Dec. 7, 2016

Resources Now Available About Costs of ER Services

The use of emergency room (ER) services can add significant costs to the overall health care spend for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) customers. We continue to work through multiple strategies to find ways to curb these costs, including using claims data to determine member and provider behaviors that lead to inappropriate use of emergency services.

Some of the behaviors we have been addressing this year when it comes to ER costs include use of the ER for non-emergent medical care and high charges from freestanding ERs.

An article in the November issue of LifeTimes, our member newsletter, features the hidden costs behind going to the ER when it isn’t a true emergency, and the damage to a member’s pocketbook that can result from going to a freestanding ER. We bring this to your attention so you can share the article with your clients.

Additional resources available for your clients include:

• bcbstx.com/go/WhereToGo, a website where they can find information, charts and videos to help them understand how where they go for care can impact how much they pay and how long they wait to receive care.
• The Level of Care flier for clients who select a PPO Plan, to help them learn more and understand their health care options when needing care. There are two versions, one including information about the 24/7 Nurseline for clients who have this benefit as part of their health plan, and one without the 24/7 Nurseline information.
• Know before you go – use Provider Finder^® on the BCBSTX website to know whether or not a provider is in network.

Spanish fliers will also be available in the beginning of next year.