Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan: what to know before you renew or move.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network sell several plan families to employers. Which one fits depends on where your employees’ doctors sit, how your group is rated and what the renewal is built from. This page sets out what the carrier says about itself, then the questions we ask before recommending that you stay, change plans or go to market.
What the carrier says about its employer plans
Plan families
For groups of 2 to 50 employees, BCBSM’s small group page lists Simply Blue PPO, Blue Elect Plus POS and the Blue Care Network HMO as featured plans.
Network breadth
BCBSM states that its PPO members have access to 95 percent of doctors and 100 percent of hospitals in Michigan. That is the carrier’s claim; test it against your own employees’ providers.
Cost claim
BCBSM states that its PPO plans carry a 5 to 9 percent lower total cost of care. Ask what that is measured against before you rely on it in a renewal decision.
Point-of-service option
Blue Elect Plus is described as a point-of-service plan that lets employees choose a doctor without a referral.
Health spending account
Simply Blue PPO is described as offering an optional health spending account, which changes how the employer funds and communicates the plan.
Blue Care Network
BCN HMO plans sit under the same employer offering. See our Blue Care Network guide for how an HMO changes referrals and disruption.
Questions we ask before a BCBSM renewal
Where do your employees’ doctors sit?
Network breadth in general is not the same as breadth for your people. We run the providers your employees actually use against the proposed network.
What is the renewal built from?
Trend, your own claims and enrollment mix each move the number. We separate them and test credibility before accepting or countering.
Is this the right plan family?
PPO, POS and HMO trade price against choice. We show the cost of each against what your employees would give up.
What does moving really cost?
A lower premium can cost more once disruption, plan design and administration are counted. We weigh all of it before recommending a move.
BCBSM questions from Michigan employers
What kinds of employer plans does BCBSM offer?
BCBSM’s small group page lists Simply Blue PPO, Blue Elect Plus POS and a Blue Care Network HMO as featured plans, and the carrier publishes separate plan pages for larger groups. Confirm what is available to your group size and county at quote.
What counts as a small group?
BCBSM’s help page says the government treats a business as a small group if it has 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees. Size rules affect how the group is rated.
Is BCBSM’s statewide network claim true for my employees?
It is the carrier’s statement, not a guarantee for your group. We check your employees’ actual providers against the network before you decide.
Should I always market a BCBSM plan to other carriers?
Not always. Whether going out is worth the disruption depends on the renewal, the plan and your employees. That judgment is part of our advice.
Can CFH quote BCBSM?
Yes. CFH can include BCBSM in a market test; availability depends on your size, county, funding and timing.
Where these details come from.
BCBSM: Plans for small groups: featured small group plans.
BCBSM: PPO networks: network and cost statements.
BCBSM: What size is my business: small versus large group definition.
Carrier statements are the carrier’s own and can change; confirm current plans, counties and availability with your quote.
Send us your renewal.
We’ll tell you whether it looks competitive, where we see opportunity, and the five questions we’d put to your carrier. No cost, and no obligation to move anything.
The renewal letter
Your current plan summary
Contribution split by tier
Enrolled counts by tier
Four documents — two more if your group is 50 or more. Nothing else; every extra one is a reason to postpone.