Selecting a Provider

Your choice of providers offers you the opportunity to save on care because doctors and hospitals in the Blue Options plans are grouped into three benefit levels—or tiers. The cost you pay for care out-of-pocket is based on the tier your provider is in.

Find a Doctor
PCPs, Specialists, and Physicians of Choice 		  Find a Hospital/Facility
Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgi-Centers, Diagnostic Imaging Centers, etc.

What providers do you use today?
If you're looking to save money on high-quality care, you'll want to choose Enhanced Benefits Tier providers and hospitals for yourself and your family. The good news is that the process is simple. In fact, many of your current providers and hospitals may already be in the Enhanced Benefits Tier. If you already have a doctor or hospital in mind, just select either Find a Doctor or Find a Hospital/Facility, above.

How to find the right provider
There are many things to consider when selecting a primary care provider (PCP), such as weekend hours and location. But with Blue Options plans there are two more: the tier of the provider and the hospitals he or she refers their patients to.

So when you are picking a new provider, you should not only look at the provider's tier, but also at the tiers of the hospitals he or she would refer you to for inpatient care and surgery. That's because the tier of the facility will determine your copayment when you get care at that facility, not the tier of the referring provider. You should also be aware that specialists are not tiered and carry a higher out-of-pocket cost similar to the Enhanced Benefits Tier.

We've created a number of resources to help you select a provider. To get started:

  • Search for a provider using the Find a Doctor and Find a Hospital/Facility tools above
  • Call the Physician Selection Service at 1-800-821-1388
  • Download a printable tool to help you assess your providers
  • Download our hospital tiering list

Please note: Once you've chosen and designated a provider, it's a good idea to call your new provider's office to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.