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.

The site will return a list of facilities that provide the procedure in question, typical minimum costs, typical maximum costs, and the average number of times this particular service was provided by the facility in a year. You may be shocked to discover that the average fee at some facilities is several times higher than the average fee charged by others. You may also find that one facility performs the procedure on a regular basis and another conducts it rarely.

To illustrate how significantly the negotiated fee can impact out-of-pocket costs, we searched facilities that perform standard colonoscopy screenings within a 20 mile radius. The results were surprising. For the 16 facilities within the search area, the typical maximum cost ranged from $996 to $4,982 for the same procedure. If the medical plan pays 70% of the negotiated rate, the member’s out-of-pocket costs at 30% could be as little as $299, or as much as $1,495.

If you want still more information, the Facility Cost and Quality tool can also display a customized graphic comparison much like those featured in Consumer Reports with rankings on various scales for factors such as complications, average length of stay, hospital safety, and patient satisfaction ratings.

Another useful tool that you can add to your personal menu is the “Treatment Cost Advisor.” This tool graphically illustrates the cost difference between in-network and out-of-network service providers for specific services.

If you are one of those who tends to say, “wake me when it’s over,” these tools may not be for you. But for those who want to take an active role in their care, the ability to compare medical costs and outcomes represents a major advance.

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.

Quality information is also included so members cn access information regarding the number of patients treated, complication rates, average length of stay and mortality rates.

All of the information provided is easy to find and easy to understand.

Members can become engaged health care consumers when they use Antheme Care Comparison as well as the Zagat Health Survey, whihc allows members to view or sublmit feedback on their experiences with physicians on the following four categories:

1. Trust: Confidence in physician’s approach, integrity and recommendations
2. Communication: Physician’s bedside manner, responsiveness and rapport with patients.
3. Availability: Convenient appointments, physician’s punctuality and face-to-face time.
4. Environment: Office condition, staff quality, atmosphere and amenities.

Anthem Care Comparison and Zagat Health Survey are two of the many online tools available when you visit anthem.com/ca and login into member services.