The Family Action Council of Tennessee took aim at the state's largest health insurance carrier recently. According to that conservative group, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee is "showing a cultural acceptance of homosexual conduct." In an interview, former state Senator David Fowler, who now heads the Family Action Council, said that he wanted people to be aware that BCBS of Tennessee had taken a stand on homosexuality. He was referring to Tennessee BCBS having sent a letter to its policyholders stating that it is fervently embraced the "spirit of diversity" that includes gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender owned business establishments.
Fowler added that the Tennessee BCBS letter is directly associated with House Bill 600. Although controversial, that bill that was signed into a law during the last legislative session. It provided stricter policies prohibiting discrimination against people who are lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or transgender (LGBT) because state law had not previously prohibited discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation. Since BCBS of Tennessee is falling in line with state law, does it really have anything to fear?
As the spokesman of the Tennessee Equality Project, Chris Sanders thinks the diversity statement that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee sent out to its consumers was a good thing. BCBS of Tennessee's own spokeswoman told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that this diversity outreach is not new for nonprofit Tennessee health insurance companies that have wide-ranging federal and state government contracts.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Tennessee Is Among The State's Largest Insurers
With more than 2 million policyholders, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee has been assigned a Standard and Poor's rating of "A+" for "strong" with respect to the company's financial stability. As you may know, Standard and Poor's is an independent organization that investigates and rates insurance companies based on whether they have the capital to cover policyholders' medical claims.
The insurer offers both HMO and PPO plans that include many of the area's most respected doctors and hospitals. Access to a PPO network of health care providers can mean substantial discounts in out-of-pocket costs until the plan's deductible has been met and the insurer begins to pay for medical claims. In-network providers charge policyholders the lower rates per their contract with BCBS of Tennessee.
Even the cost of going to doctors and hospitals that are outside of the plan's network is partially covered under BCBS of Tennessee. But, out-of-pocket expenses for going to non-network providers are applied to a separate and higher out-of-pocket policy maximum. That's a fancy way of saying the limit on what you could end up spending for health care in one year under a BCBS of Tennessee policy.
BCBS of Tennessee Provider Networks Are In Metropolitan Areas
Because the provider network was basically built around major metropolitan areas, policyholders in rural areas may have to travel to find in-network health care services. Travel can difficult when ill or injured, so it's wise to check the plan's provider network before applying for a policy.
If the location of providers works for you, PPO plans are popular because they don't require you to select a "primary care physician" who is totally responsible for referrals to specialists. Without that referral, there is no coverage for seeing a specialist or getting a second opinion. That's how HMO plans work, but HMOs do have certain advantages.
For example, HMO plans also have low prices for medical services and the plans have low deductibles. They also typically offer access to dental care providers and simplify the claim's process. Rather than complete forms, members may use cards, similar to credit and debit cards, to handle medical services at a doctor's office or the hospital.
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