Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois

How often do you read online reviews before making a purchase? Nowadays, most of us like to do a little research to make sure we are buying products that are highly rated and affordable.

However, the opposite is true when it comes to health care. Many of us have medical procedures done without even knowing how much it will cost or how highly rated the doctor or provider is.

And, costs can vary greatly depending on where you go – and the higher cost does not always mean that the quality is better! For example, the cost for an MRI can vary between $475 and $2517 depending on where you go. And CT scans can vary between $343 and $2,283! There’s a huge difference between those amounts!

By doing some research before you go to the doctor, you can make huge changes in how much you might pay out-of-pocket for health care.

Check out this infographic for more information on how to find a doctor or hospital in your area!

Be a Smart Health Care Consumer

Lucky for you, you’ll never have to make a health care decision without some guidance ever again! Our Provider Finder® now lets you compare cost and quality when it comes to health care.

You probably have already used Provider Finder to find a network doctor or hospital, but you may not know that you can also use this tool to:

• Estimate the cost of up to 1,500 procedures, treatments and tests.
• View patient feedback or add your review for a provider.
• Review providers’ certifications and recognitions.
• It’s easy, immediate, secure and available through our secure member website.

How It Works

To start using all these great features in Provider Finder, all you have to do is log into Blue Access for MembersSM. If you haven’t signed up for our secure member website yet, register now!

Once you are logged in to Blue Access for Members, go to the Doctors & Hospitals tab and click on “Find a Doctor or Hospital” to explore Provider Finder. When you access Provider Finder through Blue Access for Members, you will not have to select your network or benefits plan, it will automatically be filtered for you!

In Provider Finder you will be able to search for doctors and hospitals in your network. You can even view patient feedback, ratings, awards, recognitions and certificates for each provider or facility that pops up in your search results! As a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois member, you can also leave a review for your doctor.

You can also compare estimated costs for more than 1,500 treatment categories between different providers, allowing you to pick a provider that meets your budget needs!

Before you schedule a diagnostic imaging procedure, your plan may require that you call a Benefits Value Advisor. Your out-of-pocket costs may be higher if you do not call. Please see your plan documents for details. Cost estimates are just an estimate. In addition to your usual deductibles, copayments and/or coinsurance, the actual cost of the services may vary based on a number of factors including the date of service, the actual procedure performed, what services were billed by the provider and your particular benefit plan. Coverage is subject to the limitations and exclusions of your plan.

Provider Finder is the quick and easy way to make better health care decisions for you and your family!

Click here for a walk-through of how to use the tool!

Log into Blue Access for Members either on your computer or your smartphone/tablet now to become a smarter health care consumer!