Introduction CareFirstBlueChoice
An expanded, regional health plan is now available to residents of Maryland, Washington, DC and parts of Northern Virginia. It's called CareFirst BlueChoice. This regional plan expands on the popular CapitalCare HMO, which is presently available only in the Washington metropolitan area. As part of this expansion, CapitalCare is being renamed CareFirst BlueChoice (BlueChoice). The new name was selected because it is a better fit for a regional product and it better reflects the company's place in the CareFirst family of products and services. CapitalCare members will soon be receiving letters explaining the renaming of their health plan, and brokers can now begin promoting the BlueChoice products for new sales. Marketing materials will be available by the end of July.
The BlueChoice plans will simplify choices for members while also providing access to a broad range of physicians and specialists throughout MD, DC and VA. This will make it easier for members to select a primary care physician or go to a specialist near their home or where they work, and also make it easier to receive medical treatment throughout the company's service area in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. The BlueChoice managed care plans are competitively priced, flexible, and have the marketing advantage of the familiar Blue Cross and Blue Shield brands.
The name change from CapitalCare to CareFirst BlueChoice will take place in the last week in July. The BlueChoice products will be available for new business with effective dates as early as September 1, 2001. All current CapitalCare products will be converted to the new BlueChoice name. The offerings will now be called BlueChoice HMO, BlueChoice Opt-Out and BlueChoice Opt-Out Plus, as shown in the chart at right. CapitalCare and CareFirst BlueChoice membership cards will be honored throughout the transition to the new name. It will take several months to convert all existing CapitalCare sales and membership materials to the new name, so you will continue to see some use of the CapitalCare name during the transition.
The support of the broker community will be an essential part of the successful launch and ongoing promotion of CareFirst BlueChoice. We look forward to working with you in marketing the expanded, regional BlueChoice product line. To learn more about the new products, visit carefirst.com or contact your broker sales representative.
