Blue Shield California

Who is Blue Shield of California?

Blue Shield of California is a California-based health insurance provider offering quality, value for money health insurance plans for the residents of California for many years. Blue Shield California offers healthcare coverage for individuals or families looking for comprehensive plans, or for people wanting to enhance their Medicare benefits. For Blue Shield individual or family members, dental coverage is also available. Blue Shield of California Life & Health Insurance Company (Blue Shield Life) offers life insurance and short-term health plans.

What plans does Blue Shield of California offer?

There are a variety of plans at to suit any medical coverage need you might have. The type of plans on offer at Blue Shield of California include; Individual & Family Plans for the self-employed, Health Savings Account-Eligible Plan to take advantage of tax savings on medical expenses, Medicare Eligible Health Plans to enhance coverage, Short-Term Health Plans for those in-between periods and the Healthy Families Program where your dependants can have coverage without you being a member.

For health care coverage, Blue Shield of California offers HMO and PPO plans. Members have the option of adding dental and life coverage to these plans. Children under the age of 19 can be placed on their own plan even if the parent isn't a member of Blue Shield of California.

If you are changing jobs, waiting for permanent coverage, studying or travelling, Blue Shield of California's short-term health insurance plans are available. It is easy to apply and you are provided with coverage by the very next day, upon approval.

Additional plans offered by Blue Shield of California are the Individual Conversion Plan, the Post-MRMIP Graduate Product and the Guaranteed Issue Coverage plan. The Individual Conversion Plan is for individuals relocating to California , or for members whose coverage is coming to an end. The Post-MRMIP Graduate Product is available to members who have been on the MRMIP (Major Risk Medical Insurance Program) for 36 months, and their coverage is coming to an end. The Guaranteed Issue Coverage plan is for individuals with a pre-existing on a group health plan whose coverage is ending.

As previously mentioned, Blue Shield of California offers HMO and PPO health and dental plans. Each plan offers distinct advantages for the member. Some advantages of the HMO health plans are; no lifetime maximum, virtually no claim forms and lower out-of-pocket and office visit expenses. The advantages of HMO dental plans include no waiting periods for most of the services, no deductibles and access to at least 8,600 dental care providers.

Advantages of having a PPO health plan include the choice of going to a visit preferred or non-preferred doctor or specialist, lower out-of-pocket expenses when network providers are used and the ability to establish a Health Savings Account. Advantages of the PPO Dental plans include a network of at least 16,000 general and specialty dentists, a wide range of dental services and coverage even when an out-of-network dentist is used.