Your Mind, Your Body, Your Spirit, Your Health

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CareFirst in briefchoices photo: women doing yoga

Choices, CareFirst Networks, Affiliates and Products
With a customer base throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, CareFirst and its affiliates provide health insurance and other health care services to businesses, organizations and governments of all sizes. The CareFirst membership includes individual customers and employee groups and their families throughout the company's service area; local, state and federal workers; students; retirees and the self-employed. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names have earned the respect and trust of members, business partners and health care professionals.
NETWORKS More than 80 percent of the medical professionals practicing in the CareFirst service area - including all of Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia - participate in one or more of CareFirst's provider networks. It is a unique regional health care resource of more than 33,600 carefully selected and committed primary care physicians and participating medical specialists. CareFirst has negotiated special arrangements with hospitals and health care professionals throughout the region to provide our members with broad access to quality care at affordable rates.
PRODUCTS The CareFirst portfolio includes products ranging from traditional fee-for-service health care insurance to fully managed care. With optional features and services, these plans can be enhanced and tailored to meet specific personal, medical and financial needs of individual and employer accounts. Available are Point-of-Service plans that can be structured to combine the advantages of traditional indemnity insurance in a managed care setting and Preferred Provider Organizations that offer the flexibility of a preferred physician or hospital while still coordinating care costs. CareFirst's family of HMOs win high scores in annual ratings by independent organizations, state agencies and national publications. The BlueCard assures CareFirst members when travelling that competent health care is available from the nearest participating Blue Cross and Blue Shield physician or hospital, just as it would be when at home. CareFirst Options offers discounts to members for alternative therapies and wellness services such as acupuncture, massage therapy, chiropractic therapy, yoga classes, fitness centers and spas.
AFFILIATES CareFirst, Inc.'s affiliates include CareFirst of Maryland, Inc. and Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc., both doing business as CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield; and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware, Inc. Other affiliates include Preferred Health Network; Willse and Associates, Inc., doing business as CareFirst Administrators and National Capital Administrative Services, offering third-party administrative services and claims processing for self-insured employer groups; CareFirst Insurance Agency, Inc., offering life, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, disability products and flexible spending accounts; and three Health Maintenance Organizations serving Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia - CapitalCare, FreeState Health Plan, and Delmarva Health Plan. CareFirst also is affiliated with two physicians groups - Potomac Physicians Practice Association and Patuxent Medical Group.