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Blue Shield Group Plans

Blue Shield Small Business Health Plans California

Thinking about Blue Shield for your California small business?
We help employers compare

There is no additional cost to use us as your Blue Shield small-group broker because Blue Shield pays the broker commission. We can help you compare plans, verify doctors and hospitals, review employee eligibility, explain participation requirements, and assist with enrollment, renewals, COBRA, and ongoing administration.

Email is usually the fastest and best way to reach us. We are often helping other clients, attending meetings, or researching coverage questions. Email allows us to review your situation and provide a more complete answer. If needed, we can then schedule a Zoom meeting to review your options.


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Popular Blue Shield Topics

PPO vs HMO |
Tandem PPO |
Trio HMO |
HSA Plans |
Find a Doctor |
Employer Connection |
Dental Plans

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New to employer health insurance?

Already have Blue Shield?
Jump directly to the Employer Connection section for administration, employee changes, forms, billing, renewals, and online account resources.

Comparing companies?
See our pages on
Anthem Blue Cross,
Kaiser Permanente,
Health Net,
UnitedHealthcare,
Aetna,
and
CaliforniaChoice.

 

Why use Steve Shorr Insurance at NO additional charge?

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for all these companies that we are Authorized Agents for in California

 

 

Provider Finder – Network Definitions 

Network Explanation – Definitions

PPO vs HMO

One of the most important decisions for an employer is choosing between a PPO and HMO network.

  • PPO Plans generally allow employees to see specialists without referrals and may provide some coverage outside the network.
  • HMO Plans generally require members to use network doctors and medical groups, but often have lower monthly premiums.
  • The best choice usually depends on whether employees want maximum flexibility or lower monthly costs.

Tandem PPO

Tandem PPO is one of Blue Shield’s most popular cost-saving options. It uses a narrower network than the Full PPO network while maintaining the same basic PPO plan structure.

Many employers select Tandem PPO when employees can keep their preferred doctors and hospitals while reducing monthly premiums.

Trio HMO

Trio HMO is Blue Shield’s lower-cost HMO option. It is built around selected medical groups and providers and is often chosen by employers looking to reduce premiums while maintaining quality coverage.

The most important question is whether employees’ doctors, hospitals, and medical groups participate in the Trio network.

HSA Compatible High Deductible Plans

Many employers choose High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) because they generally have lower monthly premiums and allow eligible employees to contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA).

Blue Shield offers HSA-compatible plans on both the Full PPO and Tandem PPO networks.

Find a Doctor Before Choosing a Plan

Before selecting any Blue Shield plan, verify that employees’ doctors, specialists, hospitals, and medical groups participate in the specific network being considered. Provider participation can vary significantly between Full PPO, Tandem PPO, Access+, Local Access+, and Trio HMO networks.

Blue Shield Plan Comparison Tool

Blue Shield Find a Doctor

Network Explanation – Definitions 

  • Small Business (1-100)
  • PPO Network

    Our Full PPO network is among the largest in California and includes more than 80,000 physicians and over 380 hospitals (in-network). Our Tandem PPO network is a subset of our Full PPO Network, available statewide with 55,000 providers included and 350 hospitals. Tandem plans provide the same plan benefits as the Full PPO plans at a lower price.

    HMO Network

    Our Access+ HMO plans give the members access to more than 44,000 doctors and 370 hospitals. Our Local Access+ HMO plans give the members access to more than 32,000 doctors and 330 hospitals.  Our Trio HMO plans are available in 26 counties and gives members access to 17,000 doctors from the Access+ provider network. Trio HMO plans come with valuable bonus features not included with other HMO plans. Use our Trio census tool to determine if a group is a good fit for Trio HMO plans.

  • Off-Exchange plans

    • Our flagship package, featuring a range of healthcare options including PPO, HSA compatible HDHP, and HMO plans. Not available for purchase on Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) online marketplace, these plans can be purchased from Blue Shield through a broker. Customers can choose among any plans in the package, or select our PPO plans to offer alongside HMO’s from another carrier. Plans from this package can be sold individually, but cannot be offered alongside plans from any other Blue Shield package.
  • Mirror plans
    • This package includes several HMO and PPO options that can be purchased from Blue Shield through a broker. Plans from this package may be sold individually. These plans are also available for purchase on Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) online marketplace. Plans from this package can be sold individually, but cannot be offered alongside plans from any other Blue Shield package.
  • PPO networks
    • Our Full PPO Network is among the largest in California and includes more than 80,000 physicians and over 380 hospitals (in-network).
    • Our Tandem PPO Network is a subset of our Full PPO Network, available statewide with 55,000 providers included and 350 hospitals. Tandem PPO plans provide the same plan benefits as the Full PPO plans at a lower price. Visit blueshieldca.com/Tandem to see what makes Tandem such a great choice.
      All off-exchange PPO plans offer the flexibility to visit a doctor or specialist with a referral. PPO members can also see non-network providers but may incur higher costs.
      HSA-compatible high-deductible health plans (HDHP)
      Many small businesses opt for high-deductible PPO plan coverage for their employees. Deductibles are higher, but monthly rates are lower, and the plans come with an option of opening a health savings account (HSA) to help pay for qualified medical expenses.
      Our HSA-compatible plans are offered on both the Full PPO network and Tandem PPO network.
  • HMO networks
    • Our eight off-exchange HMO plans for small business are each available with one of three HMO provider network options: Access+ HMO, Local Access+ HMO, or Trio HMO.

trio aco network

    • Plan designs are identical, and all specialties and levels of care are included.
    • Access+ HMO plans give members access to more than 44,000 doctors and 370 hospitals.*
    • Local Access+ HMO plans give members access to more than 32,000 doctors and 330 hospitals.t
    • Trio HMO plans are available in 26 counties and gives members access to 17,000 doctors from the Access+ provider network.‡ Trio HMO plans come with valuable bonus features not included with other HMO plans. Visit blueshieldca.com/aco to learn more about Trio HMO features and coverage areas.
      You may offer Trio HMO plans alongside Access+ or Local Access+ plans, but Access+ cannot be offered alongside Local Access+. A business must be located in the plan’s service area to offer an Access+ HMO, Local Access+ HMO, or Trio HMO plan, and eligible employees must live or work in the service area.
  • Learn more about Blue Shield’s Small Group medical coverage with the Plan Comparison Tool.
    • This interactive tool features our product portfolio (medical, dental, and vision) with a variety of resources at your fingertips. You can view a single plan, compare multiple plans side by side, or review a plan year-over-year.
    • Looking for a specific doctor?
  • Source

Employer Enrollment Tool Manual

Employer Enrollment Tool Blue Shield

Blue Shield of California

Blue Shield of California Logo
Provider #Finder -
Dentists, Doctors & Hospitals
All Plans - Medicare Advantage, Employer Group, Individual & Family  - Covered CA
Find a doctor near you
Blue Shield Provider Finder - Dentists

Get more details & FAQ's 

Administrative – Employer Connection 

Blue Shield Employer #Connection

blue shield employer connection

Check life Insurance coverage before you finish your will

Treatment Cost Estimator 

blue shield treatment cost estimator

Blue Shields Website
Forms & Applications
blue shield forms & applications

Dental & Vision

#Importance of Dental Coverage 

Compare Dental Plans & Get Quotes

Why you need Group Dental Coverage

Our other pages on
Dental Coverage

We don't put a lot of effort into selling dental coverage.  Generally it's a wash on paying premiums vs getting back claims payments.  Unless it's employer group.  Then the premiums are tax deductible under IRS  Section 106.

Here's more information on how we feel about dental.  Here's our page on implants, where we get lots of inquires, but few sales.  Most people only seem to want dental coverage, after they've been told they need a lot of dental work.  Not profitable for Insurance Companies.  See our other pages for details & explanations.   See our page on Medical Loss Ratio.  Insurance Companies need to take in $1 to pay 80c in claims.

 

Medicare Plans

Individual & Family Plans

Dental For Everyone,
has an excellent  website with full brochures, Instant online quoting and enrollment

 

One of our colleagues on how Dental for Everyone Works..

 

Employer Group Plans

Wellness & Misc. 

Steve Shorr
Website Video #Introduction

Steve Video's

Blue Shield Wellness Website

 

Introduction 

Blue Shield of California is a great company for your small group employees health insurance needs.   We are Blue Shield Employer Group Authorized Agents and are happy to help you get coverage at no extra charge to you, as  Blue Shield  pays  us to help you.

Miscellaneous 

 

Broker ONLY

blue shield ca.com/broker/resources

 

 

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