Blue Shield of California Launches Health Plan for Migrant Workers, Dependents
Blue Shield of California yesterday launched a health plan for Mexican migrant workers and their families, the Contra Costa Times reports. The plan, called Access Baja Dependent Plan, provides members with access to care in the United States and Mexico (Tate, Contra Costa Times, 7/9). The plan is an expansion of Blue Shield's Access Baja Plan, which provides health coverage for California-based migrant workers but not their dependents (Blue Shield release, 7/8). Migrant workers must enroll in the plan through their employers and must pay premiums for dependent coverage. Jim Arriola, Blue Shield's director of cross-border operations, said that the plan will "provide better access to care for a segment of our society that is encountering a lot of challenges and difficulties in the health care system." Joy Higa, deputy director of plan and provider relations for the Department of Managed Health Care, said, "It's an innovative product, and we're hoping that other HMOs will look to expand their offerings in this area. More people will have insurance, more people will have access to health care, and it takes some of the burden off of our public health care system in California" (Contra Costa Times, 7/9).
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