Blue Cross Blue Shield of GA allows you to add maternity benefits for an additional cost to their Premier Plus plans that have deductible options of $2,500 or higher.
Maternity Coverage at a Glance:
ForwardFocus HSA PPO: An HSA plan allows you to open a Health Savings Account for tax advantages. You can invest money you contribute to an HSA in bonds, mutual funds, stocks or an interest-earning savings account. There is no minimum contribution requirement, but you may deposit up to $3,050 for individuals or $6,150 for families by April 15 and take an "above the line" tax deduction for the previous year's income taxes. This means that you get a federal income tax deduction for money you deposit even if you take the standard deduction and don’t itemize deductions. You can let your HSA grow with tax-free interest or withdraw funds for qualified health care expenses for yourself, your spouse or partner, or your dependents.
A PPO is a preferred provider organization that negotiates with doctors and hospitals to provide health care at reduced rates. The discounts can be significant on care from in-network providers, but you’ll also have some coverage to go out-of-network. Plus, you won’t need a referral to see a specialist as you would with an HMO plan.
Premier Plus POS:
A POS or Point of Service plan is a type of managed care with characteristics of both an HMO and a PPO. There is more flexibility than in an HMO and less than in a PPO. The POS is based on lower medical costs in exchange for more limited choice.
When you enroll in a POS plan, you are required to choose a primary care physician from within the network to become your "point of service. "The primary POS physician may make referrals outside of the network, but then you’ll only have partial coverage. For medical visits within the health care network, you are responsible to fill out the forms, send bills in for payment, and keep an accurate account of health care receipts.
Twelve-month Waiting Period:
If you are 19 or older, there is a 12-month waiting period from the effective date of coverage for any condition, including pregnancy. If you apply for coverage within 63 days of terminating your membership with another “creditable” health care plan, you can use your prior coverage for credit toward the 12-month waiting period. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of GA will credit the time you were enrolled on the previous plan.
