How Do Tiered Copays Work?
Not all health care services are created equal. A routine visit to your family doctor’s office is much different from a trip to a specialist, so it makes sense that they wouldn’t cost the same. Our plans with tiered copays connect the amount you pay to the type of care you receive.
If your plan offers tiered copays, you’ll find a few kinds of payments when you pay for your health care. The lowest copays will be for office visits to a primary care physician, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner. If you need to visit urgent care or see a specialist like a cardiologist or an immunologist, your copay will be a little higher. The most expensive copays will come when you visit the emergency room.
There are many doctors and practitioners with a primary care specialty. An office visit to any of the following kinds of health care professionals will be in the lowest tier of copays:
Family practice
General practice
Geriatric medicine
Internal medicine
Obstetrics and gynecology
Pediatrics
Nurse practitioner
Physician assistant
Tiered copays are not available for all Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan health plans. Check your plan riders or call the phone number on the back of your member ID card to find out if your plan has tiered copays.