Where to Go for Care

It’s important to think about who you go to and where you go for services when you’re trying to manage your health care costs.

1. If you choose an in-network doctor in North Carolina, you’ll be working with a physician who has a contract with BCBSNC and knows what services are covered.  Plus, the provider can perform any prior review and certification for services you need.
2. Location matters.  For example, if you choose to get a colonoscopy in a hospital setting rather than an office setting, this affects what you pay out-of-pocket.  Make sure that your are informed and aware of the costs associated with the locations you plan to go to for certain services.

Important: When seeking care you should always first verify that your health plan covers the services you seek prior to receiving care (except in the case of an emergency).

How will I know if the location adds costs?  The BCBSNC online provider directory helps you know what to expect:

The yellow symbol next to a provider’s name tell you that deductible/coinsurance may apply.  You can click on the link that appears to learn more about this provider, or you can call their office to find out more or talk about alternatives.

We help you avoid added charges:  Some services and supplies received in an official setting or in connection with an office visist are in fact provided by hospital-owned or -operated practices.  To alert you that a provider is affiliated with a hospital and that additional deductible or coinsurance charges will apply, the online directory will display the yellow symbol above to help you avoid these added costs.

The information above is brought to you from BCBSNC, A Guide to a Healthier You, 2009.

For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina and how to utilize My Member Services, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our qualified agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health. Call us for details.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 29th, 2009 at 2:13 pm and is filed under BCBSNC Insurance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.