November 14, 2025 • 38 mins
Join me with my guest Misty Snodgrass as we explore why only one carrier services 103 Kansas counties and even goes below five lives in small group coverage. They are Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, and they are truly the hometown carrier. Misty is their Director of ACA & Medicaid and is my expert guest.
- At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, community involvement is a key component.
- Discuss how an EPO (Exclusive Provider Organization) may be a great option and we’ll contrast PPO Designs, etc.
- Other carriers pull out of the state when claims go up. Not Blue Cross of Kansas. They are here to stay and in all 103 counties. We’ve been here for 80 years and we aren’t going anywhere.
This is episode 2134 of America’s Healthcare Advocate. I’m Cary Hall.
Learn more about BCBSKS.com or call (866) 906-5253.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Let me tell you alittle bit about this upcoming show today.
You know, I'mgoing to define the difference
between the hometown carrier
and the national carriers that you hear meuse that phrase a lot.
We're main Street, not Wall Street.
Well, I'm going to tell you why.
I'm going to tell you why.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas isthe only carry that services 103 counties.
I'm going to tell you why.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
Kansas is the only carry that goes belowfive lives on small group.
(00:24):
I'm going to tell you that and a lot more.
And my guest is Misty Snodgrass,and she's going to explain it all.
And now America'sHealthcare Advocate, Cary Hall.
Hello, America.
Welcome to America's Healthcare Advocateshow broadcasting coast
to coast across the USA here on the HIARadio Network.
You can find out more about us
(00:45):
by going to the websiteAmericasHealthcareAdvocate.com.
AmericasHealthcareAdvocate.com.
You have a question or comment?Send me an email.
I'm happy to help you.
We had a young manthe other day who needed a wheelchair.
He couldn't get it.
We were able to step in and help themmake that happen.
With the good folksover at United Health Care.
So we're happy to help anytime we can.
(01:05):
Also, we are on 16 podcast platformsand our YouTube channel,
604,000 views.
Thanks to Mr.
David Thiessen, my producer that handlesall of our podcast, the YouTube channels
and also films
all of these shows and puts them up there
for all of youto see and watch and listen to.
We thank all of youand the listening audience
and our audience in general
(01:26):
for pushing those numbers up,because they are better than anything
we've ever seen.
So we're very happy with what's going on.
Once again, the websiteis AmericasHealthcareAdvocate.com.
If you have questions in studio with me,
Misty Snodgrass,she is the director of ACA Obamacare,
if you will, and Medicaidfor Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas.
Back for another show.
(01:46):
You like it so much the first timeyou came back to do another one, I.
I know it was a great show.Thank you so much for having me.
It was a great show and we got a lot.
We got a lot of response after that show.
Great,because I think we explained to people,
you know, informationthat they didn't know and didn't have.
And that's the whole idea behind this.
So today's show, you know, you hear meuse this phrase a lot, okay.
(02:07):
When it you know,I work with Blue Cross, the Kansas
City Blue Cross of Kansas,that blue cross of Nebraska.
So I work with three different Blue Crossplans on the radio and marketing, etc.
and I use that term hometown carrierwith all three of those plans.
And there's a reason for that.
You know, one of the things that I learnedin the last show I did with Misty
was this 103 counties in Kansas.
(02:28):
You know how many carriers are in all 103counties.
How many Misty? Just one.
That's right,and who would that be? That would be us.
That would be Blue Cross of Kansas.
So when I say hometown carrier, that'sbecause I'm talking about the carrier
that's going to service you
wherever you are, whether you're in Hays,whether you're in Scott City,
whether you’re in Emporia,it doesn't matter.
(02:49):
Blue Cross of Kansasis going to have a plan,
whether it's a individual planor small group plan.
Now we're going to talk a lotabout those today
or a group health insuranceplan of some kind.
They're going to have a plan in your areathat they can offer you.
Unlike a lot of the national carrierswho kind of pick and choose
where they want to be.
And then you have carriers
and pull out of the marketplacelike Aetna did this year.
(03:11):
1 million people on ACAlose their coverage as of December 31st.
So the hometown carrier meansthey live here.
They work here.
They're in our communityand they cover the entire state.
And that's, you know, yeah,I was going to show notes this morning.
I was looking at some of the thingsthat you wrote, and I'm like,
they're really dedicated to this.
This is a big deal to you guys.
(03:32):
It’s part of our mission
it’s to the core of who we are, we want toserve as many Kansans as we can.
That is our pure mission.
And so we are, you know, they we workhere, we play here, we spend our time.
We we grow our families here.
And we want to help support the employersand our communities that are,
you know, trying to make find their wayin this world right now.
And so and also any individual membersthat are trying to
(03:53):
find health care coverage.
It's confusing.
Oh, yes.
Yes. She says, oh yes.
And this year it's really confusing.
It is.
And so, you know,when when we tell you that
if you want to call and talk to somebodythat's not calling to get a sales pitch,
that's explained when they calland you have award winning customer
(04:16):
service and great people out therethat do a great job.
So talk a little bit about that,because if you just want to call up
and talk to somebody about,well, what should I do?
You know,
that to me is really important.
So talk a little bit about this. Yeah,absolutely.
I mean, this health insurance is complexfor even those of us that work in it.
You know, it's not even just peoplethat are trying to figure out in
(04:39):
they're open enrollment, period,
whether it be for individualor their small group plans.
And so it really is challenging.
What does co-insurance mean.What do all these terms mean?
How does it impact me?
That's the bottom line ishow does it impact me.
And so we have great teamsthroughout the entire state of Kansas
that are just focusedto answer those questions for you.
You're not going to get some, you know,you have to push one to talk
(05:01):
to two people, you know,all of those things or talk to a robot.
You actually talk to real lifepeople in Kansas that know
your health system at Hays Medical Center.
They know you know Wichita Via Christi.
They know, what those providersare in your communities
to make sure that they're covered
and they'll stay on the phone callas long as they can.
Their goal is not to get you offlike a lot of places is like, what can I
(05:23):
you know, answer right now and quicklyget you off and move on to my next call.
Their actual focusis first call resolution,
so they will stay on the call with you
as long as they need toto answer your questions.
And they're not
pitching you, any sort of productsthey're asking you.
You know, what is your concerns?
What are you concerned about out-of-pocketcosts?
Are you concerned about prescriptiondrug co-pays?
(05:44):
And so they're happy
to answer those questions and helpwalk through kind of the scenarios
to look and see if your medicationscovered on your formulary,
you know, is your doctor in network.
And it is a real person that answers.
And we love our customer service team.
They are award winningbecause they really are focused
on doing the good workand very passionate about it as well.
Yeah.
And so those are some thingsthat are really...
(06:05):
let’s,kind of dissect that a little bit. Right.
You see a lot of commercials on televisionthis time of year on the Medicare side.
And the rest of it, and most of those arefor call centers, national call centers.
And yeah, I used to make a joke.
In fact, I still do,
especially in Kansas City,that when you call one of those numbers,
you asked about the hospitalnorth of the river and they ask
(06:25):
you what river?
You know, you're not talking to somebodyin your own community.
Okay.
So you know, when you call and you ask,well, tell me about Via Christi.
They go, well, what is Via Christi?
You probably knowthey don't know the hospitals in Wichita
and Via Christi,being a large hospital system.
Wichita. Absolutely.That's the point. Okay.
When you're talking to people thereand the people that work for Blue
(06:46):
Cross of Kansas workall over the state of Kansas.
So when you're talking to peoplethat work at Blue Cross of Kansas,
they know every one of those communitiesand they know they know the providers.
They know what's availableand all the rest of it.
And you're talking to peoplethat live and work in your community.
And that's really the whole pointof this thing, isn't it? Absolutely.
Well,and I think it's just not only, is it
(07:07):
that we, you know, knowthose we live in those communities, right?
So we know where Hoxie, Kansas is.
And, you know,our kids are playing on the soccer fields
and they may get injured and need to goto the local health system there.
And so
we really are knowing our communitiesthat we are embedded in our communities
and we give back to our communities.
I think that's really important as we are.
You know,your tax dollars are staying here.
(07:29):
Your, premium dollars are staying here.
And so it's really importantbecause it helps to reinvest in Kansas.
It's just like every small business owner.
My dad's a small business owner,
and everybody wants to reinvestin their communities
because they knowit just helps everything.
And so it helps to uplift it.
So we're there. We're volunteering.
You should see how many volunteer hourswe do in our communities.
(07:50):
We're working at local zoos in Topeka.
We're putting backpacks togetherfor kids, for school
or helping at trunkor treats all around the state.
And so we really are wanting to give backevery single day to our communities
as well as serve them.
See, and, againwhen I talk about hometown carrier,
you hear me use the phrase a lot of timeswe’re Main Street, not Wall Street.
(08:11):
But that's because they're not for profit.
They're not looking at what the nextquarterly earnings report is going to say.
What they're doing
is they're talking to youabout what's going on in your community.
They are putting back in your community?
They're creating an opportunityto connect with the community
and support peoplethat live and work in Kansas.
They're the same people
you go to church with, the same peopleyou go to PTA meetings with.
(08:34):
I mean, they are the same folks.
They're there every dayto serve. And again,
they live and work in your community.
So that's the difference.
And so that was the first thingI wanted to talk about today was this.
What is this whole ideaof hometown carrier?
Why does it make a difference?
When I come back from the break,
I'm going to talkabout some of those charities
and the communities that they're involvedin and what they're doing here.
(08:56):
And let you hear what they're doing.
And then you might want to ask yourself,you know, are any of the national carriers
doing this? Good question.
We'll be right back after the break.
You're listening to America's HealthcareAdvocate Broadcasting here on the HIA
Radio Network.
Coast to coast across the USA.
If you're looking for informationand you want to talk to somebody
at Blue Cross and Blue Shield,you can call them at (866) 906 5253.
(09:21):
That's (866) 906-5253
or go up on the website bcbsks.com.
That's the website go up.
All these plans are up there.You can explore these.
And then if you want to pick up the phoneand call,
they'll be happy to chat with you, walkyou through it. So you know what?
Maybethis one's a better fit than this one is.
Or let's look at your formularyfor your prescription drugs.
(09:41):
They'll do all that for you.When we come back from the break.
We're going to continue the showwith Misty.
I want to talk about what they'reactually doing in some of the communities.
Where they actually involved
and what's happening in the communitiesthat Blue Cross and Blue
Shield of Kansas is supportingright here in the state of Kansas.
We'll be right back after the break.
You're listening to America'sHealthcare Advocate
broadcasting coastto coast across the USA.
(10:04):
Stay right there.
Welcome back.
You're listening to America's HealthcareAdvocate show broadcasting coast
to coast across USA here on the HIARadio Network.
Shout out to our affiliate up in Salina,Kansas KSAL
(10:27):
NewsRadio 1150a happy to have us as part of the family.
They're broadcasting to all the folks inand around Salina, Kansas.
In studio with me today, Misty Snodgrassfrom Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas.
We're talking aboutthe theme of Hometown Carrier.
What does it meanto be that hometown carrier?
Why is that differentthan the national carriers?
We're talking about what they do.
We're also going to talk about the plansthat they offer, where they service them.
(10:52):
You know, this is the only carrier
that services is all 103 countiesin the state of Kansas.
It's a big dealif you're out in Hays or Scott City.
Emporia, you know where maybethe national carriers don't participate.
So we're exploring all of that.
If you want informationon any of their plans,
bcbsks.com is the website.
(11:12):
Or you can call their customerservice folks.
They're happy to talk with you.
Just explore optionsabout what you've got or what
maybe you think you might want to changeto once again, (866) 906-5253.
A lot of turmoil in the ACAObamacare market, right now.
Open enrollment is here on November 1st.
Obviously, now's the time to calland do a consultation.
(11:34):
This is not a hard saleor anything like that.
You heard Misty describe it.
They're there to help you.
(866) 906 5253.
All right.
So let's talk a little bitabout community involvement because
this is something you do thatnational carriers just don't do, okay.
They're not equipped to handle itfrankly across the country.
(11:55):
So you know to the you folksthat's important.
So talk a little bit about some of that
what you doand how does all that work in the state.
Yeah I think it's really, really importantbecause like I said,
we're not only investing in
and health care, but we're also
investing in other initiativesthat are important in our community.
So one great example.
We actually have a Blue HealthInitiatives team that's dedicated to this.
(12:18):
We have an entire team of folksthat are dedicated to working in
community, helping support communitybased organizations, local nonprofits,
Where can we plug in and not,you know, take over,
but be a supplementto be able to assist them.
Sometimes it's financially,sometimes it's just time and energy,
sometimes is volunteer work.
And so that work is really important to usas the core
(12:39):
of who we areis fundamentally important to our board.
They actually report all the informationactivity to our board of directors.
That's how importantthis is a strategic initiative
for our company.
And it's a high priority.
And so some of the things that we're doingin community is we're building
local fitness courts in areas wherethere may not be a local gym or a YMCA.
(13:00):
They're able to, you know, go to a park.
It's an outdoor facility,and they're able to go lift weights.
They're able to play on tennis courts.
It's just to help encourage fitness andcommunity and also to create community.
And in some of these communities,they don't have
a gym in a rural community.
They've got a community park.
If they can go in there and add to thatand make that, you know,
workout stations or walking stations,what ever it is.
(13:21):
But it doesn't sound like itbut you know what?
It's really importantto people who live in that community.
Absolutely. And it's focused on wellness.
Overall physical wellness.
You know,
we know physical health and mentalwellness are a key and and tied together.
And some of the other things
that we're doing is like I mentioned,
we do some backpackevents around back to school.
We’restuffing backpacks with school supplies.
(13:43):
We're doing trunk or treats with,you know, candy and so forth.
And we're really focusedon being in community.
We support other initiatives.
One great example in Wichitais called Baby Talk, and it's to help
pregnant moms that need resources
while they're pregnant,they may not have information.
(14:03):
I've been a pregnant mom beforeand it's really nerve racking.
And so we support thatinitiative in Wichita to help
moms throughout the state.
So it's virtuallyand in person in Wichita.
It also provides that people gothrough the classes and kind of learn
some tricks of the trade.
You also get a gift card for childcareor your car seat carrier.
(14:25):
Or you could get a crib,you know, it's a it's a gift card
that can go towardsthose kind of purchases.
And so it's really important
that we invest in various initiativesthat we're doing in local communities.
And I could go on and on.
I could spend days because I'mso proud of the work that our Blue Health
Initiatives team isand how intentional they are.
You know, they're very, very focused.
One other thing we're working on ishow can we make our language access better
(14:48):
so individuals that may not have Englishas their first language Speaking Spanish.
Yes, absolutely. Absolutely.
And so we're working to make surethat with our materials
that they know the rights.
Because whenever you go into a health careprovider,
you have rights to have accessto language access.
So we're working on that right nowto improve language access.
And we know that that's important becauseif it's not your your first language.
(15:11):
I mean,we think health insurance is confusing.
Well, you know I'll tell you a story.
I was in Scott City, Kansas doing radioprobably ten years ago.
And I'm like,
what are all these feedlots out here?
Well,the biggest slaughterhouses in Kansas, JPL
and the rest of them are just outsideof there over toward Dodge.
Yeah.
I heard there were moreMexican restaurants in that town,
(15:32):
and I love to eat mexican, and I was like,this is like amazing.
And I'm like, well,why are there so many Mexican restaurants?
Because our entire populationhere, working population is 80% Hispanic.
So absolutely.
You think in Kansas, you know, Dorothy'sgoing to click her heels and she and Toto
ride off?
It's not quite like that. Yeah.
We have we have a large communityof people here that are
(15:54):
non-English speaking community primarily,and that's a big difference.
So you guys are moving to helpthose folks do what they do?
Absolutely.And we're partnering with organizations.
And also,one of the things that we are hoping to do
next year is go into those communitiesand help explain what their benefits are,
because we know if people don't know whattheir benefits are, they don't use them.
And so we want to make surethat they're aware that we have telehealth
(16:16):
available in Spanish, that we do haveresources available in Spanish.
And what does health insurancereally mean?
What does a coinsurance mean.
That doesn't always translate very well,
which is very complex forif it or isn't our first language?
And so we want to be really intentionaland thoughtful
to serve all Kansansregardless of what language they choose.
(16:36):
And when we go to break,I have to ask you on the baby talk
plan that you've got those classes.
You do not have to be a Blue Crossand Blue Shield policy holder?
I want to make that point because
BlueKC offers something similarto that on the behavioral side.
So those classes are availablefor anybody in the state of Kansas.
Any mom that wants to do those classes,where do they go?
(16:58):
Do they go on your website for this?
We're going to have it on our website.We don't.
But I will get you the websiteand you can put it up and share that out
with your listeners,
because it is a really important programto help educate on prenatal.
It's really important to make sureyou're getting going to your doctor's
visits, make sure you know kick counts,all of those important things.
And when it comes to prenataland pregnancy.
(17:20):
I've got six grandchildren.
Trust me,I know what my daughters went through.
So I can assure you this is awelcome thing to have in the community.
There are a lot of women out therethat will be able to participate in this.
So as soon as we get this information,we'll put it in the broadcast,
we'll put it up on the podcastand on the YouTube so you all can see it.
Anywhere in the state of Kansas enrolled.
They don't cost anything.
It's what they're doing to helpfolks in Kansas do what they need to do.
(17:43):
If you want help, if you want to,if you want the policy explained,
if you want to understandwhat your benefits are,
if you're looking for a policy
and you don't know what to do, especiallyduring this turmoil with the ACA.
(866) 906-5253.
(866) 906-5253
or BCBSKS.com, bcbsks.com.
(18:07):
If you want to just go up and explorebut are open and then call them, do
that, they'll be happy to chat with youand make it work for you.
We'll be right back after a break.Welcome back to the break.
I'm going to get into some plans now.
I'm going to start talking about whatare they offering on the small group side.
You know it's interesting.
And we'll get into this in a minute.
How many carriers offer plansto small group below five?
(18:28):
That's the question we're going to answerwhen we come back from the break.
Stay tuned. I'll be right backafter the break.
You're listening to America'sHealthcare Advocate broadcasting.
Coast to coast across the USAhere on the HIA radio network.
So the website for
Baby talk is babytalkict.com.
That's babytalkict.com.
(18:58):
Welcome back.
You're listening to America's
Healthcare Advocates Show broadcastingcoast to coast across the USA.
My producers day MisterDave Thiessen behind the cameras posting
all these shows up on our podcastYouTube platform 604,000 views.
Thanks to all of you.
It's kind of amazing and Garner Cowdrey,he's on the board here working.
All the audio here at Cumulusat our hometown flagship station
(19:21):
here in Overland Park,Kansas, in studio with me, Misty Snodgrass
once again here to talk about BlueCross and Blue Shield of Kansas.
We're talking about
how unique they are to this stateand what they do in the state
that's very differentthan the national carriers.
If you want help, call them.
Just have a discussion.
You know, ACA is upon us open enrollment.
There are a lot of premium increases.
(19:43):
People pulling out of the market likeAetna did, you know that kind of thing.
(866) 906-5253.
(866)906-5253 no, high pressure sales tactics.
This isn't some number on televisionthat you're going to call
some national call center. Okay.
That's not how this works.
These are folks right herein our community that live and work
(20:05):
in Kansas.
The website BCBSKS.com, BCBSKS.com.
So what I'm going to the show notesthis morning.
I see this
down to one life.
And I remember when I was a broker,the major carriers,
the national carriers would not go belowfive lives.
So you there are more small businesses out
(20:27):
there are one, two, three, fourand five employees
than you can shake a stick at it andthey won't even offer them coverage No.
Well, so why is that first of all?
Well,I think is it's a lot of work, right.
You know, it is a lot of work.
It's as much work to enrollfive as it is 50.
100%.
And so I think that you know,we're not focused on margins.
(20:48):
So that's the difference.
And we are focused on really helpingall Kansans be covered.
And so we believe small businesses,regardless of size,
are the backbone of our economyand the backbone of Kansas.
And so whether you're a small employer,a family owned business,
or a company with 50 employees,we have plans that are designed for you.
(21:09):
And, you know, it'swe believe every job matters.
And we believe if you have one employee,two employees
to 500, you're just as importantand we'll treat you.
And we have a teamdedicated for those size.
So it's not just like you're going to
you know, we're going to give youpreference to the ones that are 500 and.
You’ve got a whole segmentof your customer service people
and your sales reps.
(21:29):
They represent just ten and below.
That's it.
So they understand that space intimately.
They do.
They do. And the complex needs around it.
Right. Like it's
whenever your employer is deciding what
health coverage to select,it'sa really nerve-Racking thing.
They're wanting to keep their employeesfor retention.
They know how important it is.
And every time every employer,including us, you know,
(21:52):
we went through our open enrollment,there's questions are related to it.
What does this mean for me?What does this out-of-pocket cost me?
And for me.
And it's uniquebased upon the needs of every employer.
And so it's a lot of worktrying to figure out,
you know,do you have individuals in your plan
that are going to be high utilizers folksthat are going to have complex
chronic conditions?And so we work through that.
We listen and then we try to reflect backand find the plan
(22:14):
that actually works for them.
So it's it's customizedbased upon and tailored, our suggestions
and recommendations based uponthe needs of you as an employer versus
you call on a call centerand they say, and here's our plans,
here's what we have to offer here.
And we actually will go outand meet with you.
We'll go into your offices.
Five lives and they’ll go out to meet withyou less than that. Yeah, absolutely.
And that is, you know, we love whatwe call them, our micro groups.
(22:37):
We love our micro groups.
There are the heart of Blue Cross,Blue Shield of Kansas because we also know
those micro groups.
Sometimes they grow to be 100 employees,
and we were there for themwhen no one else was.
And also sometimes they just want to beat five employees and four employees.
And we are okay with that.
We want them to grow and thrive in the waythat's best for them and support them
for their health care needs.
(22:57):
So when I'm going to show notes
this morning and I see down to one lifeand it triggers in my mind,
a question I used to see, butwhy would they offer a plan to one life?
Well, the answer isyou got a mom and pop shop, okay?
And one of them is going to retirebecause they're turning 65.
What happens to the other person?
Well, they lose her coverage, right?
(23:19):
No, they don't explain that. Yeah.
So they're they're able to stay onas a group.
There are certain qualifying criteria,but they're able to stay on
as part of our groups.
And you know they're not going
to go get priced astronomicallybecause they're in the metallic plans.
And so they're able to goget that coverage for them
if they want to be a part of a group,because sometimes it's more affordable
(23:40):
than for thembeing in the individual market,
or the plansmay be more advantageous to them.
And so we look at itis we want to cover every
Kansan and every small employer mattersregardless of size.
So let's talka little bit about EPO and PPO.
So this is how we kind of get in the weedsa little bit here.
So these are two separate group plans.
(24:01):
I think most people out thereknow what a PPO is.
That's the network the largest network.
But let's talk about differencebetween that and EPO.
And there is a difference.
And there's a cost saving.
Absolutely.And I think it's really important.
And I know when I first started learningabout EPO because they came on kind of
out of right after the ACA passed,
(24:21):
it was kind of wherethey started to rise to prominence.
And an EPO is called an Exclusive ProviderOrganization,
you know,and it's typically a lower premium.
And it's a real simple network design.
And so it's perfect for businessesthat are centered primarily in Kansas,
that they're not going to have
a lot of people traveling or employeesoutside of the region.
So in other states,
(24:42):
because it is more affordableto not have a national wide network.
Now, that doesn't mean if you're travelingand you have an emergency,
that you’re not going to be In-Network,you're not going to get
some out of network costs.
It's a lot of confusion around that.
They think, oh, I can't leave the state.
Oh my gosh, I'm in Oklahoma.
I got to go drive back to Kansasand I have a medical emergency.
No, we want you to go to the hospital.
(25:03):
It’s Covered just like anything is.
It is.
We have that focus.
And so it's really advantageousfor kind of your local regional employers
that are in the state.
We also have a PPO design.
And you know, as a remote work kindof blew up during Covid in the pandemic.
We have employeesthat are in multiple states, right.
(25:23):
There's employers that have people
that are close to the Kansas borderthat are actually living in Missouri.
We have people that areon the southern border of our state
that live in Oklahoma,but they work in Kansas.
And so and vice versaaround all of our surrounding states.
And so we have what's called a PPOso that they're able to leverage
(25:43):
what's called our blue card network.
So you basically area host member on a different,
so you'd be on,
you know, BlueCross Blue shield in Nebraska's network
when you're still a Blue Cross BlueShield of Kansas member.
And so it gets a little bit complicated,
but you're able to accessall the local providers in your community.
And so you're able to leveragethat nationwide network
(26:04):
as part of your In-Network.
So I want to go back to the EPO thingfor you
and just kind of drill homesomething here.
So let's say you're in Wichitaand you're listening to this.
You know what?
I need to find out about that EPO,I'll bet you that 90% of your care
would be at ViaChristi hospital or Via Christi providers.
Because that’s Wichita.
I used to do a lot of work in Wichita.
(26:25):
We’re on the radio down there on KNSS.
I know it very, very well.
Well, then, how much of a need are yougoing to have to go outside of network?
Well, if you're going to go to KUfor cancer treatment or heart or whatever
it is.
That's in-network, if you're going to goto Via Christie, that's in-network.I mean,
what was the name of the hospital? Hayes,you mentioned.
HayesMedical Center. Hayes Medical Center.
(26:45):
They’re in-network.
So when I'mwhen I ask you to look at this EPO thing,
and if you look at the valuethat's being offered
and the value is it,you're in the whole Blue Cross of Kansas
network in all 103 countiesand you can save money.
It would make a lot of senseto take a look at that
(27:06):
and go to your employees and say, here'swhat we're going to do.
We're going to cut costs by X
because we're going to go on this new planwith this EPO.
You've got all the hospitals in Kansas,but you're not going to go to MD Anderson.
Okay? I mean, there you go. Okay.
You know, you're going to go to KU.
Well, interestingly enough,KU has a partnership with MD Anderson.
So you can get a lot of those treatmentsat KU that you can get it M.D.
(27:28):
Anderson, because they're already there.
My point in telling youthat is it's worth exploring.
That's okay.
So that's why when she talks about thatdedicated team of ten and below,
give them a call.
Now we have 90 over90% of the providers in Kansas in-network.
So it's a broad network even for an EPO.
(27:48):
So it's fantastic coverage.
So if you're even traveling the stateyou're able to access
that which is not like other EPO’s outthere. It's not.
And it's very, very differentbecause they're offering coverage
across the state near where we go.
This is what I'm talking about when I say,
you know, pick up the phoneand call one of their folks at that team.
It's dedicated.
All they do is ten and below.
They know what it means to have a threelife.
(28:09):
Four life, six life case. All right.
And they're happy to talk with you andshow you this is what the plan looks like.
Here's what we can do.
And, oh yeah, all you people have access.
All hospitals and doctorsthroughout the state.
They're inside that network.
So do it.
(866) 906-5253.
(866) 906-5253 their website.
(28:30):
You can golook at the plans on the website.
bcbsks.com.
bcbsks.com.
When come back from the break.
We're going to talk about what's goingto happen in the marketplace this year.
How many national carriers arecoming in here with aggressive new plans?
How does that compare with what BlueCross and Blue Shield of Kansas is doing,
and how does that comparefor what you're looking for?
(28:53):
What's the stability of that?
We'll talk about all thatwhen I come back from the break.
You're listening to America'sHealthcare Advocate broadcasting
here on the HIARadio Network coast to coast across USA.
We've got more. Don't go anywhere.
Welcome back.
You're listening to America'sHealthcare Advocate
(29:14):
broadcasting here on the HIARadio Network.
Coast to coast across the USA.
The show
today is focused on Blue Cross and BlueShield of Kansas, the hometown carrier.
And you know, I did that on purpose
because I really wanted to get youto understand the difference
between what they do in this state,where I live, where you all live.
Okay.
And what how that contrastswith the national carriers do.
(29:36):
We're going to divea little more into that.
But once againwe talked about that EPO, PPO.
There are a lot of different plandesigns out there
they can help you with,if you want information.
(866) 906-5253.
You're not going to get highpressure sales tactics.
You're going to get somebody who wantsto talk to you, explain their options.
They've got a whole team of peopleon ten and below.
(29:56):
So employers with ten or fewer lives,national carriers
don't even go below five lives. They do.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansasgoes down to one life.
Okay.
Also, the website BCBSKS.com, bcbsks.com.
All right.
So let's talk about thisbecause this kind of this is
what actually triggered me doing this showtoday was you and I were having
(30:18):
a conversation after the last show,and I knew this was coming.
I didn't know was already herethat a certain national carriers
are coming in here this year,and they do this from time to time.
They'll come in with very aggressivepricing in the marketplace.
And then two years later,when the claims numbers start going up
and they're catching upwith where they are, they pull out.
(30:40):
Now as an example ofthat was what happened with Aetna.
They lost $2 billion on ACA.
And they finally said we've had enough.
And they pulled, not,they didn’t just pull out of Kansas.
They pulled out of every statethat they were in okay.
So it does happen.
So the point there isyou guys are always here.
Yeah.
It's steady okay. Let's talk about. That.
(31:03):
Yeah I think it's a great comment.
And you know
and Cary if you remember this a few yearsback, this happened again right?
When things didn't get as profitable,when there was kind of the, the you know
claims got a little bit tumultuous.
Other carriers pulled out of the marketand it just kind of happens
over and over again.
If they're not hitting their margins,they have shareholders.
We don't. And we have
(31:24):
our members that we're focused on.
And so I think that we're always here,we want to serve this market forever.
It is a passion of ours, is our CEO.
It's probably one of his favorite markets,actually.
If he said he had a favorite child, he’dprobably say It was.
I don't knowthat, you know, I'm just kidding.
But he he really is passionateabout serving small employers.
(31:44):
And individuals as welland making sure they have access to care,
because a lot of folkswill go after the big,
the national careerswill go after the big employers,
but a lot of them won't stick aroundfor the smaller
or the individualsand So they won't even offer coverage.
Absolutely, absolutely.
And so wewe want to be the stable carrier.
We have been the stable carrier.We've never left.
We've been around for 80 years.
(32:05):
We've been here since the ACA began.
We have no intention of leaving.
We're actually a part of my role is whatcan we do to even enhance our ACA market?
What can we do to actually serve ourmembers and our employers more and better
and provide,
you know, help improve the total cost ofcare, and our affordability, but also help
what other tools can we bringthat are innovative to help,
you know, both impact the individualfrom a quality of life perspective.
(32:28):
So we're having conversationsabout mindfulness tools
for employers because we knowbehavioral health is a major concern.
And so what can we do to help improveand reduce.
Employee productivity help improve that.
Missed days because of whether it bephysical or mental illness.
And so it is a high priority.We're here to stay.
And we're very passionate about the workand serving all 103 counties
(32:50):
that we're in.
Yeah. It's not a come and go situation.
We're here this year and two years to now.
And it's believe me, we've got multipleexamples of this that happens okay.
You know these folks at Blue Crossand Blue Shield of Kansas,
there's no quarterly earnings report. No.
It's all a little different.
You know when I say main street,not Wall Street.
That's what I'm talking about okay.
(33:12):
And that's what's important.
And when you talk about your CEO
actually focusing and acknowledging that,that's pretty significant.
Absolutely.
That means he understands as you said,
how many small businesses out there
have five employees or ten employees.
It's the cornerstone of our economyand our communities.
(33:33):
Small businesses are donatingto the local high school football teams
and it just trickles down.
And so we understand how important.
And it's a cornerstoneand we're here to stay.
So talk a little bitabout some of the product lines
that are going to be offered this year
on the group side both small groupand the larger group side.
Yeah absolutely.
So we have small group.
We have EPOs and PPOs available.
(33:57):
We have various metal tiers.
So I think I talked about thatin our last program.
We have in small groupa platinum, gold, silver and bronze.
And we're the only one in marketwith a bronze plan.
And I think there is going to bea new entrant on the platinum plan.
But we have most of our smallgroups are in gold
because they want to havea richer benefit, lower predictable
(34:18):
out-of-pocket costs from deductiblesand maximum out-of-pocket.
And we also offer a predictable co-pays.
A lot of carriers will have co-insurance,and that's
when it gets really messy, right?
Like people are like,what is this going to cost me
when I go to the pharmacy counteron this particular drug I'm on?
And so co-insurance is,I always say it's kind of fuzzy math.
(34:39):
It's very it's very hard to predict.
We have a predictable copay.
You know, if this is your medication,you're going to go pay this amount.
Tier 1, tier2, tier 3 or whatever it is, that’s it.
So here's what she’s saying, it'snot that plus 20%.
Well,you take Jardiance, and my wife takes it.
I've actually paid for it.
It's $700.
Okay. Now you got your copay.
(35:01):
Let's say your co-pay is tier threeor tier four, it’s $75 or a 100 bucks.
Oh, and you owe20% of the total cost of that med.
That's a little different deal. Yes.
And we do have caps on our high costsspecialty drugs as well because
on what you have to pay out of pocketso that you'll know what you're paying.
Because we do want peopleto take their medications.
We know when peopleare on their medications...
It kinda helps, doesn’t it?
They’restaying out of the hospital. Right.
(35:21):
And in the emergency rooms, which arehigher cost of care alternatives.
And so we do have a priorityon prescription drugs predictability,
your co-pays for your doctor, we actuallyincentivize you to go to the doctor.
So we have your first five visits are likebasically in some of our plans free.
Or they may be a $35 copay,depending on what metal tier you're on.
(35:43):
And so we want folks to go to the doctor.
We're not wanting you not to get care
because we know you're goingto stay with us for a while.
Usually, most of our employershave stayed with us for 40 plus years.
And so we want to make surewe're taking care of folks,
because those that national carrierswill come in and have aggressive pricing
and then two years,they'll they'll increase it.
And then all of a sudden they're gone.
(36:03):
They're gone. And you're no longer in it.
And you come back to us usually.
And then you know that we want to focus onmaking sure you're well both physically
and mentally.
We got about 45 seconds
left talking very quickly about virtualbecause all the rural counties.
Yeah. The big deal. Absolutely.
And we think that's a big deal.
So we have telehealth for physicaland mental health.
So instead of going to,you have an ear infection.
(36:25):
You know it's an ear infection, right?
You don't want to gosit in a waiting room at
or I don't for surean emergency department.
You don't want to go pay for that copay.
We provide.
Typically some of our plans
there is some variabilitybut usually free telehealth services.
And so you're able to go in and access
it's Amwell is our current vendorthat we use.
And you're able to go access that 24/7.
(36:46):
Be able to go get that,get your prescription.
You don't have to gosit in a waiting room.
And so you're able to have that.
And so that helps especially in areaswhen there aren't providers.
Or you're in a rural community,you have to drive 45 minutes
to get to an urgent care center orsomething.
This is great.
It's the online.
You go on, you're on the screen, you'retalking to the doctor, nurse practitioner.
You get what you needis one of the many things that they do.
(37:06):
Thank you.
This is a wealth of information.
It's like drinking from a firehose.
But I'm telling you,I think a lot of you learned a lot today
about whatBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas does.
Now, you know whyI say the hometown carrier?
Because that's really what they are.
And now I leave you with this thoughtfrom Doctor Martin Luther King.
Americans must learn to live togetheror they are surely going
(37:28):
to perish together as fools.
I don't think truer wordswere ever spoken.
Thank you for listening to America'sHealthcare Advocate show,
broadcasting coast to coast across the USAhere on the HIA Radio Network.
Goodbye America.
Let me tell you alittle bit about this upcoming show today.
You know, I'mgoing to define the difference
between the hometown carrier
and the national carriers that you hear meuse that phrase a lot.
We're main Street, not Wall Street.
Well, I'm going to tell you why.
I'm going to tell you why.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas isthe only carry that services 103 counties.
I'm going to tell you why.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
Kansas is the only carry that goes belowfive lives on small group.
(00:24):
I'm going to tell you that and a lot more.
And my guest is Misty Snodgrass,and she's going to explain it all.
And now America'sHealthcare Advocate, Cary Hall.
Hello, America.
Welcome to America's Healthcare Advocateshow broadcasting coast
to coast across the USA here on the HIARadio Network.
You can find out more about us
(00:45):
by going to the websiteAmericasHealthcareAdvocate.com.
AmericasHealthcareAdvocate.com.
You have a question or comment?Send me an email.
I'm happy to help you.
We had a young manthe other day who needed a wheelchair.
He couldn't get it.
We were able to step in and help themmake that happen.
With the good folksover at United Health Care.
So we're happy to help anytime we can.
(01:05):
Also, we are on 16 podcast platformsand our YouTube channel,
604,000 views.
Thanks to Mr.
David Thiessen, my producer that handlesall of our podcast, the YouTube channels
and also films
all of these shows and puts them up there
for all of youto see and watch and listen to.
We thank all of youand the listening audience
and our audience in general
(01:26):
for pushing those numbers up,because they are better than anything
we've ever seen.
So we're very happy with what's going on.
Once again, the websiteis AmericasHealthcareAdvocate.com.
If you have questions in studio with me,
Misty Snodgrass,she is the director of ACA Obamacare,
if you will, and Medicaidfor Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas.
Back for another show.
(01:46):
You like it so much the first timeyou came back to do another one, I.
I know it was a great show.Thank you so much for having me.
It was a great show and we got a lot.
We got a lot of response after that show.
Great,because I think we explained to people,
you know, informationthat they didn't know and didn't have.
And that's the whole idea behind this.
So today's show, you know, you hear meuse this phrase a lot, okay.
(02:07):
When it you know,I work with Blue Cross, the Kansas
City Blue Cross of Kansas,that blue cross of Nebraska.
So I work with three different Blue Crossplans on the radio and marketing, etc.
and I use that term hometown carrierwith all three of those plans.
And there's a reason for that.
You know, one of the things that I learnedin the last show I did with Misty
was this 103 counties in Kansas.
(02:28):
You know how many carriers are in all 103counties.
How many Misty? Just one.
That's right,and who would that be? That would be us.
That would be Blue Cross of Kansas.
So when I say hometown carrier, that'sbecause I'm talking about the carrier
that's going to service you
wherever you are, whether you're in Hays,whether you're in Scott City,
whether you’re in Emporia,it doesn't matter.
(02:49):
Blue Cross of Kansasis going to have a plan,
whether it's a individual planor small group plan.
Now we're going to talk a lotabout those today
or a group health insuranceplan of some kind.
They're going to have a plan in your areathat they can offer you.
Unlike a lot of the national carrierswho kind of pick and choose
where they want to be.
And then you have carriers
and pull out of the marketplacelike Aetna did this year.
(03:11):
1 million people on ACAlose their coverage as of December 31st.
So the hometown carrier meansthey live here.
They work here.
They're in our communityand they cover the entire state.
And that's, you know, yeah,I was going to show notes this morning.
I was looking at some of the thingsthat you wrote, and I'm like,
they're really dedicated to this.
This is a big deal to you guys.
(03:32):
It’s part of our mission
it’s to the core of who we are, we want toserve as many Kansans as we can.
That is our pure mission.
And so we are, you know, they we workhere, we play here, we spend our time.
We we grow our families here.
And we want to help support the employersand our communities that are,
you know, trying to make find their wayin this world right now.
And so and also any individual membersthat are trying to
(03:53):
find health care coverage.
It's confusing.
Oh, yes.
Yes. She says, oh yes.
And this year it's really confusing.
It is.
And so, you know,when when we tell you that
if you want to call and talk to somebodythat's not calling to get a sales pitch,
that's explained when they calland you have award winning customer
(04:16):
service and great people out therethat do a great job.
So talk a little bit about that,because if you just want to call up
and talk to somebody about,well, what should I do?
You know,
that to me is really important.
So talk a little bit about this. Yeah,absolutely.
I mean, this health insurance is complexfor even those of us that work in it.
You know, it's not even just peoplethat are trying to figure out in
(04:39):
they're open enrollment, period,
whether it be for individualor their small group plans.
And so it really is challenging.
What does co-insurance mean.What do all these terms mean?
How does it impact me?
That's the bottom line ishow does it impact me.
And so we have great teamsthroughout the entire state of Kansas
that are just focusedto answer those questions for you.
You're not going to get some, you know,you have to push one to talk
(05:01):
to two people, you know,all of those things or talk to a robot.
You actually talk to real lifepeople in Kansas that know
your health system at Hays Medical Center.
They know you know Wichita Via Christi.
They know, what those providersare in your communities
to make sure that they're covered
and they'll stay on the phone callas long as they can.
Their goal is not to get you offlike a lot of places is like, what can I
(05:23):
you know, answer right now and quicklyget you off and move on to my next call.
Their actual focusis first call resolution,
so they will stay on the call with you
as long as they need toto answer your questions.
And they're not
pitching you, any sort of productsthey're asking you.
You know, what is your concerns?
What are you concerned about out-of-pocketcosts?
Are you concerned about prescriptiondrug co-pays?
(05:44):
And so they're happy
to answer those questions and helpwalk through kind of the scenarios
to look and see if your medicationscovered on your formulary,
you know, is your doctor in network.
And it is a real person that answers.
And we love our customer service team.
They are award winningbecause they really are focused
on doing the good workand very passionate about it as well.
Yeah.
And so those are some thingsthat are really...
(06:05):
let’s,kind of dissect that a little bit. Right.
You see a lot of commercials on televisionthis time of year on the Medicare side.
And the rest of it, and most of those arefor call centers, national call centers.
And yeah, I used to make a joke.
In fact, I still do,
especially in Kansas City,that when you call one of those numbers,
you asked about the hospitalnorth of the river and they ask
(06:25):
you what river?
You know, you're not talking to somebodyin your own community.
Okay.
So you know, when you call and you ask,well, tell me about Via Christi.
They go, well, what is Via Christi?
You probably knowthey don't know the hospitals in Wichita
and Via Christi,being a large hospital system.
Wichita. Absolutely.That's the point. Okay.
When you're talking to people thereand the people that work for Blue
(06:46):
Cross of Kansas workall over the state of Kansas.
So when you're talking to peoplethat work at Blue Cross of Kansas,
they know every one of those communitiesand they know they know the providers.
They know what's availableand all the rest of it.
And you're talking to peoplethat live and work in your community.
And that's really the whole pointof this thing, isn't it? Absolutely.
Well,and I think it's just not only, is it
(07:07):
that we, you know, knowthose we live in those communities, right?
So we know where Hoxie, Kansas is.
And, you know,our kids are playing on the soccer fields
and they may get injured and need to goto the local health system there.
And so
we really are knowing our communitiesthat we are embedded in our communities
and we give back to our communities.
I think that's really important as we are.
You know,your tax dollars are staying here.
(07:29):
Your, premium dollars are staying here.
And so it's really importantbecause it helps to reinvest in Kansas.
It's just like every small business owner.
My dad's a small business owner,
and everybody wants to reinvestin their communities
because they knowit just helps everything.
And so it helps to uplift it.
So we're there. We're volunteering.
You should see how many volunteer hourswe do in our communities.
(07:50):
We're working at local zoos in Topeka.
We're putting backpacks togetherfor kids, for school
or helping at trunkor treats all around the state.
And so we really are wanting to give backevery single day to our communities
as well as serve them.
See, and, againwhen I talk about hometown carrier,
you hear me use the phrase a lot of timeswe’re Main Street, not Wall Street.
(08:11):
But that's because they're not for profit.
They're not looking at what the nextquarterly earnings report is going to say.
What they're doing
is they're talking to youabout what's going on in your community.
They are putting back in your community?
They're creating an opportunityto connect with the community
and support peoplethat live and work in Kansas.
They're the same people
you go to church with, the same peopleyou go to PTA meetings with.
(08:34):
I mean, they are the same folks.
They're there every dayto serve. And again,
they live and work in your community.
So that's the difference.
And so that was the first thingI wanted to talk about today was this.
What is this whole ideaof hometown carrier?
Why does it make a difference?
When I come back from the break,
I'm going to talkabout some of those charities
and the communities that they're involvedin and what they're doing here.
(08:56):
And let you hear what they're doing.
And then you might want to ask yourself,you know, are any of the national carriers
doing this? Good question.
We'll be right back after the break.
You're listening to America's HealthcareAdvocate Broadcasting here on the HIA
Radio Network.
Coast to coast across the USA.
If you're looking for informationand you want to talk to somebody
at Blue Cross and Blue Shield,you can call them at (866) 906 5253.
(09:21):
That's (866) 906-5253
or go up on the website bcbsks.com.
That's the website go up.
All these plans are up there.You can explore these.
And then if you want to pick up the phoneand call,
they'll be happy to chat with you, walkyou through it. So you know what?
Maybethis one's a better fit than this one is.
Or let's look at your formularyfor your prescription drugs.
(09:41):
They'll do all that for you.When we come back from the break.
We're going to continue the showwith Misty.
I want to talk about what they'reactually doing in some of the communities.
Where they actually involved
and what's happening in the communitiesthat Blue Cross and Blue
Shield of Kansas is supportingright here in the state of Kansas.
We'll be right back after the break.
You're listening to America'sHealthcare Advocate
broadcasting coastto coast across the USA.
(10:04):
Stay right there.
Welcome back.
You're listening to America's HealthcareAdvocate show broadcasting coast
to coast across USA here on the HIARadio Network.
Shout out to our affiliate up in Salina,Kansas KSAL
(10:27):
NewsRadio 1150a happy to have us as part of the family.
They're broadcasting to all the folks inand around Salina, Kansas.
In studio with me today, Misty Snodgrassfrom Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas.
We're talking aboutthe theme of Hometown Carrier.
What does it meanto be that hometown carrier?
Why is that differentthan the national carriers?
We're talking about what they do.
We're also going to talk about the plansthat they offer, where they service them.
(10:52):
You know, this is the only carrier
that services is all 103 countiesin the state of Kansas.
It's a big dealif you're out in Hays or Scott City.
Emporia, you know where maybethe national carriers don't participate.
So we're exploring all of that.
If you want informationon any of their plans,
bcbsks.com is the website.
(11:12):
Or you can call their customerservice folks.
They're happy to talk with you.
Just explore optionsabout what you've got or what
maybe you think you might want to changeto once again, (866) 906-5253.
A lot of turmoil in the ACAObamacare market, right now.
Open enrollment is here on November 1st.
Obviously, now's the time to calland do a consultation.
(11:34):
This is not a hard saleor anything like that.
You heard Misty describe it.
They're there to help you.
(866) 906 5253.
All right.
So let's talk a little bitabout community involvement because
this is something you do thatnational carriers just don't do, okay.
They're not equipped to handle itfrankly across the country.
(11:55):
So you know to the you folksthat's important.
So talk a little bit about some of that
what you doand how does all that work in the state.
Yeah I think it's really, really importantbecause like I said,
we're not only investing in
and health care, but we're also
investing in other initiativesthat are important in our community.
So one great example.
We actually have a Blue HealthInitiatives team that's dedicated to this.
(12:18):
We have an entire team of folksthat are dedicated to working in
community, helping support communitybased organizations, local nonprofits,
Where can we plug in and not,you know, take over,
but be a supplementto be able to assist them.
Sometimes it's financially,sometimes it's just time and energy,
sometimes is volunteer work.
And so that work is really important to usas the core
(12:39):
of who we areis fundamentally important to our board.
They actually report all the informationactivity to our board of directors.
That's how importantthis is a strategic initiative
for our company.
And it's a high priority.
And so some of the things that we're doingin community is we're building
local fitness courts in areas wherethere may not be a local gym or a YMCA.
(13:00):
They're able to, you know, go to a park.
It's an outdoor facility,and they're able to go lift weights.
They're able to play on tennis courts.
It's just to help encourage fitness andcommunity and also to create community.
And in some of these communities,they don't have
a gym in a rural community.
They've got a community park.
If they can go in there and add to thatand make that, you know,
workout stations or walking stations,what ever it is.
(13:21):
But it doesn't sound like itbut you know what?
It's really importantto people who live in that community.
Absolutely. And it's focused on wellness.
Overall physical wellness.
You know,
we know physical health and mentalwellness are a key and and tied together.
And some of the other things
that we're doing is like I mentioned,
we do some backpackevents around back to school.
We’restuffing backpacks with school supplies.
(13:43):
We're doing trunk or treats with,you know, candy and so forth.
And we're really focusedon being in community.
We support other initiatives.
One great example in Wichitais called Baby Talk, and it's to help
pregnant moms that need resources
while they're pregnant,they may not have information.
(14:03):
I've been a pregnant mom beforeand it's really nerve racking.
And so we support thatinitiative in Wichita to help
moms throughout the state.
So it's virtuallyand in person in Wichita.
It also provides that people gothrough the classes and kind of learn
some tricks of the trade.
You also get a gift card for childcareor your car seat carrier.
(14:25):
Or you could get a crib,you know, it's a it's a gift card
that can go towardsthose kind of purchases.
And so it's really important
that we invest in various initiativesthat we're doing in local communities.
And I could go on and on.
I could spend days because I'mso proud of the work that our Blue Health
Initiatives team isand how intentional they are.
You know, they're very, very focused.
One other thing we're working on ishow can we make our language access better
(14:48):
so individuals that may not have Englishas their first language Speaking Spanish.
Yes, absolutely. Absolutely.
And so we're working to make surethat with our materials
that they know the rights.
Because whenever you go into a health careprovider,
you have rights to have accessto language access.
So we're working on that right nowto improve language access.
And we know that that's important becauseif it's not your your first language.
(15:11):
I mean,we think health insurance is confusing.
Well, you know I'll tell you a story.
I was in Scott City, Kansas doing radioprobably ten years ago.
And I'm like,
what are all these feedlots out here?
Well,the biggest slaughterhouses in Kansas, JPL
and the rest of them are just outsideof there over toward Dodge.
Yeah.
I heard there were moreMexican restaurants in that town,
(15:32):
and I love to eat mexican, and I was like,this is like amazing.
And I'm like, well,why are there so many Mexican restaurants?
Because our entire populationhere, working population is 80% Hispanic.
So absolutely.
You think in Kansas, you know, Dorothy'sgoing to click her heels and she and Toto
ride off?
It's not quite like that. Yeah.
We have we have a large communityof people here that are
(15:54):
non-English speaking community primarily,and that's a big difference.
So you guys are moving to helpthose folks do what they do?
Absolutely.And we're partnering with organizations.
And also,one of the things that we are hoping to do
next year is go into those communitiesand help explain what their benefits are,
because we know if people don't know whattheir benefits are, they don't use them.
And so we want to make surethat they're aware that we have telehealth
(16:16):
available in Spanish, that we do haveresources available in Spanish.
And what does health insurancereally mean?
What does a coinsurance mean.
That doesn't always translate very well,
which is very complex forif it or isn't our first language?
And so we want to be really intentionaland thoughtful
to serve all Kansansregardless of what language they choose.
(16:36):
And when we go to break,I have to ask you on the baby talk
plan that you've got those classes.
You do not have to be a Blue Crossand Blue Shield policy holder?
I want to make that point because
BlueKC offers something similarto that on the behavioral side.
So those classes are availablefor anybody in the state of Kansas.
Any mom that wants to do those classes,where do they go?
(16:58):
Do they go on your website for this?
We're going to have it on our website.We don't.
But I will get you the websiteand you can put it up and share that out
with your listeners,
because it is a really important programto help educate on prenatal.
It's really important to make sureyou're getting going to your doctor's
visits, make sure you know kick counts,all of those important things.
And when it comes to prenataland pregnancy.
(17:20):
I've got six grandchildren.
Trust me,I know what my daughters went through.
So I can assure you this is awelcome thing to have in the community.
There are a lot of women out therethat will be able to participate in this.
So as soon as we get this information,we'll put it in the broadcast,
we'll put it up on the podcastand on the YouTube so you all can see it.
Anywhere in the state of Kansas enrolled.
They don't cost anything.
It's what they're doing to helpfolks in Kansas do what they need to do.
(17:43):
If you want help, if you want to,if you want the policy explained,
if you want to understandwhat your benefits are,
if you're looking for a policy
and you don't know what to do, especiallyduring this turmoil with the ACA.
(866) 906-5253.
(866) 906-5253
or BCBSKS.com, bcbsks.com.
(18:07):
If you want to just go up and explorebut are open and then call them, do
that, they'll be happy to chat with youand make it work for you.
We'll be right back after a break.Welcome back to the break.
I'm going to get into some plans now.
I'm going to start talking about whatare they offering on the small group side.
You know it's interesting.
And we'll get into this in a minute.
How many carriers offer plansto small group below five?
(18:28):
That's the question we're going to answerwhen we come back from the break.
Stay tuned. I'll be right backafter the break.
You're listening to America'sHealthcare Advocate broadcasting.
Coast to coast across the USAhere on the HIA radio network.
So the website for
Baby talk is babytalkict.com.
That's babytalkict.com.
(18:58):
Welcome back.
You're listening to America's
Healthcare Advocates Show broadcastingcoast to coast across the USA.
My producers day MisterDave Thiessen behind the cameras posting
all these shows up on our podcastYouTube platform 604,000 views.
Thanks to all of you.
It's kind of amazing and Garner Cowdrey,he's on the board here working.
All the audio here at Cumulusat our hometown flagship station
(19:21):
here in Overland Park,Kansas, in studio with me, Misty Snodgrass
once again here to talk about BlueCross and Blue Shield of Kansas.
We're talking about
how unique they are to this stateand what they do in the state
that's very differentthan the national carriers.
If you want help, call them.
Just have a discussion.
You know, ACA is upon us open enrollment.
There are a lot of premium increases.
(19:43):
People pulling out of the market likeAetna did, you know that kind of thing.
(866) 906-5253.
(866)906-5253 no, high pressure sales tactics.
This isn't some number on televisionthat you're going to call
some national call center. Okay.
That's not how this works.
These are folks right herein our community that live and work
(20:05):
in Kansas.
The website BCBSKS.com, BCBSKS.com.
So what I'm going to the show notesthis morning.
I see this
down to one life.
And I remember when I was a broker,the major carriers,
the national carriers would not go belowfive lives.
So you there are more small businesses out
(20:27):
there are one, two, three, fourand five employees
than you can shake a stick at it andthey won't even offer them coverage No.
Well, so why is that first of all?
Well,I think is it's a lot of work, right.
You know, it is a lot of work.
It's as much work to enrollfive as it is 50.
100%.
And so I think that you know,we're not focused on margins.
(20:48):
So that's the difference.
And we are focused on really helpingall Kansans be covered.
And so we believe small businesses,regardless of size,
are the backbone of our economyand the backbone of Kansas.
And so whether you're a small employer,a family owned business,
or a company with 50 employees,we have plans that are designed for you.
(21:09):
And, you know, it'swe believe every job matters.
And we believe if you have one employee,two employees
to 500, you're just as importantand we'll treat you.
And we have a teamdedicated for those size.
So it's not just like you're going to
you know, we're going to give youpreference to the ones that are 500 and.
You’ve got a whole segmentof your customer service people
and your sales reps.
(21:29):
They represent just ten and below.
That's it.
So they understand that space intimately.
They do.
They do. And the complex needs around it.
Right. Like it's
whenever your employer is deciding what
health coverage to select,it'sa really nerve-Racking thing.
They're wanting to keep their employeesfor retention.
They know how important it is.
And every time every employer,including us, you know,
(21:52):
we went through our open enrollment,there's questions are related to it.
What does this mean for me?What does this out-of-pocket cost me?
And for me.
And it's uniquebased upon the needs of every employer.
And so it's a lot of worktrying to figure out,
you know,do you have individuals in your plan
that are going to be high utilizers folksthat are going to have complex
chronic conditions?And so we work through that.
We listen and then we try to reflect backand find the plan
(22:14):
that actually works for them.
So it's it's customizedbased upon and tailored, our suggestions
and recommendations based uponthe needs of you as an employer versus
you call on a call centerand they say, and here's our plans,
here's what we have to offer here.
And we actually will go outand meet with you.
We'll go into your offices.
Five lives and they’ll go out to meet withyou less than that. Yeah, absolutely.
And that is, you know, we love whatwe call them, our micro groups.
(22:37):
We love our micro groups.
There are the heart of Blue Cross,Blue Shield of Kansas because we also know
those micro groups.
Sometimes they grow to be 100 employees,
and we were there for themwhen no one else was.
And also sometimes they just want to beat five employees and four employees.
And we are okay with that.
We want them to grow and thrive in the waythat's best for them and support them
for their health care needs.
(22:57):
So when I'm going to show notes
this morning and I see down to one lifeand it triggers in my mind,
a question I used to see, butwhy would they offer a plan to one life?
Well, the answer isyou got a mom and pop shop, okay?
And one of them is going to retirebecause they're turning 65.
What happens to the other person?
Well, they lose her coverage, right?
(23:19):
No, they don't explain that. Yeah.
So they're they're able to stay onas a group.
There are certain qualifying criteria,but they're able to stay on
as part of our groups.
And you know they're not going
to go get priced astronomicallybecause they're in the metallic plans.
And so they're able to goget that coverage for them
if they want to be a part of a group,because sometimes it's more affordable
(23:40):
than for thembeing in the individual market,
or the plansmay be more advantageous to them.
And so we look at itis we want to cover every
Kansan and every small employer mattersregardless of size.
So let's talka little bit about EPO and PPO.
So this is how we kind of get in the weedsa little bit here.
So these are two separate group plans.
(24:01):
I think most people out thereknow what a PPO is.
That's the network the largest network.
But let's talk about differencebetween that and EPO.
And there is a difference.
And there's a cost saving.
Absolutely.And I think it's really important.
And I know when I first started learningabout EPO because they came on kind of
out of right after the ACA passed,
(24:21):
it was kind of wherethey started to rise to prominence.
And an EPO is called an Exclusive ProviderOrganization,
you know,and it's typically a lower premium.
And it's a real simple network design.
And so it's perfect for businessesthat are centered primarily in Kansas,
that they're not going to have
a lot of people traveling or employeesoutside of the region.
So in other states,
(24:42):
because it is more affordableto not have a national wide network.
Now, that doesn't mean if you're travelingand you have an emergency,
that you’re not going to be In-Network,you're not going to get
some out of network costs.
It's a lot of confusion around that.
They think, oh, I can't leave the state.
Oh my gosh, I'm in Oklahoma.
I got to go drive back to Kansasand I have a medical emergency.
No, we want you to go to the hospital.
(25:03):
It’s Covered just like anything is.
It is.
We have that focus.
And so it's really advantageousfor kind of your local regional employers
that are in the state.
We also have a PPO design.
And you know, as a remote work kindof blew up during Covid in the pandemic.
We have employeesthat are in multiple states, right.
(25:23):
There's employers that have people
that are close to the Kansas borderthat are actually living in Missouri.
We have people that areon the southern border of our state
that live in Oklahoma,but they work in Kansas.
And so and vice versaaround all of our surrounding states.
And so we have what's called a PPOso that they're able to leverage
(25:43):
what's called our blue card network.
So you basically area host member on a different,
so you'd be on,
you know, BlueCross Blue shield in Nebraska's network
when you're still a Blue Cross BlueShield of Kansas member.
And so it gets a little bit complicated,
but you're able to accessall the local providers in your community.
And so you're able to leveragethat nationwide network
(26:04):
as part of your In-Network.
So I want to go back to the EPO thingfor you
and just kind of drill homesomething here.
So let's say you're in Wichitaand you're listening to this.
You know what?
I need to find out about that EPO,I'll bet you that 90% of your care
would be at ViaChristi hospital or Via Christi providers.
Because that’s Wichita.
I used to do a lot of work in Wichita.
(26:25):
We’re on the radio down there on KNSS.
I know it very, very well.
Well, then, how much of a need are yougoing to have to go outside of network?
Well, if you're going to go to KUfor cancer treatment or heart or whatever
it is.
That's in-network, if you're going to goto Via Christie, that's in-network.I mean,
what was the name of the hospital? Hayes,you mentioned.
HayesMedical Center. Hayes Medical Center.
(26:45):
They’re in-network.
So when I'mwhen I ask you to look at this EPO thing,
and if you look at the valuethat's being offered
and the value is it,you're in the whole Blue Cross of Kansas
network in all 103 countiesand you can save money.
It would make a lot of senseto take a look at that
(27:06):
and go to your employees and say, here'swhat we're going to do.
We're going to cut costs by X
because we're going to go on this new planwith this EPO.
You've got all the hospitals in Kansas,but you're not going to go to MD Anderson.
Okay? I mean, there you go. Okay.
You know, you're going to go to KU.
Well, interestingly enough,KU has a partnership with MD Anderson.
So you can get a lot of those treatmentsat KU that you can get it M.D.
(27:28):
Anderson, because they're already there.
My point in telling youthat is it's worth exploring.
That's okay.
So that's why when she talks about thatdedicated team of ten and below,
give them a call.
Now we have 90 over90% of the providers in Kansas in-network.
So it's a broad network even for an EPO.
(27:48):
So it's fantastic coverage.
So if you're even traveling the stateyou're able to access
that which is not like other EPO’s outthere. It's not.
And it's very, very differentbecause they're offering coverage
across the state near where we go.
This is what I'm talking about when I say,
you know, pick up the phoneand call one of their folks at that team.
It's dedicated.
All they do is ten and below.
They know what it means to have a threelife.
(28:09):
Four life, six life case. All right.
And they're happy to talk with you andshow you this is what the plan looks like.
Here's what we can do.
And, oh yeah, all you people have access.
All hospitals and doctorsthroughout the state.
They're inside that network.
So do it.
(866) 906-5253.
(866) 906-5253 their website.
(28:30):
You can golook at the plans on the website.
bcbsks.com.
bcbsks.com.
When come back from the break.
We're going to talk about what's goingto happen in the marketplace this year.
How many national carriers arecoming in here with aggressive new plans?
How does that compare with what BlueCross and Blue Shield of Kansas is doing,
and how does that comparefor what you're looking for?
(28:53):
What's the stability of that?
We'll talk about all thatwhen I come back from the break.
You're listening to America'sHealthcare Advocate broadcasting
here on the HIARadio Network coast to coast across USA.
We've got more. Don't go anywhere.
Welcome back.
You're listening to America'sHealthcare Advocate
(29:14):
broadcasting here on the HIARadio Network.
Coast to coast across the USA.
The show
today is focused on Blue Cross and BlueShield of Kansas, the hometown carrier.
And you know, I did that on purpose
because I really wanted to get youto understand the difference
between what they do in this state,where I live, where you all live.
Okay.
And what how that contrastswith the national carriers do.
(29:36):
We're going to divea little more into that.
But once againwe talked about that EPO, PPO.
There are a lot of different plandesigns out there
they can help you with,if you want information.
(866) 906-5253.
You're not going to get highpressure sales tactics.
You're going to get somebody who wantsto talk to you, explain their options.
They've got a whole team of peopleon ten and below.
(29:56):
So employers with ten or fewer lives,national carriers
don't even go below five lives. They do.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansasgoes down to one life.
Okay.
Also, the website BCBSKS.com, bcbsks.com.
All right.
So let's talk about thisbecause this kind of this is
what actually triggered me doing this showtoday was you and I were having
(30:18):
a conversation after the last show,and I knew this was coming.
I didn't know was already herethat a certain national carriers
are coming in here this year,and they do this from time to time.
They'll come in with very aggressivepricing in the marketplace.
And then two years later,when the claims numbers start going up
and they're catching upwith where they are, they pull out.
(30:40):
Now as an example ofthat was what happened with Aetna.
They lost $2 billion on ACA.
And they finally said we've had enough.
And they pulled, not,they didn’t just pull out of Kansas.
They pulled out of every statethat they were in okay.
So it does happen.
So the point there isyou guys are always here.
Yeah.
It's steady okay. Let's talk about. That.
(31:03):
Yeah I think it's a great comment.
And you know
and Cary if you remember this a few yearsback, this happened again right?
When things didn't get as profitable,when there was kind of the, the you know
claims got a little bit tumultuous.
Other carriers pulled out of the marketand it just kind of happens
over and over again.
If they're not hitting their margins,they have shareholders.
We don't. And we have
(31:24):
our members that we're focused on.
And so I think that we're always here,we want to serve this market forever.
It is a passion of ours, is our CEO.
It's probably one of his favorite markets,actually.
If he said he had a favorite child, he’dprobably say It was.
I don't knowthat, you know, I'm just kidding.
But he he really is passionateabout serving small employers.
(31:44):
And individuals as welland making sure they have access to care,
because a lot of folkswill go after the big,
the national careerswill go after the big employers,
but a lot of them won't stick aroundfor the smaller
or the individualsand So they won't even offer coverage.
Absolutely, absolutely.
And so wewe want to be the stable carrier.
We have been the stable carrier.We've never left.
We've been around for 80 years.
(32:05):
We've been here since the ACA began.
We have no intention of leaving.
We're actually a part of my role is whatcan we do to even enhance our ACA market?
What can we do to actually serve ourmembers and our employers more and better
and provide,
you know, help improve the total cost ofcare, and our affordability, but also help
what other tools can we bringthat are innovative to help,
you know, both impact the individualfrom a quality of life perspective.
(32:28):
So we're having conversationsabout mindfulness tools
for employers because we knowbehavioral health is a major concern.
And so what can we do to help improveand reduce.
Employee productivity help improve that.
Missed days because of whether it bephysical or mental illness.
And so it is a high priority.We're here to stay.
And we're very passionate about the workand serving all 103 counties
(32:50):
that we're in.
Yeah. It's not a come and go situation.
We're here this year and two years to now.
And it's believe me, we've got multipleexamples of this that happens okay.
You know these folks at Blue Crossand Blue Shield of Kansas,
there's no quarterly earnings report. No.
It's all a little different.
You know when I say main street,not Wall Street.
That's what I'm talking about okay.
(33:12):
And that's what's important.
And when you talk about your CEO
actually focusing and acknowledging that,that's pretty significant.
Absolutely.
That means he understands as you said,
how many small businesses out there
have five employees or ten employees.
It's the cornerstone of our economyand our communities.
(33:33):
Small businesses are donatingto the local high school football teams
and it just trickles down.
And so we understand how important.
And it's a cornerstoneand we're here to stay.
So talk a little bitabout some of the product lines
that are going to be offered this year
on the group side both small groupand the larger group side.
Yeah absolutely.
So we have small group.
We have EPOs and PPOs available.
(33:57):
We have various metal tiers.
So I think I talked about thatin our last program.
We have in small groupa platinum, gold, silver and bronze.
And we're the only one in marketwith a bronze plan.
And I think there is going to bea new entrant on the platinum plan.
But we have most of our smallgroups are in gold
because they want to havea richer benefit, lower predictable
(34:18):
out-of-pocket costs from deductiblesand maximum out-of-pocket.
And we also offer a predictable co-pays.
A lot of carriers will have co-insurance,and that's
when it gets really messy, right?
Like people are like,what is this going to cost me
when I go to the pharmacy counteron this particular drug I'm on?
And so co-insurance is,I always say it's kind of fuzzy math.
(34:39):
It's very it's very hard to predict.
We have a predictable copay.
You know, if this is your medication,you're going to go pay this amount.
Tier 1, tier2, tier 3 or whatever it is, that’s it.
So here's what she’s saying, it'snot that plus 20%.
Well,you take Jardiance, and my wife takes it.
I've actually paid for it.
It's $700.
Okay. Now you got your copay.
(35:01):
Let's say your co-pay is tier threeor tier four, it’s $75 or a 100 bucks.
Oh, and you owe20% of the total cost of that med.
That's a little different deal. Yes.
And we do have caps on our high costsspecialty drugs as well because
on what you have to pay out of pocketso that you'll know what you're paying.
Because we do want peopleto take their medications.
We know when peopleare on their medications...
It kinda helps, doesn’t it?
They’restaying out of the hospital. Right.
(35:21):
And in the emergency rooms, which arehigher cost of care alternatives.
And so we do have a priorityon prescription drugs predictability,
your co-pays for your doctor, we actuallyincentivize you to go to the doctor.
So we have your first five visits are likebasically in some of our plans free.
Or they may be a $35 copay,depending on what metal tier you're on.
(35:43):
And so we want folks to go to the doctor.
We're not wanting you not to get care
because we know you're goingto stay with us for a while.
Usually, most of our employershave stayed with us for 40 plus years.
And so we want to make surewe're taking care of folks,
because those that national carrierswill come in and have aggressive pricing
and then two years,they'll they'll increase it.
And then all of a sudden they're gone.
(36:03):
They're gone. And you're no longer in it.
And you come back to us usually.
And then you know that we want to focus onmaking sure you're well both physically
and mentally.
We got about 45 seconds
left talking very quickly about virtualbecause all the rural counties.
Yeah. The big deal. Absolutely.
And we think that's a big deal.
So we have telehealth for physicaland mental health.
So instead of going to,you have an ear infection.
(36:25):
You know it's an ear infection, right?
You don't want to gosit in a waiting room at
or I don't for surean emergency department.
You don't want to go pay for that copay.
We provide.
Typically some of our plans
there is some variabilitybut usually free telehealth services.
And so you're able to go in and access
it's Amwell is our current vendorthat we use.
And you're able to go access that 24/7.
(36:46):
Be able to go get that,get your prescription.
You don't have to gosit in a waiting room.
And so you're able to have that.
And so that helps especially in areaswhen there aren't providers.
Or you're in a rural community,you have to drive 45 minutes
to get to an urgent care center orsomething.
This is great.
It's the online.
You go on, you're on the screen, you'retalking to the doctor, nurse practitioner.
You get what you needis one of the many things that they do.
(37:06):
Thank you.
This is a wealth of information.
It's like drinking from a firehose.
But I'm telling you,I think a lot of you learned a lot today
about whatBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas does.
Now, you know whyI say the hometown carrier?
Because that's really what they are.
And now I leave you with this thoughtfrom Doctor Martin Luther King.
Americans must learn to live togetheror they are surely going
(37:28):
to perish together as fools.
I don't think truer wordswere ever spoken.
Thank you for listening to America'sHealthcare Advocate show,
broadcasting coast to coast across the USAhere on the HIA Radio Network.
Goodbye America.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.