Anthem Blue Cross

[Dont call me Shirley]

Effective 1/1/12, The Blue Cross vendor for US Airways employee medical benefits changed from BCBS of North Carolina to Anthem Blue Cross. As health insurance companies go, its reputation is less than stellar. The link below shows one on line rating site.(They do not fare better in some others I looked at. )http://insurance.freeadvice.com/reviews/316/


One employee I know had them reject a prescription drug that BCBSNC had covered. They caved in after a letter from her doctor.


The reason for the change is "surely" costs. Has anyone on the board seen any changes for the better or worse from BCNS NC? Has Team Tempe's efforts to hold down costs resulted in worsened care or service?




(Yes, the company also offers the choice of UHC as a provider, no one I know has chosen that option).

 

[nycbusdriver]

(Yes, the company also offers the choice of UHC as a provider, no one I know has chosen that option).

I don't think everyone can choose UHC. If that were the case, I certainly would have.

 

[res_me]

I know it's difficult to find out what they cover. It's not in the coverage booklet and they won't tell you on a phone call. I have been trying to find out for a week if they will cover a shingles vaccine....no one seems to know...you might have to get it, submit it and then find out. It's $215 so it's kind of a big gamble unless you decide you are going to get it anyway. They will probably deny it and then you will have to go through the appeal process. I hate insurance companies!

 

[nonrev]

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) States

Alaska Illinois Nebraska Pennsylvania​

Arizona Indiana New Hampshire South Carolina​

California Kansas New Jersey Texas​

Connecticut Louisiana New York Vermont​

Delaware Maryland North Carolina Virginia​

Georgia Massachusetts North Dakota Washington​

Hawaii Michigan Ohio Washington DC​

Idaho Mississippi Oregon W. Virginia​

UnitedHealthcare (UHC) States​

Alabama Kentucky Nevada Tennessee​

Arkansas Maine New Mexico Utah​

Colorado Minnesota Oklahoma Wisconsin​

Florida Missouri Rhode Island Wyoming​

Iowa Montana South Dakota

It depends on what state you live in. Yes...you are right, this is a very bad insurance carrier. Doctors moan when they see you have this coverage because if they pay, they take forever.

 

[nycbusdriver]

I know it's difficult to find out what they cover. It's not in the coverage booklet and they won't tell you on a phone call. I have been trying to find out for a week if they will cover a shingles vaccine....no one seems to know...you might have to get it, submit it and then find out. It's $215 so it's kind of a big gamble unless you decide you are going to get it anyway. They will probably deny it and then you will have to go through the appeal process. I hate insurance companies!

Been there. They don't cover it. It's typical shortsightedness on the part of the company and the plan. How much more will it cost them when an employee actually gets shingles? ANY prophylactic medication or therapy is almost always cheaper in the long run, but we are dealing with morons who can't see past a week from next Tuesday. If it costs an nickel today and I don;t have to pay for it, then today I will not. (Even if it is going to cost me $40,000 next year.) Dumb...dumb....dumb. Same goes for flu vaccines which the company sometimes covers, sometimes not.

Get a prescription from you doc for the shingles vaccine, then shop around at pharmacies and ask what their best price is. In my state, many pharmacies have personnel qualified to administer the injection, so you end up paying only for the vaccine. If you're lucky and have a friend who is a doc, just ask him/her to write a prescription, get the drug (has to be refrigerated) and ask him/her to administer (you may need to get prescription for the syringe, too, if that's the case.)

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

On line rating of BCBSNC -- sorry it is not the same site as the one above giving Anthem Blue Cross such a negative rating. That on did not have a listing for the former. It look like it has higher satisfaction than anthem. (Of course, few health insurance companies score well).

http://www.glassdoor...iews-E16517.htm

Back in the day, US gave employees in most regions a much wider choice. In all fairness to Team Tempe (those words do not come easily), US is not alone in giving employees fewer choices, but higher costs compared to, say, ten years ago.

[Note to all: Please do not turn this topic into a discussion about health insurance in general, merits of the Affordable Care Act, etc. Keep that on the Water Cooler board. ]

This is about if Team Tempe, in its drive for lower costs, has given its employees a worse health insurance option. I would love to know how much is being saved versus what BCBSNC cost.

Several people have told me that, even if they have not seen any changes yet, the billing person at their doctor's office grimaced or sighed when of the switch to Anthem.

Anthem has been in the news a couple of times (not in a positive way):
http://en.wikipedia....them_Blue_Cross
http://www.sfgate.co.../BUHQ1BTGN1.DTL