Blue Shield of California has just announced that they will discontinue the Active Choice 600 Individual PPO health insurance plan effective January 1, 2006. Blue Shield will transfer all of those enrolled into another medical insurance plan on that date – unless the member has already transferred to another plan. Granting unusual freedom to members, Blue Shield will allow Active Choice 600 members to select ANY individual Blue Shield of CA health insurance plan without medical underwriting. The Active Choice 600 was one of the first “Consumer Directed Health Plans.” Which meant that the plan gave individuals a “line of credit” of $600 per year and it gave families with two or more members $1,200 per year. The members could use the money for various medical expenses. After the money was exhausted, the member would pay a large deductible. After the deductible the plan would pay generally 100 percent of medical expenses. One of the great aspects of the Active Choice 600 was that any of the “line of credit” money that a member did not spend during the calendar year would be carried over to following years. Also, members received the full $600 or $1,200 credit no matter when they enrolled. Because this plan was priced so low, it included maternity coverage, and it gave immediate access to medical care without an up front deductible, it was very popular. The Blue Shield of CA Active Choice 600 was especially popular for women in their child bearing years as the Active Choice 600 minimized total financial exposure of child birth. The Active Choice 600 was also a great plan to start at the end of the year. If a member began the plan in December and had no claims that month, starting in January he would have $1,200 credited towards medical expenses ($2,400 for families.) Most people don’t use that much medical care in a year so it was a very rich benefit plan. In fact, the insurance companies state that 70 percent of all enrollees do not incur more than $600 per year in medical expenses. In place of the Blue Shield of California Active Choice 600 medical insurance plan, people may want to consider the Blue Shield 2000 which is low cost, offers $45 doctor office visits and prescription medicine before paying the deductible. |
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California Health Insurance |
Group Health Insurance in California |
Health Savings Accounts | |
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