Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield
South Dakota/Iowa • HMO, PPO, EPO, Medicare Advantage
HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plans require members to choose a primary care physician (PCP) and obtain referrals before seeing specialists. Out-of-network services are generally not covered except in emergencies. Claims must be submitted to the payer listed above and should include referral authorization when applicable.
This prefix is associated with a PPO plan. Preferred Provider Organization coverage gives members flexibility to see specialists without referrals and to use out-of-network providers at higher cost-sharing. Claims can be submitted for both in-network and out-of-network services, though reimbursement rates differ.
EPO (Exclusive Provider Organization) plans require members to use in-network providers, similar to an HMO. The key difference is that referrals are usually not required to see a specialist. Out-of-network care is not covered except in emergency situations. Submit claims to the payer listed above.
This prefix is associated with Medicare Advantage. MA plans combine hospital (Part A) and medical (Part B) coverage, and many include prescription drug coverage (Part D). When billing, confirm whether the plan uses the same payer ID for MA claims as for commercial claims, as many BCBS companies use separate IDs.
Health insurance company serving Iowa and South Dakota with commercial and other plans.