Blue Shield of California Reviews

Blue Shield's system is updating and won't finish for 1-2 days. This means that I have to wait until it finishes its update for them to tell VSP I have coverage for my glasses. VSP says my coverage ended 2 weeks ago even though it didn't according to Blue Shield. Customer service needs to be revamped.

I switched to Blue Shield of California expecting better access to care and prescription coverage, but my experience has been the opposite. I pay a very high monthly premium for a PPO plan, yet I have spent hours on the phone with representatives who gave inconsistent and confusing information about ADHD medication coverage. My doctor prescribed brand ** based on prior documented benefit, but Blue Shield denied it and pushed cheaper alternatives even though multiple medications have already caused side effects or failed to control symptoms adequately.

Complete incompetence. I was on the phone for three hours again today attempting to get a very simple issue resolved.

What a bunch of grifters.

I have a genetic disease that requires a specific medication to reduce growth of cysts that impact kidney function in the long term. After several years of being on this medication, this organization has denied my prescription refills. The stress of dealing with the constant denials of service from Blue Shield of California (another denial of service for labs that were done from a bone marrow test for cancer - costing me $5k!) has made my blood pressure go up and I spend an inordinate amount of time on phone calls trying to weed through what's covered and when and no one knows. They are not helpful nor is the State of California as pertained to surprise billing regulations. I can only imagine that this stress is making my health condition worse and/or the cause of other concerns.

This Blue Shield has went down the drain. They don't offer no more 65 US rides to anyone unless you have Medicaid wich is freaking weird because 65 plus don't drive and their plan sucks. This year United Health plan offers way more and that's why I'm joining them. They have 2000 dollars dental and rides to doctors and full dental and vision. Blue Shield went down the drain so please 🙏 change. There are better plans out there. I found out recently by calling the numbers on TV!! They really do work!! Blue Shield is not good!! It's a rip off!! Please switch!! In case you need the Lyft rides by them they don't give them no more to 65 plus!!

Better than Anthem but terrible service. Hope you don't need mental health, it's been over two months, and I still can't even get an appointment. The agents are hit and miss; some are awesome, some keep transferring you in circles. Trying to find a mental health provider with Blue Shield has given me an ulcer.

Blue Shield clearly makes things as challenging as possible because they want the customer to pay more. It's essentially impossible to get clear answers about who is tier 1, and you can't talk to Blue Shield directly, have to go through Accolade, which is so stupid because they never have the info and they want you to use their stupid app. I am so tired of talking with their dense AI - usually it can't answer, but even worse is when it does provide an answer, because the answers are usually worng. I am seriously considering just dumping insurance and paying the fine - way cheaper and way less frustrating.

I am so incredibly disappointed in Blue Shield of CA. They advertise that providers are in network on their own website, then turn around and deny claims. Even my annual wellness exam mandated to be covered by my ACA plan via Blue Shield was denied from their in-network provider. I hope no one reading this review ever signs up for any Blue Shield insurance. What a scam! I'm even paying more for the PPO plan, only to find out it covers FEWER doctors than their HMO within my doctor's local healthcare group. I spent over 8 hours on hold with Blue Shield trying to sort this out because their phone system is so antiquated purposely to ensure poor customer access to file grievances. Criminal...

Terrible interfaces, low usability of the app, most options take you in circles. Telephone customer service is just a bunch of work from home people with kids in the background, incomplete resources, everyone has different or made up information, different phone number lists, but EVERY phone number they give just takes you back to customer service. Every call transfer to the “appropriate department” leads to a connection so poor you can’t communicate or a dropped call, or just transfer to silence then drops after 15 more minutes. Prior authorizations for pharmacy benefits will not speak to policy holders, will not call or email any information. Except they will occasionally email a very generic approval with no documentation, no med name, no customer name, absolutely nothing but a false hope and then regular customer service will say there is no prior authorizations history even in the account.