Blue Shield of California

Are you a California resident looking for an affordable but quality health care plan? Blue Shield of California offers individuals, families and businesses many coverage options and an extensive network of medical professionals and hospitals in California and beyond. In addition to the standard benefits, members can get supplemental Medicare, dental, vision and life insurance coverage.

Health for California Insurance Center can help you find coverage that suits your needs. We will assess your situation and guide you through the process of getting a health care plan for yourself, your family or your employees. Learn more about the features and benefits of Blue Shield below, and contact our team at Health for California for more information.

Blue Shield California and National Coverage

Blue Shield of California is a nonprofit health insurance provider founded in 1939 in San Francisco. The organization is now headquartered in Oakland, California, with over 4.8 million members. While focusing primarily on individuals, families and businesses within the state, Blue Shield is part of a broader network of Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) companies operating nationwide. Through initiatives like the BlueCard Program, the organization links Blue plans nationwide and abroad via an electronic network for reimbursement and claims processing.

In 2017, Blue Shield introduced the Trio Accountable Care Organization (ACO) plans to Covered California. These ACO health maintenance organizations (HMOs) use an integrated network delivery model across specialties and hospitals to improve quality patient outcomes with overall efficiency. The Trio network extends throughout select California counties. Blue Shield believes every Californian deserves quality health care, comprehensive benefits and affordable plans.

What Are the Benefits of Blue Shield?

You can access the following perks and features as a Blue Shield member:

1. Improve Your Health With Wellvolution

Wellvolution is a Blue Shield of California health platform that provides a selection of lifestyle tools, programs and apps. This feature helps you be proactive about your health. It can help prevent and reverse disease through a lifestyle-based approach. Improving aspects of your lifestyle, such as diet, social support, stress reduction and exercise, can allow you to stay healthy and become the best version of yourself. The core of Wellvolution is that lifestyle can be your medicine.

With Wellvolution, you can:

1. Reverse existing conditions.
2. Eat better.
3. Manage stress.
4. Lose weight.
5. Become more active.
6. Improve sleep habits.
7. Quit smoking.

Join the hundreds of thousands of Wellvolution members to enjoy these benefits.

2. Contact Nurses or Doctors Anytime

Blue Shield members can access telemedicine services through NurseHelp 24/7 and Teladoc. NurseHelp 24/7 allows you to contact a registered nurse 24/7 with your questions and receive advice about your current symptoms. With Teladoc, you can consult doctors anytime from virtually anywhere. As soon as you feel unwell, you can get professional medical advice. With these services, members enjoy the convenience of getting medical resources and advice at any time of the day or night.

3. Use Preventive Care

Stay up to date on your preventive care by receiving recommended tests and screenings for your gender, age, current health and medical history. By keeping up with preventive care, you can maintain your body’s line of defense against illness and diseases or treat them before you even start experiencing symptoms.

Cost savings are another noteworthy benefit. Preventive care can spare both your health and wallet, as you’ll be able to tackle medical issues before they become more severe and costly.

4. Enjoy Discount Programs

Blue Shield has wellness, vision and alternative care discount programs that help members care for themselves and save money. Fitness enables you to stay healthy, increases your energy levels and improves your mood. Staying active and building muscle means you’ll burn more calories even while resting. One of the fitness programs offered through Blue Shield is Fitness Your Way, which gives members access to thousands of fitness centers for $19 each month.

Blue Shield members can save up to 20% on vision costs from participating providers. Some of the vision care includes the following products and services:

1. Frames and lenses
2. An extra pair of glasses
3. Hard contact lenses
4. Nonprescription sunglasses
5. Tints and coatings
6. Routine eye examinations

Blue Shield members searching for alternative care can also get discounts on the following services:

1. Acupuncture
2. Therapeutic massage
3. Chiropractic services

These discounts make health care more affordable and accessible to Blue Shield of California members.

5. Access a Large Network

Blue Shield’s networks are among the largest in California. Through HMO plans and preferred provider organization (PPO) plans, members can access thousands of hospitals, doctors and specialists in the state. The HMO network has over 325 hospitals and 44,000 physicians, while the PPO network has over 380 hospitals and 75,000 physicians. Regarding dental and vision plans, there are 37,000 and 6,900 providers, respectively, in California alone. With many providers, members can choose the best one for them.

Blue Shield also coordinates access to one of the largest national networks. Outside the country, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Care program allows members to access health care coverage internationally. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association has relationships with over 400,000 providers worldwide.

6. Get an Affordable Plan

With Blue Shield, you can find coverage at a price that suits your budget. Blue Shield also offers financial assistance to aid qualified members in paying for their coverage. There are two types of financial help:

• Cost-sharing reductions (CSRs): These subsidies are offered through Covered California. Eligible individuals pay less out-of-pocket costs, such as copayments, deductibles and coinsurance. CSR is available to those with an Enhanced Silver plan through Covered California.
• Premium help: This federal program lowers your monthly premium. A sliding scale determines the premium you qualify for, considering factors such as your age, household income, household size and the cost of affordable health care coverage in your geographic region. Premium help is only available for plans purchased through Covered California.

These benefits make Blue Shield the ideal plan provider for most Californians.

Blue Shield of California Health Insurance Plans

Blue Shield of California offers diverse plans to individuals, families and businesses. It is essential to learn the available coverage options to make informed decisions. Below is an overview of the plan categories:

1. Individual and Family Insurance Plans

Blue Shield of California provides health insurance plans that cover essential health benefits, including preventive services, emergency care, hospitalization and prescription drugs. These plans are designed for individuals and families without access to employer-sponsored insurance or government programs like Medicare and Medi-Cal. You can choose an HMO or a PPO based on preference:

• HMO plan: This plan requires you to select a primary care physician (PCP) and obtain a referral before visiting a specialist. Generally, the premiums and out-of-pocket costs are lower, but there is less flexibility in selecting providers.
• PPO plan: This health care plan allows members to see any provider in the PPO network without a referral. You can also choose non-network providers but must pay a higher share of the cost.

Members can access health care services virtually and enjoy wellness programs. The wellness programs aim to promote healthy lifestyles, including wellness activities and gym memberships.

2. Employer Plans

Blue Shield of California provides health insurance solutions for small to large employers, focusing on affordability, quality care and accessibility. The employer can offer an HMO, a PPO or both, and employees can choose their desired plan during the annual open enrollment period, when they start a new job or after experiencing a significant life change, such as divorce or the birth of a baby.

There are some crucial questions to ask when choosing a plan. For example:

1. Are you healthy?
2. Are your dependents healthy?
3. Do you want access to specific hospitals, doctors or specialists?
4. Do you travel frequently?
5. How important is it that you have access to as many hospitals and specialists in California as possible?
6. Do you visit your doctor only for annual checkups?
7. Do you anticipate needing special medical services next year, such as surgery or pregnancy?
8. Do you take prescription drugs regularly?
9. Do your dependents take prescription drugs regularly?
10. Do you have any chronic conditions, such as diabetes, cancer or asthma?
11. Do your dependents have any chronic conditions?

Knowing your answers to most of these questions can help you determine the right health care plan for you and your family. Blue Shield’s employer coverage page provides valuable information, but you can also ask your employer for more specific details.

Additional Blue Shield Health Insurance Coverage

Beyond the standard health plans, Blue Shield members can obtain additional coverage for Medicare, vision, dental and life insurance:

1. Medicare Coverage

Medicare has limited coverage.  If you have needs beyond what you can receive from Medicare, you may be able to access additional coverage with Blue Shield Medicare. Blue Shield offers multiple coverage options to help you select what works best.

The Medicare prescription drug plans offered through Blue Shield cover a long list of medications, and the pharmacy network spans more than 6,000 pharmacies in California at major chains and retailers. With a Medicare Supplement plan, you may also have access to wellness and fitness program discounts.

2. Vision Plans

Beyond eating healthy and exercising, you may also want a vision plan to ensure your eyes receive appropriate care. With Blue Shield, you’ll have access to an extensive network of eye care professionals in California. A vision plan with Blue Shield also offers you access to online providers, major retail chains and eye care boutiques. You can choose from various plans to get proper care.

3. Dental Plans

Does your health care plan include dental benefits? If not, you may want to consider switching to Blue Shield. With a dental plan through Blue Shield, you’ll receive access to some of the largest dental provider networks in California. Blue Shield also allows you to protect your smile with free X-rays and cleanings. For a dental plan you can depend on, Blue Shield can provide.

4. Individual Term Life Insurance and AD&D Coverage

Life insurance is crucial for anyone with dependents or loved ones who rely on you financially. You can purchase a term life insurance plan with Blue Shield to protect your children or spouse from the unexpected. You can buy the life insurance with your medical plan or as a stand-alone policy.

When you get life insurance through Blue Shield of California, you may also want to obtain accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage. This coverage can provide you with further protection during an accidental death or injury. You can select from several coverage amounts ranging from $10,000-$100,000 at low monthly rates.

Nearly every Californian can find the health care plan they need with Blue Shield of California. With Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum plans to choose from, you can easily find one with the right price and coverage.

Blue Shield Insurance Quotes

Now that you know all the plans and benefits of Blue Shield of California, you may be considering obtaining a health care plan. But first, you want to know how much your health insurance will cost. With Health for California, you can get the information you need for free, including:

1. The name of the carrier.
2. The plan type, such as Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum.
3. The plan category, such as HMO or PPO.
4. The cost of coverage.

Blue Shield of California values its members and wants to give them the best value for their health care.

Get Blue Shield Coverage Through Health for California

Californians in need of affordable health care should consider Blue Shield. Members can enjoy many benefits and the peace of mind of having essential, high-quality coverage they can depend on. Those seeking a health plan provider that gives back to the community should look no further than Blue Shield of California.