BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina

S.C. BlueCross Launches Plans to Help Individuals Balance Cost and Coverage

December 19, 2008

Columbia, S.C. -- BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina has added new plan designs in its suite of Personal Blue^SM individual insurance plans, effective in January 2009, all designed to help consumers balance cost and coverage.

"With increasing health care costs, individuals need new plan designs that help them weigh coverage and cost that is more customized for them. Among an array of options we already offer, we’re now including new designs that give consumers even more choices," said BlueCross BlueShield Division President David Pankau.

The new offerings are called Personal Blue^SM Basic, Personal Blue^SM Secure and Personal True Blue^SM.

• Personal Blue^SM Basic, with the lowest premiums, features eight plan designs based on choices of deductible, benefit level and out-of-pocket maximum. Once a plan design is selected, it can be customized with one of five prescription drug coverage options. The savings on these plans may vary depending on the health plan and prescription drug option, but the average savings is approximately 25 percent from previously offered plans.
• Personal Blue^SM Secure, with generally lower deductibles but slightly higher premiums, features a choice of six deductible levels, four coinsurance levels, four out-of-pocket maximums and five prescription drug coverage options. The savings on these plans may vary depending on the health plan and prescription drug option selected, but the average savings is approximately 12 percent from previously offered plans.
• Personal True Blue^SM features four plan designs with a choice of two deductible levels and two coinsurance coverage levels. In addition, members can customize this plan by choosing one of five prescription drug options. Personal True Blue is only available through participating chambers of commerce. The savings on these plans may vary depending on the health plan and prescription drug option selected, but the average savings is approximately 17 percent from previously offered plans.

All of the plans cover core benefits: preventive services, physician services, outpatient and inpatient hospital services, physical therapy, diabetic supplies and dialysis, home health and hospice, transplants, dental accidents, durable medical equipment, skilled nursing, orthotics and ostomy supplies, and mental health and substance abuse services. They can be enhanced to include maternity, dental/vision and other specialized coverage.

The new products are part of the company’s overall suite of products called Blue Spectrum^SM, which features numerous plan options for groups and individuals.

For details on the Personal Blue plans, contact a local South Carolina agent or call BlueCross at 1-800-451-4275.

All BlueCross members benefit from BlueCross’ PPO network, the largest in the state; the BlueCard Worldwide® network that allows in-network access to providers in other states served by other Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies; discounts for a variety of wellness services provided through the company’s Natural Blue^SM network, and the online "My Health Toolkit."

Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and its family of companies include more than 20 subsidiaries involved in health insurance services, U.S. DoD health plan and Medicare contracts, and other insurance and employee benefits services.