WellStar Health System’s recent agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia to participate in a federal insurance exchange product will give patients more time to enroll.
All 11 WellStar hospitals and employed providers of WellStar Medical Group began participating in all Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia federal health insurance exchange products Jan. 1, including all Bronze, Silver and Gold “Pathways X” and “Multi-State Direct Access” products, a news release stated.
According to a traditional enrollment timeline, patients had only until Dec. 15, 2016, to enroll for coverage effective Jan. 1, 2017.
With this new option, they will be able to enroll through Jan. 31 for coverage effective after that date or to make changes to any prior federal health insurance exchange selection made through healthcare.gov previously.
Therefore, if patients have not chosen a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia plan for 2017, which includes WellStar Medical Group provider or WellStar hospital, they still have time to make a change.
“This news gives patients the ability to keep their WellStar physicians and providers,” said Barbara Corey, senior vice president of managed care for WellStar Health System. “As a not-for-profit, WellStar is focused on improving the health of our patients and community.”
Over the past year, numerous insurers have left the federal health insurance exchange, which has left many Georgia residents with few options for health insurance and made their preferred providers and hospitals out of network, the release stated.
Date: January 03, 2016