Aetna vs Blue Cross

Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield are counted amongst two of the best health insurers in the United States. If you were to quickly choose one of them, you would probably opt for Aetna if you are eligible for Medicare. Similarly, you'll be more inclined to consider Blue Cross if you are on the lookout for a private health plan. Also, Blue Cross's network is slightly bigger than that of Aetna.

However, the decision to choose a health policy is not made in haste. You have to do a proper analysis and take all the key factors, including your own specific requirements, into consideration. So, the following comparison between Aetna health insurance plan and Blue Cross Blue Shield shall let you decide which of the two will serve your purpose better:

Policy Types

Aetna is not known for private plans. This health insurance provider rather deals in Medicaid and Medicare plans funded by the government and group, student, and international insurance. Blue Cross meanwhile will provide you with a range of policies with varying deductibles and coverage limits.

Both Blue Cross and Aetna offer dental and vision insurance. However, where dental plans are concerned, Blue Cross proves to be a better option for in most of the states, it provides policy seekers with more alternatives and compared to Aetna, the deductible is lower and the annual maximum benefit is higher.

Cost

If you are eligible for Medicare, you can get free coverage for Medicare Part A from Aetna that may also exempt you from paying anything as deductible in some of the plans. However, you will have to bear the cost of Medicare Part B that includes things such as ambulance ride and preventative care.

Blue Cross meanwhile provides coverage via 35 local entities; therefore, the cost that you have to pay will depend on where you stay as there are different plans for different states. You shouldn't expect a discount from either insurer if you are planning to buy a couple or a family plan but to lower your monthly premium, you can opt for a policy whose deductible is higher.

Coverage

No matter whether your insurance provider is Blue Cross or Aetna, the coverage limit will depend on the specific policy that you choose.

For instance, the annual maximum benefit is $15000 and $25000 respectively for Level 1 and Level 2 PPO plan of Aetna. And for different services and treatments, there are individual limits too. In the case of Blue Cross, the coverage limits entirely depend on the plans available in your state. In most of the states, Blue Cross has gold, silver, and bronze plans whose deductibles and annual maximum benefits differ. To get a better idea, you can visit the Blue cross site designed for your specific state.

Availability

The good thing about Aetna and Blue Cross is that they have their presence in all the 50 states and in Washington D.C. too. However, in the case of both the insurers, the coverage limits and plan types vary as per location.

Policy Management

When it comes to policy management, Aetna and Blue Cross provide users with the same standard options. On an online portal, you can check your policy information, verify your claim status, and make modifications in your plan.

You can contact Aetna or Blue Cross agents over the phone during the usual business hours. However, the best and the most convenient of managing your policy is via the free mobile app, an option that both Aetna and Blue Cross give to their customers. Some of the things that you can do on an Aetna or Blue Cross app include searching for doctors, downloading your ID cards, viewing your policy information, accessing your claims, etc.

Enrollment

The annual open enrollment period is the time when you can enroll in a Blue Cross health plan. And for getting coverage outside this period, you must experience a qualifying life event like child birth, marriage, job loss, divorce, or relocation and submit proper proof for the same.

Aetna meanwhile has a Medicare open enrollment period to let you buy an Aetna plan if you are eligible for Medicare and it is not the same as the individual open enrollment period. You will not have to prove your eligibility unless you are not getting social security benefits or qualifying for Medicare because of a disability.

Here's a quick recap of the comparison between the two policies:

Let us suppose that you live in San Antonio, Texas. With the data shared above, you can decide whether a Blue Cross Blue Shield OR an Aetna health plan Medicare Advantage in San Antonio, Texas will be more useful in fulfilling your medical needs.