Blue Cross Blue Shield is a type of federation that is made up of 38 different insurance organizations inside the United States. The function of these organizations is to provide around 99 million Americans with healthcare. Blue cross has a history that dates all the way back to 1929, while blue shield only dates back to 1948. The organizations decided upon a business merger in 1982.

Health insurance is a problem that plagues many Americans nationwide. The biggest issue that most people will face with health insurance is not being able to afford it. Blue Cross Blue shield offers a way that you can receive lower cost health insurance not only for yourself but for your family as well. Blue Cross Blue shield offers you a great selection of plans as well as coverages.

Before you look at any of the plans that are associated with Blue Cross Blue Shield you may ask yourself why you need it if you are currently healthy and in good shape. One of the biggest reasons that securing a plan will be helpful to you is that it can secure your future. No oneever expects to become sick or get into anytype of accident. However, the chances are that at some point in life you will become sick or be in an accident whether major or small.

When preparing for your future you can think in terms of costs associated for certain medical procedures without being insured. Just going into an emergency room without receiving any kind of test can cost you around $700 dollars. Most people in today’s world simply cannot afford to have an extra $700 dollars for medical expenses and will often do without.  If you are unfortunate enough to experience breaking a bone it can cost you $7500.

Blue Cross Blue Shield offers you three different coverage options. Some of the major options are individual and family plans. A premier plan for an individual or a family will offer you many preventative services as well as giving you the ability to choose between two networks. Premier plans will often be a lot similar to the plans that you would see offered by an employer. A service that is offered in a premier plan would be covering you for any major hospital expenses. It will also provide you with coverage during times that you are hospitalized.

One of the great things about his type of plan is that you will have the option to go to any doctor of your choosing. Being able to go to a doctor of your choice can give you the added comfort of knowing that you are in the care of a doctor you are familiar with and can trust. Keep in mind that there are conditions that may allow for your coverage to be terminated. One of the main conditions that will result in your coverage being terminated is if you fail to pay your monthly premium.

Another instance in which your coverage is likely to be terminated is if you commit any type of fraud involving your identity or personal information when you apply. It is important to keep in mind just like with any other health insurance provider there will always be a back ground check on any person interested in the service. It is best to always be honest about everything because it can save you a lot of time and money. Your location may affect you coverage as well if you leave the area your policy is authorized to do business.

You will also want to make sure you research all the limitations that are associated with Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. If you suffer from any type of pre-existing condition it may exclude you from being eligible for any type of plan.

A child that is under the age of 19 can never be denied any type of coverage associated with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Something else that you may want to consider when choosing a plan is the prescription drug coverage. In most cases if you have prescription drug coverage the cost of your medications will be significantly less than if you would have paid for them out of pocket.

You will most likely find information about a specific Blue Cross Blue Shiled company within your own state, sometimes many variations, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield Western New York. If you need to find out more about BCBS, simply do a quick search on Google for Blue Cross Blue Shield [state name], where [state name] is the name of your state, without the square brackets.