Blue Cross Blue Shield member companies are leading provider of health coverage and offer plans all across America and some international places like Jamaica, Panama and Uruguay. There are options for individuals, families and employers. The elderly have access to Medicare and there may be federal employee programs available, as well. There are many different types of coverage options and benefits to choose from. Here are a few:
The state you live in will determine which health plans are available to you. Basic coverage is available in all states and others have extras you can look into. For instance, if you are planning to move to another country temporarily or will be traveling, you can opt for the BlueCard Worldwide. This will give you access to inpatient, outpatient and professional health care providers no matter where you are. You will receive assistance with filling out claims and other different forms of help with medical care.
The Federal Employee Program, or FEP, is a government service benefit plan and was created in 1960. It is a part of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) and offers coverage to about 4.5 million federal employees, families and those that have already retired – when calculating the dependents it comes to about 8 million being covered.
If you've heard of an HSA (Health Savings Account), then you will be pleased to know that BCBS has something similar called an FSA, Flexible Spending Account. It's virtually the same, allowing you to save pre-tax dollars for certain dependent care and medical expenses. Money entering into the account comes from your paycheck.
Take a look at some of the other options available in your state.