Skip to main content

Newsroom

Independence Blue Cross expands 2021 health plan options for large employers

African American engineer and worker (both in hard hats) greet with an elbow bump on a construction site during coronavirus epidemic.

Enhancements include expanded virtual care, updated pricing tools, new well-being incentives

Philadelphia, PA — October 7, 2020 — Independence Blue Cross (Independence) announces enhancements to the company’s large group product portfolio for employers headquartered in southeastern Pennsylvania with 51 or more employees. The portfolio is available for January 1, 2021 effective dates and later.

“We continue to support the businesses in our region by developing innovative products and solutions that help lower costs and improve health outcomes, while ultimately meeting each employers’ unique needs,” said Brian Lobley, Independence executive vice president, Health Markets. “Our goal is to make health care work better for the businesses and members we serve.”

Portfolio enhancements for 2021:

  • Expanded virtual care options include telebehavioral health, and teledermatology, available at a $0 copay, and $0 cost sharing for virtual care services for MDLive, Penn Medicine OnDemand, and Magellan
  • Updated drug-pricing and pharmacy locator tools to help employees know the costs of their medications before they go to the pharmacy
  • New well-being program incentives, rewards, and discounts to help employees get and stay healthy, like the GlobalFit Anywhere app and Achieve Well-Being
  • GradFin, a new program to help employees pay back student loans to support financial health and overall well-being*
  • A new HSA high deductible health plan with 100 percent coverage (for groups with 51-99 employees)
  • Access to Glasses.com and 1800Contacts.com for discount eyeglasses and contacts for qualifying customers

Smarter, better health care

Independence health plans offer everything that employers need to help keep their employees – a business’ strongest asset – as healthy as possible, including:

  • Comprehensive and flexible benefits
  • Personalized member engagement
  • Value-based partnerships with doctors and hospitals
  • Best in class customer service

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Independence has continued to focus on the health, well-being, and safety of its members and the community. The company introduced new policies and initiatives to address both the physical and mental health impacts of COVID-19. Details can be found at ibx.com/covid19, Independence’s comprehensive, one-stop source for COVID-19 information.

Health plans to fit every need and budget

The Independence portfolio features a range of choices — giving employers options to provide affordable access to care to their employees. These include:

  • Tiered network plans
  • Site of service benefit plans
  • HSA-qualified plans
  • Copay health plans
  • Deductible/copay health plans
  • Deductible/coinsurance health plans
  • Specialty benefits, including vision, dental, and prescription drug

For more information regarding these plans, employers can visit ibx.com or call 1-888-475-6206 (TTY:711).

* 2021 start date for GradFin is yet to be determined.

Media Contact:         
Kathleen Conlon
215-241-4576 (office)
267-918-8057 (mobile)
Kathleen.Conlon@ibx.com