Insurance questions

For $40, I would take it and run like a thief in the night...

I had BC/BS many years ago and had no problems with it. 

I have been on a BC/BS PPO plan through my husband's employer's group insurance for the last 11 years of my 2 separate BC diagnoses.  My experience with BC/BS has been great and I am very happy to have the coverage.  It is much better to have a national insurance that will provide coverage in many states versus the local type that you currently have.  The thing to remember is that an employer provided group plan will be "customized" to what the employer chooses to cover.  My BC/BS plan will be different from other BC/BS plans.  There is the basic difference between HMO and PPO plans plus the differences an employer defines in their group coverage.

During your open enrollment period is the time to ask all the detailed questions regarding exactly what is covered by each plan.  Make sure you understand the "In Network"  and "Out of Network"  differences.  Remember that if one plan has better coverage for the types of services you will most likely need, it is worth paying a little more in co-pays or deductables. You don't want to find out too late that you have a plan that won't cover your trusted physicians or prescription meds or scheduled scans and tests.  So....make sure your HR department at work can tell you in detailed specifics what coverage you can expect for your personal medical needs.

Just as an example...I have Lymphedema following BC treatments.  I had to call my husband's HR reps to verify exactly how much the insurance would cover for my lymphedema sleeves, gloves and night time garments that must be replaced every 4-6 months for the rest of my life.  Some insurances won't cover garments at all....some will only pay for one set at a time and limit the patient to 2 sets a year.  My BC/BS plan allows me to order 2 sets at a time and up to 6 sets of garments total each year.  It is the employer who picks and chooses which services they will make available to their employees...this is how they determine how much premium they will charge their employees.  Typically HMO plans will be cheaper than PPO plans, but that is because the degree of options and services available are fewer in HMO plans.

So if there are certain diagnostic tests or supplies you know you will need each year you should verify now exactly what the coverage situation is from the various insurance companies you can choose from.  It is your employer's HR reps who will know those details or can find out the answers for you.

I'm a retired federal employee.  We switched to NALC a few years ago and have been very happy with it.  Even factoring in the yearly membership fee you pay their premiums are among the most reasonable.  I haven't had much in the way of claims since we switched but my husband has and they have paid everything quickly and with no hassle.  Every provider we have been in contact with has also accepted the insurance with no problem in that respect either.

I think the website LindaP gave you above will have a Plan Comparison Chart available on it also. 

Good luck with finding something that works better for you. 

Edited to add ... we left BC/BS for the same reason.  They were playing a game of 'chicken' with our local hospital group threatening to not cover anything and then extending for just a couple of weeks ... rinse and repeat.  You never knew from one day to the next what the status was.  So when Open Season came we decided to bail out and let them play their games without us stuck in the middle.  Have been glad we did make the change since it turned out I like the new plan better.