We had our health insurance through my husband’s employer. It was really good insurance but we had to pay a high rate per pay check in order to have it. It was through Blue Cross Blue Shield. At the time that we were offered this insurance, preventive care seemed to be the topic of discussion. Insurance companies were realizing that if they offered more preventive measures, in the long run, they would pay out less.
One feature I liked about this insurance is that they offered what they called “Blue on call”. With our policy we were given a toll free number to call 24/7 for any question we may have concerning our health. They always had a team of Registered Nurses available to help answer calls. For an example, my infant daughter was diagnosed with infant Hypothyroidism. With infant twins at home, I didn’t have a lot of time to search for the answers that I needed myself. Since we were paying money to have this insurance, I decided to call them to see if they could help me find the answers. When I called, they were very helpful. The Registered Nurse not only gave me some information over the phone but she mailed me more in depth information about this topic and websites that I could search, when I had the time. On another occasion, my son was vomiting and crying with stomach cramps. The symptoms were not bad enough to take him to the Emergency room, but they did worry me, since he was an infant. I called this service again and they were just as helpful as the first time. The Registered Nurse that I spoke to mailed me the information that we discussed over the phone for future reference. They are also available to help you decide if you should go to the emergency room or not. When I called, I would give them the symptoms, they would ask questions and determine if I needed to call the physician, go straight to the Emergency Room or treat it at home.
When my husband switched jobs last May, we were not offered this service with our new insurance policy, although it is through the same company. Most insurance companies will be offering this type of service soon, because it is considered preventive care. With this service, you will probably make fewer trips to the emergency room or the doctor, which will cost the insurance company less money too. If you are offered this service with your insurance, I highly recommend that you use it. It will ease your mind to know that someone is waiting for you to call to discuss what you are worried about.
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