Blue Shield of California - Please Share Your Experiences - Good or Bad

[Disappointed]

I am at a point on Coveredca.com of choosing a plan and wonder if anybody can share positive or negative experiences with Blue Shield of California.

I wonder if all of their plans shared the same network (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum)? Some articles I read claimed that lower level plans have narrower network?

From what I read from the LA Times, the only provider that covers UCLA is Anthem BlueCross, don't know if it is true. I have been unable to find out much. Searching on providers' websites are confusing at best.

Thanks,

MP

 

[AllDone]

Go to blueshieldca.com, then "find your doctor", then "select a plan" where you will be able to select bronze, silver, etc. Then just search for your UCLA doctor by name.

 

[audreyh1]

I echo AllDone's advice.

The network issue seems to depend on the state. In some states BCBS appears to have the same PPO network across all metal levels and even across other and new ACA plans. Other not.

I checked my doctors and I could clearly see that they accepted the BCBS Bronze PPO, BCBS Silver PPO and BCBS Gold PPO plans.

 

[Animorph]

I've seen lots of my local hospitals advertising to check their websites to see which plans include them. So check the UCLA hospital's website and see if they have some info.

 

[gardenfun]

I would like to use John Muir Medical Center here in the bay area. They have sent me tons of flyers, etc. (due partly to the usual November open enrollment period) saying that in order to use their network, you need to choose Blue Shield of CA PPO plans from coveredca.

When browsing the plans before signing up on coveredca, I answered the little questions asking how many times I go to the doctor (once every 2 or 3 years) and how many prescriptions I have (none). Coveredca then showed me only EPO options. Yikes, hardly any doctors for those plans. So subsequently I skipped those questions so that I would be offered all the PPO's, etc.
So I would echo others' advice in contacting your preferred provider(s) to see which ACA plans they will accept.