THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross of California (Blue Cross), through its affiliate BC Life & Health Insurance company, is now offering new health plan options for employers and individuals that will change the way consumers think about health care, helping them to lead healthier lives while also helping them gain control over the rising cost of care. These new consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) products and services are now available to large and small businesses as well as individuals. Previously, these products were offered only to national employers' members.
"Our customers who choose these consumer-driven products will have new opportunities to lead healthier lives," said Blue Cross president Brian A. Sassi. "Our suite of Lumenos CDHP products puts consumers in control of their health care dollars and offers them an incentive to spend wisely and demand better health care quality and value."
Blue Cross will offer the following core CDHP products:
-- Lumenos Health Reimbursement Account
-- Lumenos Health Savings Account
-- Lumenos Health Incentive Account
-- Lumenos Health Incentive Account Plus
Consumers who choose Lumenos products will be eligible for extensive preventive care and personal health coaching, as well as smoking cessation and weight management programs. In addition, most consumers will receive financial rewards for completing various wellness programs.
"We're providing our consumers with information-rich, web-based tools they can use to research prescription drug prices and estimated costs of care," said Sassi. "In fact, we recently added an online tool, The Doctors Plus Directory, which provides members with the ability to 'recommend' their providers to other members. These recommendations are then summarized and viewable by all members within the provider search."
Blue Cross CDHP options will combine an employee- and/or employer-funded health account with traditional PPO health coverage. Each is paired with powerful online decision support tools and personal health coaching that consumers can use to learn more about their health care treatment and cost options.
For example, when members complete an online health assessment, enroll in a program with a health coach, successfully complete a smoking cessation program or make other healthy lifestyle choices, they will receive tangible incentives and rewards under these health plans. Incentives in California range from $50 to $200 depending on the plan in which the member is enrolled and those amounts are credited to the member's Health Incentive Account.
The incentives are offered in the Small Group Health Incentive Account Plus plan, as well as Individual Health Incentive Account and Individual Health Incentive Account Plus plans. According to Sassi, these unique features, combined with Blue Cross' network strength, innovative provider partnerships, local presence and powerful brand name will provide unparalleled value to consumers.
"We know that a significant portion of health care costs are related to personal behaviors, such as smoking, poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyles. With our Lumenos portfolio of CDHP products and services, we're empowering consumers through unique and robust online tools and incentives that encourage and reward them for choosing to live healthier lifestyles," said Sassi.
Early evidence about CDHPs points to increased healthy behaviors by those who have chosen a Health Reimbursement Account, Health Savings Account or Heath Incentive Account plan. In a recent study by McKinsey & Company, CDHP consumers were found to be:
-- 25 percent more likely to engage in healthy behaviors than those
enrolled in traditional plans;
-- 30 percent more likely to get an annual check-up; and
-- 50 percent more likely to ask about cost.
Additionally, consumers with chronic conditions were 20 percent more likely to follow their treatment regimens.
"This is a powerful figure for both members and their employees," said Sassi. "Consumers with these conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, generally have complex, sometimes expensive, health regimens that they must follow. Successfully following these regimens can mean better health outcomes and lower long-term costs."
About Blue Cross of California:
Blue Cross of California is a subsidiary of WellPoint, Inc. , whose mission is to improve the lives of the people it serves and the health of its communities. It is the largest publicly traded commercial health benefits company in terms of membership in the United States, and an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and serves its members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as Blue Cross Blue Shield in 10 New York City metropolitan counties and as Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through UniCare. Additional information about Blue Cross of California is available at http://www.bluecrossca.com/.
