Blue Cross Shield Florida Health Insurance

Insurers banking their cash

Critics of the Affordable Care Act pounced last week on the news that health care premiums went up 9 percent this year. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average family health plan in the U.S. now costs $15,073.

What the critics didn't say was that the year before President Obama signed the law, the cost of an average family policy rose 5 percent. That same year, 2009, the five largest U.S. health insurance companies earned a record $12.2 billion - as 2.7 million Americans lost their private health coverage in the worst year for the economy since the Depression.

This year, some insurers reported double-digit profit increases during the second quarter, and expect to exceed expectations for the year. One reason may be that fewer consumers are seeking medical care in the still-weak economy.

Some of the Affordable Care Act's key portions - the individual mandate, the marketplace-like exchanges - came from Republicans two decades ago. Gov. Scott and other current Republicans who want the health care law repealed say premiums will go down if insurers can compete by selling policies across state lines. Most insurers, however, already have licenses in multiple states. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida recently gave its mental health policies for Florida residents to a Kansas-based company in which it has part ownership.

Objective analysts attribute only about 1 or 2 percentage points in premium increases to the new law's mandates, notably those that require insurers to provide preventive services at no out-of-pocket costs and add adult children to their parents' policies. Those are good changes.

Some analysts believe that insurers are charging more to hedge their bets for when the economy improves and more people seek treatment, and that companies are banking cash before next year, when the law requires them to justify increases. In this case, the health care law is more the target than the problem.

Blue Cross Shield Florida Health Insurance - News

Insurers banking their cash

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida recently gave its mental health policies for Florida residents to a Kansas-based company in which it has part ownership. Objective analysts attribute only about 1 or 2 percentage points in premium increases to the

Blue Cross move hurts patients

The only clear beneficiaries, however, are Blue Cross & Blue Shield and New Directions Behavioral Health, a Kansas-based managed care firm that will take over the policies. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida is part-owner of New Directions.

Sarasota Memorial, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida expand contract

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System's three urgent care centers are now part of an in-network option for members of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida . The hospital and insurance provider expanded their agreement to provide a new service for Blue

BCBS holding health care forums across ND

Blue Cross Blue Shield, which for decade provided nearly all health insurance coverage in North Dakota, is blanketing the state with forums to answer questions from customer/members. Blue Cross Blue Shield, which for decade provided nearly all health

LLOYD OMDAHL: New health rules — 'Stop aging and eating'

Paul von Ebers, president and CEO of Blue Cross-Blue Shield, implored me to attend one of his forums on health care. He did so in a form letter, but it was an earnest request because my participation was “critical to moving forward with solutions that

Blue Cross And Blue Shield Of Florida Introduces New Health Care ...

JACKSONVILLE – Knowing and understanding the cost of a medical procedure before it takes place helps people to be more than health care users - it helps them become informed health care consumers, says Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF).

BCBSF has unveiled ‘Know Before You Go’ – an online tool which helps consumers make better decisions about their health care needs – via the company’s interactive Web site – MyBlueService.This new online tool shows the members in real time, what their out-of-pocket costs would be procedures and common services. "Know Before You Go" is designed to help members gain a better understanding of how their work is useful before visiting their physicians, imaging center or hospital.

"Our new" Know Before You Go online tool increases the members understanding and participation in decision making of health care, providing key information to help members make informed decisions, "said Tina Cummings Senior Director, Business Development for BCBSF. “This new health tool gives our members better information to help them shop for health services, save money, and know what to expect financially before services are received.”

As a leader in Florida’s health care industry, BCBSF is focused on becoming a health solutions company by providing consumers better products and services they need via their channel of choice.

Using the BCBSF provider directory and the member’s plan benefits, ‘Know Before You Go’ will display a real-time estimate of expected costs for many common office procedures and imaging services. The tool also provides the ability to compare up to five providers in a single transaction, helping members compare health care costs and quality indicators associated with certain health providers. The estimates are specific to each member’s contract and will give an estimated out-of-pocket cost for each service, unique to each member—based on where the members are in their plan deductible. Members can also compare overall costs for many surgeries and other outpatient procedures.