Posts about Blue Cross/Blue Shield

New Legislation Would Pad Health Insurance Coffers While Screwing Over Consumers
As part of the Affordable Care Act, health insurers must spend at least 80% of the money they earn from premiums on actually providing health care, with the remaining cash used to cover all administrative, advertising and payroll costs. Those insurers with plans that don't follow this ratio are soon supposed to start giving the extra money back in refunds and discounts. But new legislation introduced in the Senate this week could jeopardize this, while giving insurance companies even more money to stick in their dog pillows. More »

Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield Thinks Smoking And Depression Are Basically The Same Thing
Wellbutrin is an atypical antidepressant used to treat patients with depression, but it's also effective when used short-term to help people quit smoking. As far as Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield is concerned, then, if you're using Wellbutrin, you're a smoker. For people whose health insurance comes from their employers, this isn't as much of a problem. But the individual health insurance market is a cruel, unforgiving place where smokers pay higher premiums. And so reader Elizabeth's husband, who quit smoking more than four years ago, is slapped with the smoker's rate because he has a prescription for Wellbutrin, which they consider an "atypical tobacco product." More »

Blue Cross Blue Shield Says Man Should Pay $2,306 To Avoid Dying In His Sleep
Jason has sleep apnea. When he sleeps, if it can be called that, he stops breathing up to twelve times per hour. His body's reflexive response is that his jaw shoots around wildly, chipping and grinding his teeth, and then he wakes up for a second. A dozen times every hour, every night, he wakes up to his teeth clanging around his mouth. As if that wasn't fun enough, of the $2,400 the mouth guard his doctor prescribed prescribed him, his insurance plan is only going to cover a max of $94. More »

Woman Loses Insurance Because She Paid With Credit Card
Andrea has been a customer with Anthem since 1995, paying her bill all the time and never submitting any claims. So you can see why they canceled her coverage. More »

Blue Shield Of California To Give $167 Million Back To Individual Policyholders
Amid criticism for increased rates and cushy executive salaries, the CEO of Blue Shield of California has announced that the company will cap its net income at 2%, returning any extra funds — $180 million this year alone — back to certain policyholders and doctors. More »

Study: Dentists Less Likely To Treat Kids On Medicaid
Dentists in Cook County, IL, were more likely to provide emergency treatment to children who had private insurance than to those on Medicaid, even if the dentists were enrolled in the state's Medicaid program, according to a new study. Medicaid typically pays less than private insurance plans, and experts say there's "little market motivation" for practitioners to take on those patients, rather than just going with those who have private insurance. More »

Say Hello To Your Worst Company In America Elite 8!
Two rounds of WCIA bloodshed are in the book and the beaten bodies of 24 multi-billion dollar companies are being hauled off to be burned on a pyre. But for those businesses left standing — let's call them the Elite 8 — the parade of pain marches on. More »

Meet Your Worst Company In America Sweet 16!
After eight days and 16 first round battles, the WCIA steel cage is littered with the bones of those companies not crappy enough to continue on in the tournament. But the thrill of victory is fleeting for the remaining combatants, all of whom must square off again if they hope of crowning themselves the Worst Company In America! More »

Here's Your Lineup For Worst Company In America 2011!
For the sixth year in a row, we asked Consumerist readers to send us their nominations for our Worst Company In America tournament. And this year's response was the greatest by far. More »

Things Your Health Insurer Isn't Telling You
Health insurance is often complicated, with a seemingly endless variety of plans to choose from, all with their own particular loopholes and problems. Over at SmartMoney.com, they have put together a round-up of things your insurance company may not be telling you. More »

Illinois Blue Cross To Pay $25 Million After Denying Coverage To Sick Kids In Need Of Nursing Care
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, the largest health insurer in the Land of Lincoln, has agreed to pay $25 million to settle allegations that it denied coverage to sick kids who needed nursing care. More »

New Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan Steers Patients To Cheaper Hospitals
If you live in Massachusetts and have Blue Cross Blue Shield health coverage, you may end up paying more if you want to go to certain hospitals. More »

Justice Dept. Goes After Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Michigan
Crimefighters at the Justice Department put on their antitrust capes today, filing a lawsuit against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The DOJ alleges the insurance company violated antitrust laws by asking hospitals to sign contracts that precluded other insurers from offering a better discount. More »

Health Insurance Companies Really Hate Your Sick Children
The health insurance industry is generally known for its efficiency, generosity and — of course — for its customer-first attitude. That's why it comes as such a shock that several of the more beloved insurance institutions like Wellpoint, Aetna, Cigna and United Healthcare have decided to stop selling you insurance policies for your sick children. More »

Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurers Kept Hiking Premiums Even After Exceeding Recommended Surplus
Insurers have to maintain a safety net of money to protect themselves from unforeseen market conditions, but a new study from Consumers Union says that some Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers took it too far, preferring to focus exclusively on stockpiling cash at the expense of customers. Two of the worst cases have stockpiles 5 to 7 times higher than state solvency requirements, yet continue to hike premiums each year instead of using the, uh, surplus surplus to offset customer costs. More »

POLL: Do You Have Health Insurance?
Health care reform has been one of the biggest hot-button topic for quite some time and it looks to only get hotter as both sides make their arguments on the White House's plan for national health care. Leaving the pros and cons of the plan to the side for the moment, we just want to know how our readers are fixed for health insurance. More »

1 Out Of 5 Medical Claims Processed Incorrectly, Says AMA
Maybe you're reading this on your iPhone while sitting in your doctor's waiting room. If so, look around you. Because one out of the five of you in the room will have your claim processed incorrectly by your insurance company. More »

5 Questions To Make A Doc's Head Explode
Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield has a microsite game called "Resist The System" where if you ask too many questions the health care receptionist's head explode.

"This American Life" On Health Insurance's Fine Print

—>A recent episode of This American Life-the fine, fine public radio show-has an excellent piece on the health insurance industry's use of "rescission." This is when people with individual insurance policies come down with an illness (or get pregnant) and the insurance company denies coverage by claiming it was a preexisting condition.  More »

Blue Cross Blue Shields On Twitter

—>A few Blue Cross Blue Shield divisions recently started Twittering, talking about health issues, saying nice things about their company and proactively reaching out to patients complaining about their services: @BCBSIL, @BCBSNM, @BCBSTX, @BCBSOK.   More »

Secret Phone Numbers And Email Addresses To Reach Executives At 101+ Companies

—>Inside, email addresses, phone numbers, and addresses for over 100 different companies to inject your customer service complaints into their corporate executive offices, and get it well on the way to success.  More »

Reach 19 Blue Cross Blue Shield CEOs
Here is the full contact information for 18... More »

Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Georgia Sends 202,000 Letters Containing Personal Information To The Wrong Addresses

—>Well, if you're having a bad day at work, rest assured that someone in Georgia is having a worse one. The Journal-Constitution is reporting that 202,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia customers had their personal information exposed, including (in some cases) their social security numbers, thanks to an error in the computerized mailing system. The system was apparently used before it was tested.   More »

Worst Company In America 2008 "Sweet 16": Bank of America VS Blue Cross Blue Shield

—>Here's your seventh "Sweet 16" match-up: #7 Bank of America VS #23 Blue Cross Blue Shield  More »

BCBS Double Copay On Thyroid Meds

—>Mary is freaking out because BCBS of Maryland just doubled the copay on her thyroid meds. Times are tight, and Mary doesn't have a thyroid. The insurance companies have been telling her for years that Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs is a generic, now BCBS has classified it as not being generic. She's pretty ticked, and considering getting married to her fiance early just to get on his insurance. Her letter, and how she might save $200.32 a year, inside.  More »

Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna: Sorry, Your Pregnancy Is A Pre-Existing Condition

—>Katlyn is having trouble getting health insurance because she just graduated from college and is 15 weeks pregnant. She's found herself in an expensive situation.   More »

Round 46: Blue Cross Blue Shield vs Sprint

This is Round 46 in our Worst Company in America contest, Blue Cross Blue Shield vs Sprint!  More »

BCBS Of Florida Only Sends Reader 12% Of What They Owe Him

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Round 27: Blue Cross Blue Shield vs CNN

—>This is Round 27 in our Worst Company in America contest, Blue Cross Blue Shield vs CNN. Vote which sucks more, inside...  More »

The wife of a popular political blogger finally wins in her battle to get Blue Cross Blue Shield to pay for an epidural procedure. Blog-activated mob force wins again. [Daily Kos]  More »

How Tonya Should Go About Appealing Her "Elective" Miscarriage
I just read the story 'Blue Cross Blue Shield Calls Miscarriage "Elective Abortion," Denies Claim', and I work for BCBS in NY. From what I've learned (and this is just from my experience working for a year there). The best thing for Tonya to do is appeal. More »

Blue Cross Blue Shield Calls Miscarriage "Elective Abortion," Denies Claim

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After going without any healthcare coverage for 3 years, (husband's employer didn't not offer it and husband and child have preexisting conditions that make self paid insurance imposable to afford) was ecstatic to find out my husband's new employer did offer insurance! Even though it is at a very high premium and a $2000 deductible, it's better than nothing, right? At least that's what I thought, till I tried to use Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City...

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What's A Girl Got To Do To Get An HMO To Help Her?

—>What lengths do you have to go to to get good coverage from an HMO? Being sick obviously won't do it. So what about starving yourself? Well, not if your HMO is Blue Cross Blue Shield.  More »