Anthem Blue Cross Blue Sheild Coverage and Benfits

Anthem, Inc. at a Glance

• Anthem, Inc. is a leading health benefits company.
• Through its affiliated companies, including Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem serves more than 107 million people, including more than 43 million within its family of health plans.
• Offers a broad range of medical and specialty products.
• Anthem, Inc. affiliated health plans have created a variety of PPOs, HMOs, various hybrid and specialty products, network-based dental products, and health plan services.
• Employer groups and individual members can select from basic as well as comprehensive plans to meet their specific needs.
• Also available are a wide range of related specialty products and other services, including flexible spending accounts and COBRA administration.
• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield offers health insurance plans in: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
• Markets products through direct sales agents and independent insurance agents.

Anthem Pros: Anthem is one of the largest providers in the nation. Members can easily find local in-network doctors, hospitals, and urgent care centers. What's more, when traveling, members have access to the BlueCard PPO program that includes 93% of doctors and 96% of hospitals across the country, ensuring coverage nearly everywhere they go.

Aetna Cons: Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield customers frequently report dissatisfaction with getting medical procedures approved, coverage denials, and customer service. Anthem, Inc. and several affiliated health plans have received poor ratings from the BBB.

What Types of Insurance Does Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Offer?

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) offers the following types of health plans for individuals and employer groups:

Individuals and families

• Individual and family health plans
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Travel medical insurance
• Medicare plans (Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, Medicare Prescription Drug, Medicare Dental and Vision)

Employer groups

• Group health insurance
• Health and wellness plans
• Group dental and vision plans
• Group life, disability, and supplemental health insurance

This list of insurance products available from Anthem BCBS is not exhaustive. An independent insurance agent can help both individuals and employer groups find the right coverage from Anthem.

Using our insurance company directory can help you find the best insurance companies that specialize in your specific coverage needs. The company directory can also help you get connected to an agent near you.

What to Know about Anthem

Anthem, Inc. is a leading health benefits company. Through its affiliated companies, including Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem serves more than 107 million people, including more than 43 million within its family of health plans.

Anthem offers a broad range of medical and specialty products. Anthem, Inc. affiliated health plans have created a variety of PPOs, HMOs, various hybrid and specialty products, network-based dental products, and health plan services. Employer groups and individual members can select from basic as well as comprehensive plans to meet their specific needs. Also available are a wide range of related specialty products and other services, including flexible spending accounts and COBRA administration.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield offers health insurance plans in: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin.  It markets products through direct sales agents and independent insurance agents.

Anthem, Inc. is made up of several insurance companies, one of the largest of which is Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The current A.M. Best financial strength rating of Anthem Insurance and its consolidated subsidiaries is A (Excellent).

A.M. Best is a credit rating firm that assesses the creditworthiness of, and reports on, over 16,000 insurance companies worldwide. The A.M Best rating points to the insurance company's ability to pay claims, debts, and other financial obligations in a timely manner. Customers can expect that Anthem has the necessary cash reserves to pay out claims, an essential factor in evaluating any insurance company before purchasing a policy.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of:

• Colorado, Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc.
• Connecticut, Anthem Health Plans, Inc.
• Indiana, Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.
• Georgia, Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthcare Plan of Georgia, Inc.
• Kentucky, Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky, Inc.
• Maine, Anthem Health Plans of Maine, Inc.
• Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area): RightCHOICE® Managed Care, Inc. (RIT), Healthy Alliance® Life Insurance Company (HALIC), and HMO Missouri, Inc.
• Nevada, Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc.
• New Hampshire, Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc.
• Ohio, Community Insurance Company
• Virginia, Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc., trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
• Wisconsin, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin (BCBSWI), Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation (Compcare)

What Discounts Does Anthem Offer?

Anthem does not make information about its specific discounts or reward programs readily available.

Anthem Customer Service

Here's what to know about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's customer service options:

• Online account access to view benefits, check claims, find care, or start a live chat
• Sydney Health mobile app to access plan information on the go
• Phone hours vary by state but are typically 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (time zone varies)

		Hours (ALL TIME ZONES)
		Monday-Friday	8:00 am - 5:00 pm

You can also get help by contacting your independent insurance agent. Your agent can advocate on your behalf and help you get the answers you need.

Anthem FAQ

What is Anthem's average claims response time frame?

The provider, not the member, typically files health, dental, and vision claims. Anthem does not report an average claims response time.

What is Anthem's customer service availability?

Customers can access Anthem customer service by phone, email, or online. The company also offers the Sydney Health mobile app that lets members:

• Manage their benefits
• Check claims
• Download an ID card
• Find health tips
• Find doctors and estimate costs
• Manage prescriptions and locate pharmacies
• Change coverage
• Set up monthly bill pay

What is Anthem's claims process?

Anthem describes its claims process as follows:

"When you go to the doctor, they send us a claim for services. We'll take the claim, or bill, and pay our part. Sometimes, you'll owe a part of the bill as well. We'll let you know based on what your plan covers. Check your claims online."

Does Anthem create a user-friendly experience for customers?

Anthem BCBS has a user-friendly website as well as a robust mobile app, Sydney Health, that allows members to access most customer service activities right from their mobile phones. The company also offers numerous other ways to contact them, including online, live chat, phone, and email.

Does Anthem have good health insurance?

Anthem offers a wide range of individual and employer health insurance products. The company also offers HSA options where you can save money pre-tax to pay for your insurance deductible and other health-related expenses. The company provides a variety of plan options that include coverage for preventive care and feature a large provider network.

Anthem also offers numerous member resources and benefits, including a useful member website and a mobile app.

Anthem's extensive local networks, as well as the national BlueCard PPO network, give members unparalleled access to in-network providers nationwide.

Is Anthem a good insurance company?

Anthem provides a variety of plan options for both individuals and employer groups, and its nationwide network is unsurpassed. The company is strong and financially stable, as evidenced by its high ratings from A.M. Best. Like most health insurance companies of its size, it receives numerous complaints about claims denials and customer service. But overall, Anthem can be considered a good insurance company.

Anthem Customer Reviews

Wallethub

"Slow to respond to basic questions. Never able to give an actual dollar amount of what it will actually cost out of pocket. If work wasn't fronting the cost for most of it, it would be utterly unaffordable for coverage that I still have to pay a notable amount out of pocket for."

Consumer Affairs

"Anthem BCBS is timely in their response to my questions. After researching all supplemental medical insurance companies, I found this one to cover my needs at a very reasonable cost. Anthem BCBS also covers my gym fee at LifeTime fitness through the Silver and Fit program. I recommend."

Wallethub

"I called the phone number on the back of my insurance card. I was on hold for 5 ½ hours yesterday and never got through. I tried to contact Anthem Blue Cross today and have been on hold for 1 ½ hours and counting. Horrendous customer service."

Consumer Affairs

"Very fantastic insurance policy. It has paid for everything my husband has had. He has been hospitalized several times in the past and has some more procedures coming up this year. They have helped so much. The price of the policy is up there, but it is worth paying the cost of the insurance."

Consumer Affairs

"They are quick to respond and to satisfy my questions. The cost for medications is very competitive for the one drug that is not cost-free. When I call I am not kept on hold for long periods as I have experienced in the past."

TrustedChoice.com's Final Review

We award Anthem 3.0 out of 5.0 stars. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is one of the largest health insurers in the US, and is highly rated by A.M. Best. The BBB has given Anthem, Inc. and several of its affiliate companies low ratings due to the ramifications of a cyberattack, as well as issues with service and claims denials. These ratings do not necessarily apply to all of Anthem's affiliate companies.

Anthem offers a variety of health plans for employer groups, and several plans for individuals and families, as well. Anthem BCBS plans offer coverage for hospitalization, office visits, immunizations, and other types of preventive care services. Members also have access to HSA plans (available for high-deductible plans). Members are given access to a variety of customer service activities online and through the member mobile app Sydney Health.

Anthem BCBS has a large provider network, and most plans cover out-of-network providers, as well, although at a lower amount. Plan types include HMO, PPO, and high-deductible health plan with HSA (depending on the state and Anthem affiliate). There is something to fit the needs of most employer groups.

Anthem BCBS also has numerous positive customer reviews. As with most companies, there are several BBB complaints and many negative reviews, as well. Most negative reviews address customer service and claims denials.

The carrier works with independent insurance agents, making it easy for employers and individuals to access plan information and coverage. We recommend considering Anthem along with other health insurance companies that you may be interested in.

A local independent insurance agent can help you learn more about the health insurance plans that are available in your area. What's more, you can use our national company directory to find the best insurance companies to meet your needs. The directory can help you find companies that specialize in your specific coverage needs and get connected to an agent near you.

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Source: https://www.trustedchoice.com/insurance-articles/c/anthem-company-review/

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