Blue Cross Blue Shield starts new bank for customers

Health Insurance and banking?  United Health already has one...will the Blue Cross Visa and MasterCard be the next offering along with debit cards and online banking?  From the story the plan will resemble the provisions of a 401k but be for health care only.  Health Savings accounts are starting to become more popular to help defray the difference with high deductible policies.  BD

Blue Cross Blue Shield customers now have a new bank to stash their health-care dollars.
The insurer this month rolled out its Blue Healthcare Bank for Arizona customers who participate in a health savings account.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona expects more customers will turn to such savings accounts to take control of their health-care finances.

"It is the natural compliment to the health savings accounts that are becoming more and more popular," said Dick Hannon, Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona's senior vice president of marketing and provider affairs.  The insurer expects more of its customers will deposit health savings with Blue Healthcare Bank due to services such as online banking, debit cards, checks and investment options.

UnitedHealth Group launched its own bank, Exante Bank, for its health-savings-account customers. Exante counts more than 200,000 accounts and $250 million in health-care-account deposits.

Blue Cross Blue Shield starts new bank for customers