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As part of an effort to bring better understanding and information about CD,
we have been attempting to develop a plan to reach insurance companies with
information about Celiac Disease.  What other group would profit more from
people being diagnosed than those who pay for the many doctors, tests,
treatment, drugs and autoimmune deficiency diseases. I think it would be the
insurance companies.  We have all gone through so much to get a diagnosis
and all this cost money.  Drug companies would definitely not benefit by
people being diagnosed, because all the medications that we have tried is
money in their pocket.

I have been asked to find the top 10-12 insurance companies in the US.  Then
the Gluten Intolerance Group will get together a packet to send to them to
raise awareness.  The attempt will be to get them to encourage testing and
enhance awareness among patients and professionals.  I have been searching
for insurance companies and wrote to my own, but did not send them any
official information.  Without anything official, I doubt if they will
respond because most doctors (probably including their own) still believe CD
is rare, so my small lay voice does not merit much weight.

 Here is the questions:

Can anyone help me locate the top insurance companies in the nation?  If you
have addresses or names that too would be great.

I have located dozens of Blue Cross and Blue Shields, but they all seem to
be independent companies scattered throughout the US.  Does anyone know if
there is a corporate company that coordinates all the BCBS?  Thanks, Carol
in NJ

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