[NJ Gene]

I have an insurance policy from Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield known an an EPO. This is a policy offered to NYC and NY State employees. My wife is in Special Ed for the NYC Board of Education. I like it a lot. One can go to any specialist within the Blue Cross network nationwide and all that's required is a $15.00 copay. The downside is that you cannot go to any providers who are out-of-network. Most of the doctors I use are in-network anyway. Interestingly enough, the ones I have the most difficult time finding in-network are spine surgeons (at least in NJ). If I go into NYC, there are plenty of them in-network.

Here's the other thing I like about my policy. There are no surprises. If you have surgery by a participating surgeon at a participating facility, you are not responsible for other physicians involved who are not of your own choosing (i.e. the anesthesiologist, other physicians involved in the procedure that you're unaware of, etc). My insurance will pay these physicians at the in-network rate. However, if they don't want to accept the in-network amount, my insurance will negotiate with them. Often times, those out-of-network physicians will get the entire amount that they bill from Empire. Obviously they make out the best.