Blue Shield improves coverage for individual health plan members.SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 31, 1996--Blue Shield of California announced today it will eliminate all benefit "waiting periods" for maternity and other medical conditions for its individually enrolled health plan members. Effective Feb. 1, all newly enrolled and existing members under Blue Shield Blue Shield A US not-for-profit health care insurer that is a reimbursement intermediary for physicians. Cf Blue Cross. individual and family plans will no longer be required to wait one year before certain medical conditions -- ranging from hernias to varicose veins Varicose Veins Definition Varicose veins are dilated, tortuous, elongated superficial veins that are usually seen in the legs. Description and maternity -- are contractually covered. The policy change will be implemented without affecting health plan rates, according to Blue Shield. Traditionally, Blue Shield employer group employer group Association of employers Managed care An entity with a current group benefits agreement in effect with a health plan to provide covered health care services to its employee-subscribers and eligible dependents. health plans, accounting for about 74 percent of the organization's 1.5 million members statewide, have had no contractual waiting periods. Over 360,000 of Blue Shield's current enrollment is in individual programs for those under age 65. "Blue Shield is initiating the new policy in its continuing efforts to make quality health care more accessible to Californians, especially those unable to secure coverage in the workplace," said Blue Shield President and Chief Operating Officer Chief Operating Officer (COO) The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president. , Bruce G. Bodaken. "Further, our move is in line with a new interpretation of state-mandated benefit provisions under all Knox-Keene-approved health plans regulated by the Department of Corporations. We support the fact that the change will assure a more level playing field See net neutrality. for all those in the health insurance industry," said Bodaken. "The policy change is a further decisive step by Blue Shield to support customer-oriented reform of the state's individual health plan market. Two years ago, the company was the first in the industry to drop all coverage exclusions of prior medical conditions for those accepted for enrollment in individual and family plans," he said. Blue Shield of California Blue Shield of California is a not-for-profit health insurance provider headquartered in San Francisco, California. An independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Blue Shield of California is an incorporated, wholly owned subsidiary of California Physicians' is one of the state's leading managed care companies, serving over 1.5 million members, with annual revenues of more than $1.9 billion. The San Francisco-based organization operates one of the state's fastest growing HMOs and the largest statewide PPO PPO abbr. preferred provider organization PPO Managed care Preferred provider organization, see there Infectious disease Pleuropneumonia-like organism, see there networks. CONTACT: Blue Shield of California Mike Odom, 415/445-5281 |
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