Question about Michigan Blue Shield

My company wants me to re-locate from BC Canada to Michigan. We have a group plan down there with Blue Cross / Blue Shield - but we just watched Mike Morre's "Sicko" movie and (of course) now have a few concerns - particularly about "pre-existing conditions".

I've had my PM now for a year, only pacing .4% of the time (!!!) so everything looks good at the moment.

My wife has Macular degeneration in one eye, so requires monitoring by an Optomologist every year.

Can anybody tell me about their experience with Blue Shield?
Should we be skeptical, or are we worried about nothing???

Any input would be greatly appreciated...


5 Comments

Pre existing conditions

by ElectricFrank - 2008-04-19 07:04:02

My suggestion is to check with your companies personnel dept or whoever handles insurance contracts. Generally if a company sets up an employee plan pre existing conditions are included, because risk is averaged across the emplyee base. The details of the plan are negotiated by your company. However, with all the changes going on in the industry I would ask.

frank

Health Care Billing

by lahbigbro6 - 2008-04-20 09:04:53

I work in the field of health care billing for a doctor, orthopedic. Call BCBS member services on your insurance card (if your employer is using the "SAME PLAN AND SAME ID# IN MICHIGAN). It is really important to know this info. Ask member services if this insurance plan has any pre-existing provisions. If the employer will have a "DIFFERENT PLAN AND DIFFERENT ID#, once you get your new id# card, call member services. It always depends on what plan your employer picked. It is better to get the info right from BCBS .... Just so you know, I changed over to BCBS recently, after with Aetna for many years, and I had no problems. Good Luck.

Check it out

by auntiesamm - 2008-04-20 11:04:50

Check it out very carefully with both divisions of your company and get it in writing. In the USA group insurance is portable, job-to-job, with no exclusions if done with a certain window of time, etc. etc. From CA Blue to US Blue could be different. These insurance companies, as we all know, do everything they can to not insurance us or to disallow claims. I think coming to the US our regulations would apply. From US to CA then Canadian policy dictates portability. Insurance is such a mess! You are very wise to be asking those questions now. Even here in the states, Blue Cross of California for instance differs from Blue Cross of the NW - not on portability but on other benefits, etc. Please let us all know what you find out after checking with both Blues. I'll say a prayer for ease of transfer for you and your wife. God bless you.

Sharon (So Calif)

PS: Don't believe everything you saw in "Sicko".

Hmmmm....

by sweetkozy - 2008-04-20 12:04:29

Definitely talk with somebody in the insurance dept about that. My experience has been that if your job is offering it they should be able to take you on no matter what you preexisting condition is, but everyone is different and they seem to be becoming a little more strict about things. Our family has BC/BS (through my husbands work) and they had to take me regardless of my condition. Our plan covers well and I spend very little for check ups and surgeries. So far we have had a good experience with them and no problems regarding my medical conditions. Only problem is is that the insurance rates keeps getting higher and higher....so they better cover a lot!!! lol Every plan is different though and definitely check on it. I personally think you will be fine.

I have it

by Suze - 2008-04-21 05:04:45

I have Michigan bc/bs. And it's private pay. My husbands company folded, so we now have a new private pay individual BC/BS Policy. We took it out in January and they didn't even mention my pacemaker. (And they know about it because another of their policies paid for it two years ago). No pre existing conditions were inquired about for me or my husband.

It may be a different story since you are coming from Canada.

Also, it has been documented that a lot of the Sicko movie was fiction.

Anyway, I really hope everything goes well for you.

Suze

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