General News
Published April 15, 2019
The Alaska Medical Transportation Benefits program is included in medical plans for fully insured and OptiFlex groups and is available as a buy-up option for self-funded groups.
When we introduced our improved Medical Transportation Benefits program earlier this year, one of our goals was to create a more coordinated medical travel experience for our Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska members. To achieve this, we assembled a team of medical travel experts dedicated to making the medical travel process as smooth as possible by guiding members every step of the way.
How our medical travel experts help
Our medical travel experts help members who either are facing a serious medical condition that can’t be treated locally, or are looking for non-emergency care at a lower price than they’ll find in Alaska. They provide members with the following:
- A comprehensive explanation of the program benefits
- Confirmation that the medical travel is pre-approved when pre-approval is necessary
- Travel assistance, including making travel arrangements and providing a personalized information guide, when using Elective Procedure Travel benefits
Customer story
When an Alaska member was preparing for hand surgery in Seattle, she called our Alaska travel team for help understanding her medical transportation benefits. A medical travel expert went over her benefits and contacted her provider for the appropriate procedure codes to review her case for Elective Procedure Travel approval. Within 24 hours, her travel approval process was complete.
After her procedure, she submitted her medical claim and the travel team helped ensure her claim was submitted and processed correctly and in a timely manner. With the helpful guidance of our medical travel experts, the member was happy with her medical travel experience.
“We put our member at the center of what we do,” says Amber, senior correspondence representative on the Alaska travel team. “Almost every single person on the Alaska travel team assisted this member and each time she was given excellent service. We made things easier for the member, we made things clear, and we made healthcare work better!”
Action you can take
- Download the Medical Transportation Benefits brochure to find out more about the medical transportation benefits program and how it benefits you and your employees.
- We make it easy for you to help your employees understand their Premera medical transportation benefits with ready-to-share employee communications. You can access these employee communications through your secure employer website account. Once you’re on the Employee Communications Center, select Choose the right care on the left-hand side, and then look for Medical transportation on the right.
Contact your producer or account manager for more details.