Tag Archive for 'members'

BCBSNC initiates customer market research panel

Published on February 2, 2011 in BCBSNC. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

BCBSNC is currently embarking on creating a customer market research panel. This panel will supply an organized, cost-efficient system for getting in contact with customers directly to perform research on health care and health insurance matters.

Members from three different divisions were sent invitations to participate during the last week of  January 2011. The process of enrolling members will continue through the end of February. If members desire, they will have the opportunity to cancel any e-mail communications associated with this program.

The minimum amount of members that they hope to enroll in the program are:

  • 2,000 individual members ages 18 to 64
  • 2,000 group members ages 18 to 64 (750 of these will be small business group administrators)

BCBSNC employees, Federal Employee Program members, and State Health Plan members will not be summoned to participate in this program.

In early March, panel members will start to receive surveys. These surveys will be directed to members who are picked by customer segment and /or demographics as needed. Every time a member finishes a survey, they will get the chance to enter a drawing for a gift card. These gift cards will differ in value, depending on the survey.

Those with questions concerning the customer market research panel are asked to call the Agent Contact Center.

2009 Blue Cross fee structure for non-emergency surgery for federal workers is changed

Published on January 5, 2009 in Health and Wellness. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Blue Cross/Blue Shield has announced that it will pay 70 percent of the fee that it permits for non-emergency surgery by out-of-network doctors. This will put the patients responsible for 30 percent of the charges, plus any difference between the allowed amount and the actual charge.

This alteration of the fee structure is in reaction to distressed Congress members as well as some upset federal workers who have the Blue Cross/Blue Shield standard option.

According to the company’s initial fee structure for 2009, 100 percent of the surgery fee, to a maximum of $7,500 per surgeon, per surgical day, would have had to be taken care of by Blue Cross/Blue Shield members. Under the office of Personnel Management, health insurance companies were allowed to change their surgical benefit and permit employees to change their insurance selections through the end of January.

In situations where the surgeon’s bill will be $5,000 or more, Blue Cross is currently offering members a better service system that will give members information ahead of time that will show them what the company will pay when concerning a procedure.