Become a Better Healthcare Consumer
Health insurance costs continue to skyrocket and both employers and employees are feeling the effects of increases each year. Egyptian Trust health plan members share responsibility in managing healthcare costs for the plans in which they participate. Each individual’s claims directly affect the premium increases that your district and you incur each year. Employees are encouraged to do the following:
- Make informed, cost-effective decisions about healthcare.
- Use in-network providers.
- Ask questions and understand costs of services in advance of receiving them.
- Evaluate other options that may be more cost-effective, such as Telehealth (if available).
- Adopt healthier habits and make informed lifestyle choices to support overall well-being.
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has several tools that are available within Blue Access for Members (BAM) that can assist members in becoming educated healthcare consumers.
- Provider Finder – This tool is available to help you understand costs, providers, and your benefits. You can access by logging in to your Blue Access for Members Portal and selecting “Find Care.”
- Cost Estimates Tool – Allows you to compare costs of any procedure. You will provide a brief description of the procedure or service needed, and it will allow you to compare the overall cost of that procedure at different providers and read reviews about those providers. It also provides a breakdown of your deductible and out-of-pocket maximum to better help you determine what your individual costs will be.
- Medical Care Tool – Allow you to check what providers are in-network for your specific plan. You can search this by primary care doctors, specialty doctors, hospitals, etc. depending on the specific type of care you are looking for.
- Well onTarget Portal – This tool is available in your BCBS portal to provide wellness resources and programs. You can access this by logging into your Blue Access for Members Portal going to “My Health” selecting “Wellness.”
- Some programs that are available include: Hinge Health to help with joint pain; Wondr Health that assists with weight management; Special Beginnings that providers a maternity program, Learn to Live that assists with mental health, etc.
- Well onTarget also provides an individualized health assessment for you to complete. Once completed, it will provide you with a personal wellness report.
- Also, available are self-management programs, health and wellness resources, tools and trackers, and the Blue Points program that allows you to earn points for completing wellness activities, which can be redeemed for a gift.
With the assistance of Egyptian Trust Executive Committee member Matthew Sturgeon (Teutopolis Unit 50) and Bushue HR, a third party HR consulting firm that works with several Egyptian Trust participating school districts, a video tutorial was developed to walk health plan members through how to utilize the BCBS Provider Finder, Cost Estimator and Well on Target portals on Blue Access for Members (BAM). Below is a QR Code and link where you can access the video. You do not need to create an account or sign-in to view.
