Knowing what your health care plan can do for you is one important part of maintaining your best health, and your Member ID Card is an excellent place to start. First, at the bottom of your card is the name of your plan. If you have the word “Tiered” in your plan, this means you are part of our tiered provider network option and could save money on provider visits.
Tiered provider networks give consumers a better way to consider the cost of care when choosing care options and therefore save money on healthcare costs. Our tiered network plans reduce cost-sharing for specific benefits and services received from a preferred network provider. Types of providers and services include hospital outpatient services, primary care, urgent care centers, imaging centers, and labs.
Preferred providers and facilities for these plans are noted with a preferred star icon in the Health Options Provider Directory at https://lookup.healthoptions.org/. Please note that some services may not be covered at the preferred service rate when administered in non-preferred settings. Therefore, it is important to visit the specific location listed in the search results to take advantage of the preferred rate.
Preferred locations for hospital outpatient services are limited to outpatient surgery and other outpatient procedures (such as catheterization, joint arthroscopy, or colonoscopy), including anesthesia.
It’s important to note: Even if you have a tiered network plan, you always have the option to visit our standard network providers with a standard co-pay. If you have questions about tiered network plans, contact our Member Services team at (855) 624-6463.
The bottom line is, with our robust NE Network and our new tiered network, you are very well covered!
Phoning it in
How telephone and video conferencing are revolutionizing healthcare
Last year was a tough one – for everyone. Between physical distancing restrictions, the increase in demand for behavioral health professionals, and decreasing staff sizes among providers – the healthcare industry was particularly hard hit. On the bright side, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted just how important telehealth is in bridging the gap between patients and providers, as well as expanding capacity and access to healthcare.
Good to Know
While telehealth became more prominent and important during the pandemic, it’s been around almost as long as the telephone. In fact, NASA has been using satellite connections for decades as a way to monitor astronauts’ health in space.
Other forms of telehealth are already making life easier for millions, whether through electronic diabetes monitoring or the text reminders we get when it’s time to renew a prescription. That’s called telepharmacology, if you want to be technical.
Need to Know
Telehealth (also called telemedicine) allows people to meet with healthcare providers by telephone or through a secure Internet connection using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. If it sounds simple, that’s because it is.
Pandemic or not, telehealth can save you time and sometimes even money, as well. As of July 1, our plans include quick, convenient access to telehealth urgent care with $0 cost to Members through 2021. Click here for more information. On those occasions when you’re sick or injured and don’t want to get in the car, you have a new option. You can also use the Health Options telehealth platform to find hard-to-book providers in our area, like mental and behavioral health specialists.
More to Know:
To learn more about our telehealth platform, log on to your Health Options Member portal; click on the Health & Wellness tab, and choose "Get Started" to access the sign-up page. Here, you can register for your personal account, and your information will be saved for future visits.
Once upon a time, country doctors made house calls to keep sick people from traveling and getting even sicker. Telehealth is essentially a modern-day house call. You get the care you need without leaving the comfort of home.
