US Federal Employees?

[Prancer]

Are there are any feds on board? If so, what health insurance do you have and what do you think of it?

BCBS is the most popular choice, but when I use this tool https://www.plansmartchoice.com/, BCBS comes up eighth and twelfth on my list.

I am becoming cross-eyed looking at these plans. Help!

[acraven]

Retired fed. I have had BC/BS during most of my working life and retirement to date. The one time I switched to a less expensive plan (GEHA) it proved to be a mistake, because GEHA's definition of "reasonable and customary" charges was far, far less than the going rate in Washington DC. In effect, every provider was out-of-network. I was lucky to be young and relatively healthy at the time, but I still remember the $190 charge from the retina specialist, of which GEHA paid $60.

The advantage of BC/BS is that many (most?) doctors accept the Blue Cross payment schedule, so you don't have to worry about paying 100% of the doctor's charge above what your insurance company allows. If your doctors have similar arrangements with the other insurance companies you're considering, that eliminates one major possible problem, the potential impact of which can be difficult to estimate.

[Prancer]

The advantage of BC/BS is that many (most?) doctors accept the Blue Cross payment schedule, so you don't have to worry about paying 100% of the doctor's charge above what your insurance company allows. If your doctors have similar arrangements with the other insurance companies you're considering, that eliminates one major possible problem, the potential impact of which can be difficult to estimate.

My doctors are in BCBS, GEHA and APWU networks; those are the only ones I've checked so far. I also checked the local hospitals (all in) and some of the specialists I've seen over the years. I've read that a lot of doctors won't take GEHA, but that doesn't seem to be an issue locally.

BCBS does have a nationwide network, which is an advantage, but my one experience with BCBS (BCBS-Illinois specifically) was a flaming nightmare.

No matter which plan we go with, we are going to pay more for less . Gee, and people told us we would get great benefits with Uncle Sugar.

[Jayar]

Contact Jay.

[aliceanne]

If you have physicians that you prefer to use you should probably start there and ask them what health insurance they prefer and why. Every time I have had to file an insurance claim I have had to have the doctor's office do it to get payment.

I have BC/BS, but I don't have any major health issues. I have always had good health insurance through my private employers, the only benefit difference I see in working for the federal government is a retirement pension.