I’ve not had any issue calling doctor’s offices directly to schedule appointments. If it is truly urgent, you can sometimes get the doctor’s assistant who can “find” appointments not in the regular schedule.

Recently, I began using more doctors via Hopkins because there is one convenient portal yet also use providers from MedStar. One MedStar provider only recently started to use an online portal, so you could not download any information, such as a blood test order.

I had Kaiser for a while and thought it terrible.

Some individual doctors or groups do online scheduling. If you find a group with multiple locations, usually they offer this. Or look for a large hospital group like Inova.

I miss the "one stop" nature of Kaiser but I moved to BCBS for the flexibility and because Kaiser wouldn't authorize some of the things that non-Kaiser docs recommend.
Heads up, you need to keep all your own records. Get a journal or start a phone note to keep track of appointments and procedures.

Do you have a PPO now? It’s not the same. You call the doctors directly.

If you want a “one stop shop” type experience with your new PPO, you could try doctors within MedStar.

Oh, and the best way to navigate this is to look on the BCBS website for physicians in your area, use Google (I just search for specialty near me), or ask friends, then call to make an appointment. In all likelihood, the doctor will take BCBS.

OP, it sounds like you valued the “managed care” aspect that Kaiser provided. BCBS is the opposite — its coverage is so broad that you can see nearly any specialist you want without having to get a referral or permission; however, you are responsible for making the appointments and managing whatever care you need. I love being able to see whatever doctor I want, but YMMV.

BCBS is just an insurance company. Think of it like that. You do not call State farm when you have car issues. Some offices do on line scheduling. Some call you back. Calling always works.

Anonymous wrote:I'll be experiencing this soon...leaving kaiser for united healthcare. Sad.

Please start saving now for all of the claims they will not pay. This is why I did the opposite of what you are doing.

I use ZocDoc where I can, it lets me book online and enter my info. I’ve been happy with BCBS the last few years. Good luck!

You have to call the providers in your plan to make an appointment if you are a new patient. Just make sure they participate with BcBS.

I'll be experiencing this soon...leaving kaiser for united healthcare. Sad.

Assuming you don’t have BCBS Basic (if you’re a Fed, note that Standard and Basic are not the same): you don’t call the insurance company; you call the doctor’s office.

Virtually every doc around here who accepts insurance takes BCBS Standard.

You should find a PCP, but may not be obligated to, depending on which BCBS plan you have. I use One Medical for this; they take BCBS and are good at doing referrals that get faster appointments than me calling myself (and I am, alas, an experienced patient, so it’s not that IDK what I am doing).

Happy to answer any questions you may have.

Wooof yeah I had this before becoming a fed and having Kaiser op. Won’t go back unless forced. People say they want “access” but in my opinion I get wayyy more access to drs with Kaiser. Because I can ACTUALLY access the drs and services so easily. Plenty of drs to choose from and I can actually get appts super timely with specialists etc. Technically a dr may be in network in BCBS but that doesn’t mean I could actually get an appt. Not to mention all the legwork I’d have to do. I’m sorry I know this isn’t helpful but basically yes it’s difficult and yes you should call and expect to make a LOT of phone calls.

I'm not in DMV, but yes, I call. I do not use BCBS to book appointments whatsoever. I find doctors on the web and use the BCBS website to confirm they are in network (although the BCBS reps say the website is useless and you should also call their hotline to confirm because what they see is different than what's on the website... that's a whole other rant).

Then I call and book the doctors. My doctors are all affiliated with the local hospital in my region so all use the same portal, but that has nothing to do with BCBS. They used the same portal when I had different insurance.

If I were you, the first thing I would do is check whether the doctors you already see take BCBS.

You are on your own however masker is terrible so at least you’ll get better care.

I can’t make appt in BCBS website. So I google MDs go to their websites try to request appointnents —NO RESPONSE.
Shi$show. Do I call? Is there one group that has like a shared portal? Dermatologist/Gastro/Internist/GP/etc?