Blue Cross Of California HMO
Blue Cross HMOs: Affordable Yet Inflexible

Many Californians turn to HMOs for affordable health insurance. An HMO, or Health Maintenance Organization, is a health care plan which has a set list of doctors and other medical providers. Enrolled members must choose one of these doctors when they go in for a medical visit. HMOs are also characterized by having strict rules when it comes to seeking an appointment with a specialist, such as a cardiologist or urologist. People who use an HMO cannot simply decide to go see a specialist of their own accord if they want the HMO to pay for it; instead they need to first see their approved primary physician in order to get a referral to see the specialist. Only then will the insurance provider approve the specialist visit.

HMOs are subject to ridicule because of the sometimes impersonal nature they seen to have. Some enrolled patients really feel as if they are treated less like valued customers and more like mere numbers. It is hard to build up a relationship with a doctor under these circumstances, and since a good rapport with a primary care doctor is so vital to a person’s health it can be a real shame when a patient does not feel completely comfortable with the doctor they are assigned to.

Blue Cross of California is well known for providing quality health insurance coverage to Californian residents. Blue Cross is also one of the more recognized insurers of the state. With this recognition comes the fact that many people trust the organization and therefore turn to Blue Cross for their health insurance needs. Blue Cross does indeed offer an HMO insurance plan among the other available plans. Along with the criticisms of HMOs there are some praises as well. HMOs are generally less costly for the enrolled members; they usually wind up paying much less in monthly premiums than they would if they had enrolled in a more flexible plan like a PPO plan or a POS plan.

The fact that HMOs cost less money on a monthly basis allows for people who would otherwise not have coverage to enroll in a good health insurance plan. Blue Cross of California is also big on preventative care, and many people enrolled in an HMO plan take advantage of the vast libraries of health care knowledge available through the website. This service saves time and money for everyone involved since people can sometimes find the answer to a medical question they were seeking without having to go through the trouble of going in to see a doctor. Blue Cross also has a twenty four hour a day, seven day a week telephone hotline which is staffed by registered nurses. This resource is available to members enrolled in any plan through Blue Cross, including an HMO plan.

Although it is true that HMOs aren’t suitable for everyone, Blue Cross of California does a pretty good job of making the plan feel a little less impersonal and a little more flexible. There is no reason why an insured person shouldn’t be able to feel as though they are receiving personalized service, regardless of the insurance plan they choose.