Where did the name Blue Cross Blue Shield originate from?

The name Blue Cross Blue Shield originated from two separate organizations that aimed to provide health insurance. Blue Cross was established in the 1920s to offer coverage for hospital care, represented by a blue cross symbol. In 1939, the Blue Shield was created to cover physician services, represented by a blue shield symbol. The two entities merged in 1982 to form the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, maintaining the distinctive names and symbols to represent their combined services in health insurance.