The national federation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensees saw a small decrease in the number of people it provides health insurance coverage to, according to a new analysis.

As of June 30, the 39 independent Blues plans provided major medical coverage to 102.3 million people, with more than half of the Blues’ membership through self-funded or administrative services only plans, according to Mark Farrah Associates, a research company. The total marks a 0.2% decrease from June 2008.

In comparison, the next nearest competitor to the entire Blues organization is UnitedHealth Group, serving 50.9 million people in the United States.
BCBS organizations have done slightly better in terms of membership than the rest of the health plans in the country during the recession, Mark Farrah Associates found.

The organization found that Blues’ members and their affiliates cover one of every three Americans—including nearly 20 million unionized workers, families and retirees and roughly 5.2 million federal employees, retirees and their families. Furthermore, Blues organizations cover more than half of all commercially insured persons in the U.S., and its territories.