If you have an HMO plan with the insurance company, you should be aware that Blue Cross Blue Shield will no longer pay for an out-of-network ER visit if it is not serious or life-threatening.
Claims will be evaluated by a medical director to determine the reason a patient chose to go to the ER, and whether treatment could have been handled by a clinic or family physician.
Critics claim the program forces patients to make untrained diagnoses and potentially skip treatment if they fear medical bills will not be paid.