CalCPA ProtectPlus

A powerful new tool recently added to the Anthem Online Services website now allows ProtectPlus subscribers to locate treatment facilities, compare prices and get other indicators about the expertise of the facility in a specific area of medicine. Though simple in use and appearance, this new function actually makes real a longstanding but elusive promise of modern healthcare—comparison shopping for medical services. With this information in hand, you can now decide whether one treatment facility is worth a lot more money than another and whether you are willing to go farther to save a little or a lot.

You can access these new tools by logging onto the Anthem Blue Cross website directly (www.anthem.com) or you can click through from the ProtectPlus site (www.cpaprotectplus.com). If you take the latter route, choose “Plan Members” then go to “My Plans” and click on “ProtectPlus (Anthem Blue Cross).” Please note that Anthem recently completed a major re-design of its website and you will be instructed to register, or re-register if you had an account on the earlier website, before accessing your account information. Once on your Anthem personal Account Summary page you will find several icons that you can click and drag onto your personal menu to customize your page.

Click on the “Facility Cost and Quality” icon to open the Anthem Care Comparison page. Once there click on “find a facility for a procedure or condition.” A drop-down list provides categories of treatment (e.g. cancer, lungs, orthopedic, or pediatric conditions). When you have chosen a category you can then choose from another list of procedures and diagnoses. You then put in your city or zip and the distance you are willing to travel. (continue reading…)

Care Comparison expands to cover all of California

All Anthem Blue Cross group members in California now have access to Anthem Care Comparison, our ground-breaking online tool that launched in 2008 to select geographic areas in the state. Care Comparison, provides total estimated costs associated will all aspects of nearly 40 specific mediacal procedures performed at local area hospitals and medical facilities.

Anthem Care Comparison is the only tool to bundle together related services and tests around a specific procedure typically costs.  And as our members will quickly see, one procedure can carry different price tags at different facitilites.  Those differences can increase or decrease members out-of-pocket costs. (continue reading…)