Individual Healthcare Insurance in SC? (Anderson, Mayo: professionals, marketplace, bills)

[larsm]

My understanding is that BCBS only offers EPO policies in the individual healthcare marketplace. EPO being only access to exclusive network of providers negotiated by BCBS. So if you want to see a particular doctor or hospital that is not in the network you do not have any insurance coverage (unlike PPO insurance).

So my question is for those that have BCBS Individual healthcare insurance have you been happy with the BCBS EPO network of doctors and hospitals or have you found it limiting your choice of access to healthcare professionals?

Thank you.

[SCGamecock]

Before this year, the individual EPO plans did not include MUSC but were connected to the BlueCard national provider network. It was comforting knowing that virtually every hospital outside the state was in-network via BlueCard. For some, this meant having access to places like the Mayo Clinic and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. For me, it meant having coverage when traveling. My concern in the past was being airlifted to MUSC from a car accident and those bills not being covered.

With the new setup this year, I'm glad MUSC is now in-network but concerned about virtually no coverage when traveling outside the state. I feel like I am not getting the same value. Locally, access to doctors and lab providers has not been a problem for me. There are delays in scheduling appointments but that has to do with the doctor/patient ratio in my area, not the network.

[larsm]

Thank you for your response. I will have to look into the BCBS Blue Card and what it does for "expanding" the available network.