You slipped and fell in your kitchen. Do you know where to go for care?
You slipped and fell on your summer vacation and you’re out of the country. How about now?
Knowing how or where to get care can make a big difference – to your wellness and your wallet. These tips and tricks can help you prepare so you can get care with your TRS health plan when you need it.
The Basics of Getting Care
Do you know when to go to your Primary Care Provider, an urgent care center or the emergency room? Use this chart as your guide.
How to Make Getting Care Easier
Knowing the right place to go for your illness or injury is the first step. These tips can help make getting care easier, no matter when you need it.
Register for TRS Virtual Care
You have affordable virtual care 24/7, so you can get help from anywhere in the world, anytime! You can often be seen in minutes, 24 hours a day.
Virtual care is quick, easy and inexpensive and includes both physical and mental health.
Virtual care costs less than urgent care and is available around the clock.
You can even get a prescription when necessary.
You have two virtual care options through your TRS health plan
1. Teladoc™
Teladoc treats general medical conditions, including allergies, blood pressure, cold, cough, flu, headaches, sore throat and more.
Teladoc also offers confidential mental health services from a licensed therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist or certified drug and alcohol abuse counselor.
For more information and to register for Teladoc:
Visit Teladoc for TRS-ActiveCare or Teladoc for TRS-Care Standard and follow the instructions to set up your account.
Download the Teladoc mobile app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store.
Call 1-855-Teladoc (1-855-835-2362) to speak to a representative, who'll walk you through registration on the phone.
2. RediMD™
RediMD treats general medical conditions including allergies, blood pressure, cold, cough, flu, headaches, sore throat and more.
For more information and to set up your account:
Go to RediMD for TRS-ActiveCare or RediMD for TRS-Care Standard and follow the instructions to register. Enter the code trsactivecare or trscarestandard when prompted.
Call 1-855-942-4900 to speak to RediMD customer service.
Plan for Travel and Holidays
Around holidays and busy travel times, like summer, check your PCP’s holiday hours and vacation schedule ahead of time. That way, you'll know when the office is closed.
Be sure to ask your PCP if they refer patients to another doctor while they're out. If you need to find another provider:
Use Provider Finder®. You can search by zip code, name, gender, specialty and more.
Call a Personal Health Guide 24/7 at 1-866-355-5999.
Beware of Freestanding ERs
They're almost always out of network, so your care will be expensive.
Freestanding ERs often lack true emergency facilities, so you may have to be transported to a hospital ER. This can more than double your costs.
Here are some ways to identify a freestanding ER:
Freestanding ERs look like urgent care centers but include “EMERGENCY” in the name.
Freestanding ERs are usually open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Urgent care centers typically close at night.
Freestanding ERs are not connected to a hospital.
Download the BCBSTX App
Having the app on your phone makes it easy to find care and access your benefits anytime you want.
With the app, you can find a provider, see your deductible and out-of-pocket information, get your digital ID card, and get prescription or pharmacy information.
Leverage Personal Health Guides
Program the Personal Health Guides’ phone number into your phone so you can connect when you need to without searching.
A PHG can help you:
find a provider or facility
schedule an appointment with a provider
help you with cost estimates for procedures and services
explain charges on your bill
help with a referral or prior authorization
To reach a PHG:
Call 1-866-355-5999 anytime, day or night
Chat with a PHG in the app 24/7
Getting Care in an Emergency
In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest ER. Your TRS health plan always covers true emergency care at the in-network level for every plan.
Care When You’re Out of State
If you need care while traveling, here are some tips:
TRS-ActiveCare Primary and TRS-ActiveCare Primary+ participants: You don’t have out-of-network coverage.
If you see a provider outside of your network, you’ll be responsible for paying the full cost of your care.
If it’s not an emergency but you need care, use Teladoc or RediMD for a virtual appointment.
TRS-ActiveCare HD participants: You have a nationwide network and can use doctors in any state.
You have out-of-network coverage, but staying in network will always cost less.
TRS-Care Standard participants: You have a nationwide network and can use doctors in any state.
You have out-of-network coverage. but staying in network will always cost less.
International Care
Need care while you’re out of the country? Visit Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core for information on how it works. Or call a PHG anytime, day or night, for help.
Mental Health Care
Get help with depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. You can see a therapist, psychiatrist or other mental health professional in person or virtually.