How much does a ct scan cost with blue cross blue shield texas

When you’re feeling sick or are injured, there are several places you can go for medical care: a doctor’s office, an urgent care center, a retail health clinic or the emergency room. Here’s a quick guide to help you know where to go, based on the urgency of your ailment and your budget. BCBS members can can visit the Blue Cross Blue Shield Provider Finder to find in-network providers. This includes doctors, dentists, hospitals, urgent care centers, and more. You can also log into your local BCBS company's site. 

The Doctor’s Office Is Your First Option for Non-Emergencies

Your primary care doctor should be your first call in non-emergency situations. Your doctor knows you and your health history, including what medications you are taking and what chronic conditions might need to be considered in your treatment. Plus, the co-pay for a visit to your doctor’s office will cost far less than a trip to the emergency room. This option can also help you avoid the long wait times typically found in an emergency room. Even if your doctor is unavailable or not an expert in the area of care you need, he or she can refer you to a specialist or another medical professional.

If you don’t have a primary care doctor, take some time to review the options in your network and select one. If you are a BCBS member, you can use the Blue Cross Blue Shield Provider Finder to help your research. You can also read our tips on how to choose a doctor that’s right for you.

Urgent Care Centers and Retail Health Clinics Offer Affordable Alternatives

If you can’t reach your doctor or need care outside of regular office hours, urgent care centers and retail health clinics are good options. Retail health clinics are walk-in clinics found in many large pharmacies and retail stores. They are staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants and are designed to treat simple conditions, like cold and flu, ear infections and skin conditions. Urgent care centers have physicians on staff and can provide care for a greater range of conditions, including performing x-rays.

In most cases, the out-of-pocket cost for visiting a retail health clinic or urgent care center will cost less than a trip to the emergency room, but it’s always a good idea to check to make sure the location you select is covered by your plan. BCBS members can use the Blue Cross Blue Shield Provider Finder to locate in-network facilities. You can find a list of the urgent care centers in your network on your Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) company’s website, or by calling the 1-800 number on the back of your member ID card.

24-Hour Nurse Lines Provide Phone Consultations

Many BCBS companies also offer a 24-hour nurse line, which you can call any time with questions about your symptoms, complications from medication or advice on when to go to the doctor or emergency room. Check the back of your member ID card or your local BCBS company’s website for more information.

Emergency Rooms Treat Serious Issues

Emergency rooms are designed to treat urgent, acute and life threatening conditions and aren’t the place for routine care or minor ailments. If you feel you are dealing with a health emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. Otherwise, one of the above options will save you time and money, and clear the way for patients in need of emergency treatment. BCBS members can use the Blue Cross Blue Shield Provider Finder to find nearby emergency rooms. 

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Thursday, October 1, 2015

Blog Category

Insurance Insights

You can save the $100 copay for MRIs and CT scans by speaking with a Benefits Value Advisor (BVA)* before getting an MRI or CT scan. The BVAs can help you learn more about your benefits and review the difference in estimated costs of several different in-network providers. If you choose to have the BVA customer service representative do so, they can even schedule your appointment for you. You will save money, and by selecting a provider who delivers the same treatment at a lower cost, you will be doing your part to save the UT SELECT Medical plan money. Saving the plan money will help keep the UT SELECT plan financially healthy which keeps your cost-sharing (premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments) as low as possible going forward.

Benefits Value Advisor (BVA) – A Benefits Value Advisor is a health care expert who uses data, cost estimators, provider-finders, and other tools to provide consumers with details allowing them to maximize their health care benefits by making informed choices. Contact a BVA at (866) 882-2034. Calling this number prior to a non-emergency office or outpatient MRI or CT scan allows for the $100 copayment to be waived.

Please Note: If a member has the $100 MRI/CT scan copay waived by speaking with a Benefits Value Advisor before the service, any regular office visit copays would still apply.

2. PRESCRIPTION BENEFITS Can you help me with a prescription question? 

Some participants may not realize that BCBSTX does not administer our prescription benefits. Those benefits are administered separately by Express Scripts (ESI). Any calls about your prescription benefits should be directed to ESI Customer Service.

ESI Customer Service for questions about the UT SELECT Prescription plan (800) 818-0155http://www.utsystem.edu/offices/employee-benefits/prescription-drug-plan-active-employee

3. ID CARDS It’s September and we just started a new plan year, why did I not receive a new UT SELECT Medical ID card? ID cards are only automatically re-issued at the start of a new plan year when there are changes to our UT SELECT Medical plan benefits listed on the ID Card. If there are no changes in the plan that will affect the card, then no card re-issue is done. Members may continue to utilize their current card. ID Cards were reissued for the 2015-2016 plan year due to the change in the Emergency Room benefit.

How do I get replacement cards or additional cards? Members may request ID cards at any time during the year, if necessary, by contacting BCBSTX’s UT SELECT Medical Customer Service team at: (866) 882-2034. 

You may also request a replacement or additional card through the Blue Access for Members website at www.bcbstx.com/ut.

My spouse and/or children are covered on my UT SELECT Medical plan. Why are their names not on my card? ID cards will always display the name of the subscriber. BCBSTX does not issue UT SELECT Medical cards with any dependent’s names displayed. Doctor’s offices can verify your dependent’s coverage by using the subscriber Benefits ID listed on the card.

I’m a new employee and I just enrolled in UT SELECT Medical. When will I get my card? In general, ID cards should be mailed within 5 days of activation of your insurance coverage.

My UT SELECT Medical coverage has been active for a couple of weeks and I haven’t received my card yet. What should I do?  It is important to ensure your current home mailing address is correct. BCBSTX mails your cards to the home address on file with your institution’s HR or Benefits Office. You may also contact your institution’s HR or Benefits office to verify the status of your benefits enrollment and/or activation.

In most cases, you can contact your institution’s HR or Benefits office and request your Benefits ID number (BID) as well as group numbers for the UT Benefits plans to utilize until your card arrives. Some healthcare providers will grant services as long as the member can provide the Benefits ID and plan information in lieu of having the card.