Health Insurance Product Reviews (BETA)
Major Carriers and High Deductible Health Plans

Vimo Editorial: Health Plan Profile

Blue Shield of California introduced five health plans with the name "Spectrum PPO Plan" targeting healthy, young customers who want insurance but don't anticipate being sick or injured anytime soon.

With more than 45,000 doctors and 350 hospitals, Blue Shield is one of the state's – and nation's – largest PPO provider networks, giving participants plenty of flexibility when they choose a physician. The Spectrum plans cost more than Blue Cross' similar Tonik health plans, but they offer a crucial benefit that makes Spectrum very attractive to women: maternity care coverage.

The five health plans are named after their deductibles. You have the option of the Blue Shield Spectrum PPO Plan 5000, 2000, 1500, 750 and 500. The prices of the 2000 plan are in the same ballpark as the Blue Cross Calculated Risk Taker plan (with a $2,000 deductible, instead of the $1,500 deductible for CRT, and $45 doctor visits compared with $40 for CRT), but the out-of-pocket maximum on this plan is notably higher: $5,000 for individuals, compared to $1,500 for the Blue Cross plan. Still, if you think there's even a chance of you requiring maternity coverage, this is definitely the one to select of the two.

Like the Tonik plans, Spectrum is not compatible with HSAs.

BEST FOR: The young and healthy.

PROS: The Blue Shield network. These plans offer much of what the competing Blue Cross "Tonic" plans offer, plus maternity coverage, making these a worthy alternative for women turned off by Tonic.

CONS: The high deductibles also apply to labs. The competing Blue Cross "Tonic" plans provide labs with a small copay.