                                                                       Nov. 1983

                                                6                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 4)                                                                                       Oct. 1983

                                                7                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 4)                                                                                       Oct. 1983

                                                8                                                          “                                               (Folder 3 of 4)                                                                                       Oct. 1983

13                                             1                      Chronological Files                    (Folder 4 of 4)                                                                                       Oct. 1983

                                                2                                                          “                                               (Folder 1 of 3)                                                                                       Sep. 1983

                                                3                                                          “                                               (Folder 2 of 3 )                                                                                      Sep. 1983

                                                4                                                          “                                               (Folder 3 of 3)                                                                                       Sep. 1983

                                                5                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               Aug. 1983

                                                6                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               July 1983

                                                7                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               May-June, 1983

                                                8                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               Apr.-May, 1983

                                                9                                                          “                                                                                                                                                                                               Jan.-Feb. 1983                                                                                     

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