For California health insurance shoppers seeking the best and most affordable California health insurance plans to choose from here at Vitality, we offer this timely article to help clients with the process of comparing and contrasting two different health plan strategies as offered by industry leader Blue Shield of California. In our review, we’ll show you the great features and value adds that both plan strategies offer the California health insurance consumer, and we’ll also help you understand how these plans are working in different ways to help meet the benefits and cost objectives of California consumers on the lookout for a California health insurance strategy that is uniquely right for them!

When you secure your always free quotes for California health insurance plans here at the Vitality website you’ll note that there are many affordable plans from which to choose. You’ll also likely note that each of these plans takes a different path towards the twin objectives of providing the health benefits you and your family typically use the most, along with the affordability objective we all have when it comes to finding a health plan with a monthly premium that is household budget-friendly.

Before we break down the benefits found in two of Blue Shield’s most popular plan strategies – Vital Shield and Balance Plan portfolios – let’s take a quick look at the great value-added benefits Blue Shield plans offer the California consumer – and there are many:

• Additional, affordable access to both California dental insurance and California term life insurance through Blue Shield.
• A strong provider network that will help ensure access to affordable in-network care throughout California and out-of-state via Blue Shield’s BlueCard feature.
• Important health and wellness programs and Blue Shield online tools focused on helping you maintain your health and wellbeing!
• NurseHelp 24/7 – Have a health concern? Call on NurseHelp 24/7 and get the assistance you need day or night!

Those are some of the great value-added benefits a plan member can expect with Blue Shield. Now let’s take a closer look at two different PPO plan approaches: The Vital Shield plans and the Balance plans. We think this comparison is interesting because it represents two markedly different approaches to the same objective: Securing the peace of mind that comes with owning a Blue Shield health plan.

Vital Shield offers the plan owner:

• Access to low monthly premium rates.
• Crucial access to Preventive Care such as annual physical exam; well-baby care office visits; GYN exam
• Low or moderate annual deductibles of $900 or $2,900.
• Generic prescription drug benefits – before needing to reach the annual medical deductible of your plan!
• Coinsurance is 40% for in-network services.

The Vital Shield Plans are available to individual members-only and offers a basic coverage strategy. While these plans can help ensure peace of mind that you or your child has important health coverage in the event of serious illness or injury, these same plans will require contributing more of your income/savings to the costs of various health care services over the course of the year as these costs may arise.

Balance plans offer the plan owner:

• Three different annual deductibles to choose from, starting at $1000.
• Crucial access to Preventive Care such as annual physical exam; well-baby care office visits; GYN exam
• Available to individuals and family with three reasons why these plans are child-friendly:

o   Great access to preventive care exams which will include immunizations.

o   Lots of scraped knees or sniffles? Unlimited number of doctor’s office visits for low copayment of $30 before you need to meet a deductible.

o   Plans feature both generic and brand-name prescription drug coverage.

• Balance plans feature benefits for both chiropractic and acupuncture if these treatment choices are a preference!
• Coinsurance rate dips to 30% for in-network services.

We ran a test by going to our Vitality website quote engine where free quotes for California health insurance plans are always available: Running separate quotes for a 30 year old single male and a 5 year old child, we saw that the difference in monthly premiums between a Vital Shield 900 plan and a Balance 1000 plan were significant in each scenario. In short, an adult California health insurance shopper can expect to pay more for a Balance plan for themselves or for their child versus a Vital Shield plan. As you can see from the above comparison the reason lay in the additional benefits you can expect from your Balance plan.

Is one plan better than the other? Well just in terms of benefits, you could say that the scale tips squarely in favor of the Balance plan. But: For every plan comparison it is always important to think in broader terms when considering how best to proceed in this process. Consider:

• Can I afford to pay the higher monthly premium month in, month out? Your new health plan strategy is about ensuring peace of mind for the long run – not just the next 30 days or so.
• Will I really be using these ‘extra’ benefits? If you feel as though you’re a healthy individual who can get by on an annual physical exam and you’re just seeking affordable access to health care services in the event of a catastrophic injury or illness, a more expensive ‘benefit-rich’ health plan may not be right for you. (Here’s where another Blue Shield plan strategy – the Shield Savings HSA-compatible health plans lineup – may be just the ticket!)
• Affordability again: Do you have the resources in hand to pay for a larger chunk of your or your child’s health care needs moving forward if events warrant; so saving money on the month-to-month premium costs makes financial sense to you and your family budget?
• On the flip side: Are you concerned about your ability to meet the cost burdens associated with more affordably priced health plans like Vital Shield at some later point in time? The higher copayments; coinsurance; lack of access to brand name prescription drugs? The peace of mind that comes with a plan like one of the Balance plans may be a price worth paying.

At the end of the day the answers that count are the answers that are uniquely right for you and your family. The right health plan choice for you will be the plan that offers the best range of benefits at a premium rate that is the most comfortable for your budget. Remember: This process is about helping you and your family find peace of mind. If you’ve found a health plan that eases your mind that you have found the right balance of protection and affordability; you’ve found the right health plan. We’re dedicated to helping you do exactly that!

Our Vitality California health insurance client services and all of our careful, considerate personalized, one-on-one client consultations are always 100% free and we’ll gladly arrange a consultation at a time and place that is convenient to your schedule! To get started, please contact us here at Vitality online or call us toll free at 800-607-1950.