BOSTON, March 24, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Imagine if making health care decisions were as easy as booking a dinner reservation or a hotel stay. With Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' (Blue Cross) enhanced Find a Doctor & Estimate Costs tool, now it is.

The tool allows members to use their computer, smart phone, or tablet to:

• Search for a doctor and find those closest to their current location
• Estimate the cost of a procedure and the amount they will have to pay
• Read and write doctor reviews

"Our improved Find a Doctor tool can help consumers make the best choices for themselves and their families," said Deborah Devaux, Chief Operating Officer at Blue Cross. "We are trying to make the health care experience easy, convenient, and affordable. It's all about putting our members first."

Members can use the tool to search for a doctor using popular categories like Primary Care, Specialist, and Behavioral Health. They can also type in a keyword using common terms like "skin," procedures like "knee surgery," or doctor or hospital names. Members who are registered on our website and are logged in will see their plan information auto-populate, which will narrow any search results to providers in their plan's network. To help them make the best decision, they can search for cost estimates, as well. Their results will include physician cost and quality information (when available). Members can also leave ratings for their doctors and view what other members have said while comparing up to 10 providers side by side.

"We know our members use information and reviews on sites like Yelp and Hotels.com to compare options and choose where they eat or stay. Our tool offers a similar experience to help them find the doctor or therapist that's right for them," continued Devaux.

The Find a Doctor & Estimate Costs tool allows members to view prices for more than 1,600 procedures and compare costs across providers. Members can visit https://www.bluecrossma.com/findadoctor  for more information.  

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (www.bluecrossma.com) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are the trusted health plan for more than 30,000 Massachusetts employers and are committed to working with others in a spirit of shared responsibility to make quality health care affordable. Consistent with our corporate promise to always put our 2.8 million members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

CONTACT: Kathleen Makela, 617-246-7725, kathleen.makela@bcbsma.com  

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SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts