In today's market (2/2/2009) BCBSGA offer's a mixture of old and new plan designs.
About half the plans available have whiskers. The HSA compatible HDHP is mostly overpriced for the Georgia market. The old Blue Value series of copay plans are still available, but not online.
The newer series, SmartSense and Premier, were introduced in the summer of 2008 and are available for review online.
Blue's underwriting can be both challenging and unpredictable. At one time they bragged about approving 96% of applications.
It now appears the approval rate is significantly lower.
Those who submit direct to Blue typically experience a much higher rejection rate than those who submit through a knowledgeable agent.
Blue is still trying to find themselves in the Georgia market. They have been losing market share to "newcomers" with names like Aetna, United, Humana and Coventry.
The older plans, while pricey, are more comprehensive than the newer plans.
The lower priced SmartSense covers up to 3 office visits per year before applying to the deductible.
All other covered charges are payable at 70% after the deductible has been satisfied. This includes lab, X-ray, preventive care (over age 5), emergency care, hospital, etc.
SmartSense only covers generic Rx. Brand name meds are not covered but may be discounted. There are no maternity benefits other than complications.
Premier plans are approximately one third higher in premium but include more first dollar items. The Premier plan covers unlimited doctor visits at $35 each. The deductible is waived for preventive care for all ages and payable at 80% of covered charges.
Generic Rx are covered by a copay. Brand name drugs are covered by a convoluted formula after a deductible. If a member elects a brand name drug, and a generic is available, the member will pay the difference between the generic and brand name drug plus any copay and coinsurance.
Got it?
All other services, including emergency care, are subject to the deductible and then payable at 80%.
Maternity is an option but it is pricey and there are better plans available through other carriers.
Customer service is not their strong suit.
Their online access is decent, but there are much better offerings through other carriers.
You can also call their customer service line at 1-800-441-2273. Customer service hours are M - F from 7 AM to 7 PM.
New business underwriting normally takes 10 business days but can sometime move a bit quicker.
Blue's billing practices are among the worst. Some times they may forget to bill for 60 days or longer. Asking for a refund is like asking for a federal grant. Once they take your money it can take months to get a refund.
In spite of the issues, BCBSGA is a player in today's market, although not as dominant as they once were.
You can run BCBSGA quotes by clicking this link.
You can compare BCBSGA against other plans by clicking through to Georgia Insurance Shop.
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