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This Web site contains a compilation of more than a thousand consumer finance  columns written by Tony Novak from the 1980s through 2006, updated and reformatted for maximum usefulness today.  New material was added after 2010.

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Value plans combined with Blue Cross

originally posted: 11/22/2006  reposted: 2/18/2011 This post has not been recently reviewed or revised by the author and may be out of date. If in doubt, please send a new question or ask for an update.

Q: I just need to know how much it would cost a month for Value Health and Value Med plans. I am 36, and my husband is 53. I am also wondering how much of the doctor's visit you pay. If I get an appointment and the visit is $90., do I just pay them, and you pay me back the $90?, or do you pay a percentage of that? Also, what is the difference between "Platinum" and the others? What do you think about adding this to a high-deductible insurance such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, to get the cheaper monthly payment, and using yours for the no deductible doctor visits?

A: These supplemental polices pay you a fixed dollar amount that is listed in the brochure for each type of covered expense. For example, if the doctor visit is $90 and your Blue Cross has a $20 co-pay and the Value Med plan has a $35 benefit, then you would pay the doctor $20 and the Value Med would pay you $35. Value Health covers hospital expenses and Value Med covers doctors bills. There are different levels of benefits paid based on the level you choose at the time of enrollment. The only difference between the platinum level and other benefit levels is the amount of dollars paid for each covered expense. These policies are made to be added to insurance like Blue Cross and the Value insurance benefit is paid to you regardless of any other benefit covered by Blue Cross.

Summary

More resources:

FreedomBenefits.net
ValueHealth Insurance ValueMed Insurance