Health Insurance Blog

As the economy struggles and health care costs rise, more and more employers are limiting or eliminating benefits through work according to the article “How Limited Benefit Plans Can Save You Money” by Chelan David found on sbonline.com.  Because of this the practice of offering small medical health plans is growing in popularity.

Limited benefit plans charge individuals as little as $50 per month for routine medical care.  They are designed to replace major medical coverage for those who cannot afford regular insurance.  Many companies offer such options such as Go Blue Florida.  Limited benefit plans have their pros and cons.  They are very inexpensive month to month but typically major medical costs are not covered.  Another con is that mental health care is not usually covered.

It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of going with the smaller plan like Go Blue Health Insurance, or the major plans through Blue Cross Blue Shield.  It depends on your health, lifestyle, dependents, age, and financial situation which plan will work best for you.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida has an outstanding health program with many different facets.  Their research shows that health outcomes drastically improve when people take an active part in their health.  This is especially important when it comes to major illnesses.  BCBSFL offers a series of programs designed to help members handle their health in the long run.

Some of these valuable programs cover topics such as care coordination, voluntary pre-service coverage review, prenatal education, and chronic disease management for diabetes, asthma and congestive heart failure.  These programs are incredibly beneficial for those experiencing serious illness and need additional support to manage their condition effectively.

BCBSFL offers affordable options for members through programs such as Go Blue Florida and Blue Cross medicare supplements.  Their first priority is looking out for their members and ensuring positive experiences through their company.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association issued a statement on the US Department of Health and Human Services’ National Summit on Health Care Fraud held in January.

BCBS believes health care fraud is a serious crime and they commend Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder for bringing the summit together.  They bring together private sector stakeholders, law enforcement, Medicare beneficiaries, health insurance companies, and other experts to help combat health care fraud.

Blue Cross Blue Shield companies across the country work together aggressively to discover fraud and educate consumers in an effort to protect them from fraud.  BCBS anti-fraud activities resulted in about $350 million in savings in 2008.  BCBS wants to protect all of their customers, from Medicare customers to Go Blue health insurance.  They continue to work with the Obama administration to fight against this very expensive crime which compromises an effective health care system.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida offers many seminars throughout the state to the public as well as members to get out valuable information on their Medicare and Medigap programs.  Through these often times free seminars and senior expos Medicare beneficiaries can ask any questions and get clarification on the often times complicated Medicare plan.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare supplemental insurance is also discussed in these seminars and interested consumers can obtain pamphlets of information in addition to asking questions to a live representative.  One of the most recent events was held at The Courtyard Fort Lauderdale to educate those interested specifically in Medicare Advantage (HMO, PPO, PFFS), medicare supplements, and Medicare Part D plans for 2010.  This event was open to the public free of charge.  Understanding your Medicare health insurance quotes can prove very beneficial as you shop around in the very competitive market.

A complete calendar of events is available on BCBSFL’s website which includes dates, times, locations and what will be covered at the seminar.  If you are a medicare beneficiary or will be soon, it’s worth your time to see if there are any available events in your area.

Nine out of ten seniors are satisfied with their medicare supplement insurance according to Blue Cross Blue Shield’s (BCBS) website.  Most Medigap policyholders feel they are getting good value for their money based upon a survey recently released by BCBS and America’s Health Insurance Plans.

The survey, which was conducted by American ViewPoint, INC, shows that approximately 88% of seniors carrying medicare supplement insurance were satisfied and 62% consider themselves very satisfied.  Even more impressive is that 87% said they would recommend their Medigap coverage to friends and family.  According to the survey, the main thing they liked about their coverage was the flexibility choosing any physician they wish and the peace of mind they find with their protection.  Medical bills and processing paperwork is simple as well for these consumers.

Shopping around for a Medigap policy can be overwhelming since there are so many companies offering these types of policies, including BCBS medicare supplements.  To ensure you are part of the majority who have positive experiences with their Medicare, it’s important to shop around to get the best rates as well as the most comprehensive benefits that suit your needs.

According to the BCBSA website, BCBSA has started a new Pediatric Obesity and Diabetes Prevention Pilot Program in Texas, New Mexico, Mississippi, North Carolina and Kansas.  Through this program Blue Cross Blue Shield plans on reducing the epidemic of childhood obesity and stop further cases of young people getting Type 2 Diabetes.

The plan consists informational toolkits for doctors to use as reference guides when addressing obesity.  The kit was designed with the American Diabetes Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics to encourage healthy choices and was passed out in mid-November.  BCBS collectively protects over 100 million Americans through individual health insurance and other health insurance policies, so this large effort by them should have a great impact.

The toolkit offers healthy lifestyle suggestions such as eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, limiting TV time to 2 hours a day, getting an hour of physical activity every day, and stop drinking sweetened drinks.  According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, an overweight teen has a 70% chance of becoming an obese adult which is one of the leading causes of health issues in our country.  This type of action is proving very necessary.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama has a unique website with an important goal.  It’s called BeHealthy.com and it has a lot of valuable information on health topics, health news, and medications.  It’s available to all BCBSAL members and it’s easy to register online.

BCBSAL wants its members to be as healthy as they can be so they created the Be Healthy website as a resource for all to use.  The For Your Health Wellness Program is available on the site and gives consumers the tools they need to live a healthier lifestyle.  By using the resources available on BeHealthy, you can take control of your own health.

Health brochures are available and you can also access their outstanding walking program, called WalkingWorks.  This plan offers a walking program anyone can benefit from.  The young and old will find the For Your Health Program extremely useful.

BCBSAL also has information on Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Supplemental Insurance on their website.

According to the article “Retailers Take Shot At Health Insurance” by Grace Gagliano on Bradenton.com, retail health clinics are becoming a growing trend of supermarkets and drug stores.  Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida was the first health insurance company to offer health care cards in October.  They partnered with Winn-Dixie and in November they partnered with CVS Pharmacy. 

The Go Blue health insurance plan is the most accessible for those looking for affordable health care since it guarentees acceptance, but it does exclude coverage on visits to the ER, hospital stays, surgeries, and maternity expenses.  This may cause some consumers to avoid purchasing the plan because these are some of the most expensive costs of health care. 

Go Blue Florida does have a lot to offer though.  Monthly premiums are very low, usually between $24-$59 with in-network, up to $50 paid towards a physician’s bill, up to $50 on dental care, up to $15 paid towards prescriptions and 100% paid towards in-network lab tests at locations which are approved through BCBSFL.  Many experts are saying that retailers getting involved in the health insurance business is a new trend that may be growing, according to the article.  Some are not sure it will replace in-store health clinics, but it is interesting to see consumers looking for other options as health care costs continue to soar. 

Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Supplemental Insurance is a very valuable type of coverage for those on Medicare.  According to their website, medicare does not cover all health care costs so having additional coverage can save you a lot of money.

Medicare coverage generally consists of Part A, which takes care of hospital and nursing facility care coverage, and Part B, which covers physician costs and other health care expenses.  Even with both of these coverages senior have to pay for other costs out of their own pocket.  Some of these include deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.  If someone doesn’t have Medicare supplement insurance, costs can be as high as $53,000 according to BCBS.  That is often beyond affordable for many seniors living off of social security.

Private insurance companies, such as BCBS medicare supplements, offer extra protection to fill in the gaps for medical expenses.  With health care reform still up for debate it’s hard to tell what will happen to seniors who are currently covered by Medicare and supplemental insurance.  It’s extra important that seniors have affordable health care, because not only do they need it more, but many are on fixed incomes, so a large increase in costs could be devastating.

SmartSense® health plans are a portfolio of affordable health plans for individuals offered by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Monthly premiums for SmartSense can be less than $50 per month for an individual (single Male in Ohio, age 27)  if a high deductible ($10,000) is selected.  If a $2,500 deductible is chosen the monthly rate would be just over $60/mo.

Some of the highlights of SmartSense® include:

• A wide range of deductibles to choose from
• Access to a large network of doctors and hospitals
• No referrals or paper work needed
• Prescription drug benefits
• Online health support
• One of the most trusted names in health insurance

Just an example of high quality and affordable health insurance that can be found if you take a few minutes to shop around.  You can compare health insurance quotes right here at healthinsurancesort.com in less than 5 minutes.