Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California Individual & Family Health Plans
To ensure that choosing your individual health insurance plan goes as smoothly as possible, start by identifying your health insurance needs. In addition, you must also consider the extent of the coverage the plan you're considering offers, the cost of the monthly premiums, the deductible, and any other expenses you'll incur. You'll also have to decide whether you prefer a PPO plan or a HMO plan. Essentially, PPO plans offer consumers more choice.
PPO members can choose whether to go to providers in or out of network. Out-of-network providers, however, generally have higher costs associated with them. Consumers can also choose from Blue Shield of California PPO plans that do or do not have deductibles.
Family Health
Business Health
HMO plans, on the other hand, require members to use in-network providers. But, Blue Shield of California's HMO plans generally have significantly lower co-pays, hospital deductibles, and other expenses.
Active Start PPO Plans.
Blue Shield of California encourages first-time health insurance consumers to consider their PPO plans, such as the Active Start Plans, which come with no deductible and low co-payments. In addition, the Active Start Plans also allow consumers to seek such alternative treatments as chiropractic care and acupuncture.
Balance PPO Plans
The Balance PPO Plans offered by Blue Shield of California are the choice for many Californians because even before the deductible has been met, members are covered for visits to the doctor, emergency care, generic prescription coverage, and preventative care. Additionally, members pay a pre-determined fixed co-pay, and the Balance PPO Plans offer coverage for alternative care, such as chiropractic and acupuncture.
Shield Spectrum PPO Plans
Members who opt for a Shield Spectrum PPO Plan can choose from one of five levels of deductibles, so members can opt for the level that is most affordable to them. Among the professional services covered by the Shield Spectrum PPO Plans are hospital stays, prescription medication, and preventative care. Additionally, members can seek chiropractic care before they've even met their deductibles.
Shield Spectrum PPO Savings Plans
Those consumers who opt for a Health Savings Account may want to consider the Shield Spectrum PPO Savings Plans. In addition to allowing members to take preventative care measures before meeting their deductibles if they opt for an in-network provider, the Shield Spectrum PPO Savings Plan covers both maternity and infant care from the time the health insurance policy goes into effect. Members can also purchase their prescription medications, at discounted prices, from participating pharmacies
HMO Plans
Blue Shield of California's HMO Plans offer low, affordable monthly premiums. Because Blue Shield of California boasts a large HMO network, one of the largest in the state, members have plenty of options when it comes to choosing doctors and hospitals. Blue Shield of California also offers individual dental plans.
