We know any increase in costs these days is difficult to absorb.
At Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, we’re working to ensure rising costs don’t get in the way of better health and access to care.
Breaking Down What’s Driving Costs
Costs are increasing in all areas of our lives. We know the upward trend of health care costs is expected to continue, impacting organizations and individuals alike. Expensive prescription drugs, increases in outpatient procedures, and high-cost hospital care are challenging patients, doctors, businesses, health plans, and the entire health care system.
As a nonprofit health plan, nearly all the premium dollars we collect go directly to caring for our members. Increases in both the costs and demand for care, however, are causing higher premiums and higher out-of-pocket costs both locally and nationwide.
Tackling Rising Costs
We are actively working to address rising costs and have created a variety of innovative programs that focus on the care of our members, while managing affordability. Our teams are here to help. We have many options available to help improve health and manage rising costs. Here are a few examples:
- Getting the right prescription at the right time: Our pharmacy programs focus on prescription drug safety, including helping members take medications as prescribed, while also managing rising costs. Led by our expert pharmacists, these programs include Pharmacy Concierge, Specialty Drug Benefit Optimization and Site of Care. Our Customer Care team is also available to help you find cost-effective medications when possible.
- Stopping health problems before they start: Remember the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away?” Just like that saying, the best way to help members focus on their health and address affordability is to minimize the need for additional care.
Our covered preventive care programs include routine checkups, screenings, and immunizations. We offer resources such as our online Pharmacy Price Check and Find a Doctor tools, care management support, and free 24/7 nurse call line. Also, we have the Wellframe® app, which gives instant access to a dedicated care manager, dietitians, nurses, and other health care professionals.
- Helping those with chronic or complex conditions: Through a care management team, we ensure all members, but especially those with chronic or complex conditions, or those managing multiple health concerns at once, are supported through customized outreach, education, and assistance with interpreting their benefit package and claims history to identify potential solutions or ways to improve care while managing costs.
- The doctor is in (our team!): Our medical director team is made up of physicians who are board-certified in their respective fields. Each physician has many years of clinical experience in upstate New York and is proud to live and work in the community that they serve. We are committed to working in partnership with you and your providers to deliver high-quality, evidence-based, and cost-effective health care.
To learn more about these and the many other programs offered through Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, contact your account manager.
Thank you for trusting us with your groups health care coverage.
Download “The Rising Cost Of Care” Flyer (PDF)
