ELV vs CVS Comparison

Elevance Health remains one of the leading health insurers in the US, providing medical benefits to 45 million medical members at the end of 2025. The company offers employer, individual, and government-sponsored coverage plans. Elevance differs from its peers in its unique position as the largest single provider of Blue Cross Blue Shield branded coverage, operating as the licensee for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association in 14 states. Through acquisitions, such as the Amerigroup deal in 2012 and MMM in 2021, Elevance's reach expands beyond those states in government-sponsored programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans, too. It is also an emerging player in pharmacy benefit management and other healthcare services.

CVS Health offers a diverse set of healthcare services. Its roots are in its retail pharmacy operations, where it operates around 9,000 stores primarily in the US. CVS is also a large pharmacy benefit manager (acquired through Caremark), processing about 2 billion adjusted claims annually. It operates a top-tier health insurer (acquired through Aetna) through which it serves about 26 million medical members. The acquisition of Oak Street Health added primary care services to the mix, which could have significant synergies with all existing business lines.