Open Enrollment Brings New Health Insurance Options for Individuals and Small Businesses

RICHARDSON, Texas, Oct. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In anticipation of the upcoming open enrollment season, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) introduces its 2016 individual and small group health insurance coverage. Beginning Nov. 1, 2015, Texas residents can choose from coverage options that best fit their varying needs.

This year, BCBSTX will offer its Blue Advantage HMO^SM to individuals and small group members, both on and off the Health Insurance Marketplace. In addition, BCBSTX will offer the new Blue Advantage HMO Plus^SM plan to individuals and families both on and off the exchange. This new robust HMO (Blue Advantage HMO Plus Plan) utilizes the Blue Advantage HMO network of doctors and hospitals while still having out-of-network benefits. The Blue Choice PPO will continue to be available to large and small group members, and retail members in grandfathered plans. Texans can visit www.bcbstx.com to learn more about 2016 product offerings in advance of open enrollment.

In each of the offered plans, the member will select a primary care physician (PCP) to best coordinate their health care. This ensures that the member's care is best managed through referrals to specialists, pharmacists, and applicable care management programs, and often leads to high quality outcomes and lower costs.

"Our 2016 offerings reflect our commitment to expanding coverage to millions of uninsured in Texas by offering flexible health care options to meet our members' needs," said Dr. Dan McCoy, Chief Medical Officer, BCBSTX. "We encourage consumers to research and understand all of their health care options, and BCBSTX provides the tools and resources, like our Provider Finder^®, to help navigate consumers throughout the process."

BCBSTX offers choices across three levels of "metallic" health care coverage levels (bronze, silver and gold) for both the Blue Advantage HMO and Blue Advantage HMO Plus. All metallic coverage levels include essential health benefits and prescription drug coverage. Health care coverage varies depending on the health coverage options members choose.

• Bronze level products have the lowest monthly premium but may also have the highest out-of-pocket costs.
• Silver level products have a slightly higher monthly premium than bronze but offer richer benefits.
• Gold level products have the highest level of benefits but also a higher monthly premium. Many Texans may be eligible for financial assistance from the federal government to help offset their health care costs. If eligible, consumers can calculate the estimated amount they may qualify for by visiting BCBSTX's subsidy estimator, available both in English and Spanish.

BCBSTX provides a wide range of services and online tools to help renewing members make informed health decisions, for example:

• Provider Finder^®: Members can select the best network provider for their needs based on location, as well as view industry-respected third party quality indicators, costs and patient-submitted reviews on an easy-to-navigate website.
• Blue Access for Members^SM: Members can access information on their policy, including status of claims, alerts, temporary ID cards and more. This also includes Blue Access Mobile^SM, which allows members to find a doctor, hospital or urgent care facility in addition to benefit information.
• 24/7 Nurseline: Members can speak with registered nurses about health concerns, common health information and tips and advice on where to go to receive necessary care.

For more information, visit BCBSTX's Insurance Basics page.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) – the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas – is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 80,000 physicians and healthcare practitioners, and 500 hospitals to serve more than 5 million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma and New Mexico), the country's largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall.  Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Related Links

http://www.bcbstx.com