[snip] [/quote]Not sure if anyone has used their ACA coverage yet, but I HAD Anthem Blue Cross thinking they had a good network, but their coverage and doctor/hospital access is EXTREMELY limited. Also, based on the law, ACA coverage should be the same as their regular plans in terms of doctor/hospital access so if they don’t have it in ACA, they probably would not have it even if you purchased outside of ACA (no idea on grandfathered plans).
There was just an article published this week I think investigating that they misled consumers in CA as to which doctors they even had access to so I’d recommend everyone who has Anthem to check to see if they can even access the doctor they wanted to. I know I signed up specifically for Anthem since the doctor was on the list, but low and behold, it was a lie and they weren’t.
I changed our plan right after I couldn’t be seen. Also, getting support and talking to ANYONE at Anthem is incredibly hard and they are the WORST company to deal with. I’m still waiting for a billing issue currently.
We eventually went with Sharp Health since it’s much smaller and when you call, someone picks up immediately actually and you aren’t in a phone tree…It was also cheaper amazingly.
They AREN’T national though so if you have to pick someone who is, you’re more limited…(honestly, who needs national anyways?)
I never hated Kaiser, but it seems like a lot of people do (like my wife) and I’ve probably picked them instead if not for Sharp.[/quote]
joec, I have a Blue Shield of CA Platinum PPO from Covered CA. It took a l-o-o-ong time to get my membership card, but so far, I am happy with it and they have paid 90% of the bill for one “expensive test” so far in 2014 and all my current providers take the plan. I just found out that Sharp Rees Stealy is not on their provider list (not sure about Sharp hospitals) when I tried to access care in a local Sharp Rees Stealy Urgent Care clinic a few weeks ago on a weekend. They sent me to a nearby “US Healthworks” urgent care clinic who treated my minor injury just fine and I’m all healed up now.
IIRC, Sharp Platinum EPO was going to be ~$125 per month more for me and I needed national provider access, due to being on the road several weeks per year. Blue Shield of CA belongs to the BCBS National Provider Directory in the 48 contiguous states and even worldwide:
