Costco Connection - January 2013

Personal healthcare program for Costco members expands

inside costco

BEGINNING MID;JANUARY, California Costco members can begin to take advantage of the individual health insurance plans previously available only in Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

“Making this available in California is huge,” says Costco Services director John Conlon. “California represents such a large portion of our membership, and the market is really competitive, so it gives us a chance to offer some very aggressive pricing.

“We evaluate the many health insurance options out there and offer only those that deliver the best combination of quality and value,” he continues.

Over the years that’s exactly what the company has done in selecting and fine-tuning five health insurance plans for individuals offered by Aetna. The plans include a range of coverage and cost options, so members can select a plan that suits their lifestyle and budget.

To help members select which plan
works best for their lifestyle, there’s a helpful
tool on the program’s website. Access it by
clicking “Services” from Costco.com, then
select “Personal Health Insurance.” Once you
pass over to Aetna’s site, select the “Help me
choose” link, to the left of the page. By answer-
ing a series of questions about how you use
health insurance, the site will recommend
the plan(s) best suited to your needs.

Connecting

For more information about these and other Costco services, visit Costco.com and click on “Services,” then “Personal Health Care.”

Executive
member benefit

HEALTH ADVOCATE INC. has been contracted to serve as a personal health advocate for Costco Executive members participating in the Costco Personal Health Insurance program.

Usually a benefit for large employer groups, Health Advocate provides support, solutions, information and savings to help you understand, navigate and make the most of your health insurance benefits.

The services provided center around the dedicated attention of your personal health advocate, typically a registered nurse, who assists you with a wide array of tasks, including advice, personal coaching and helpful information. Your advocate can help you find the best doctors and hospitals for your needs, do research on treatment methods, answer questions about tests and medications, and resolve billing issues.—TFJ

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