Over the past few years, Independence has introduced several new tools and
features to assist our members in becoming more informed consumers and managing
their health benefits. In addition, these tools can assist providers as they
strive to become more accountable for the cost and quality of care being
delivered.
A new tool — Care Cost Estimator — was released on September 12,
2014, to help educate members about covered services, treatment options, and
anticipated out-of-pocket costs as they apply to their specific health plan.
This tool is currently available for PPO and PHO members who have been migrated
to our new operating platform and will be offered to new PPO and PHO members
upon their migration to the new platform.
Keeping consumers informed
The Care Cost Estimator tool, available through our secure member portal, helps members better
understand their share of health care costs by providing cost estimates for
more than 1,300 in-network inpatient, outpatient, laboratory, and diagnostic
procedures, as well as provider office visits. By leveraging the national Blue
Cross and Blue Shield Association claims database, the tool estimates cost
ranges, takes into consideration a member?s current deductible balance,
copayment amounts, and, if applicable, coinsurance.
Members will receive a list of network providers, based on their search
parameters, who match their criteria with a range of estimated procedure costs
for covered services. They can then compare these estimated costs to help them
make more informed decisions about how to spend their health care dollars.
To access the Care Cost Estimator tool, members must log in to their
account on our secure member portal, where they can link to the tool
directly from the homepage.
If you have any questions about the Care Cost Estimator tool, please call
1-800-ASK-BLUE.