As you compare Anthem vs Highmark, you will notice that both carriers belong to the Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliation of independent health insurance companies. If you prefer Blue Cross Blue Shield, your choice of carrier may boil down to where you live in the country as each company works in some different regions.

EPOS (exclusive provider organizations) combine features of HMOs and PPOs. They have exclusive networks like HMOs do, which means they are usually less expensive than PPOs. But as with PPOs, you'll be able to make your own appointments with specialists.

An EPO health insurance plan can be a good option if you don't want the hassle of getting referrals and want to manage your own care without the help of a primary care provider. It's also a good choice if you're looking for a plan with some flexibility but don't want to pay the highest premium for a PPO plan.

Return the completed Claim Form to: Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, the Claims Administrator for the medical component of the Plan, at the following address: Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield P. O. Box 1210 Pittsburgh, PA 15230-1210 • Attach: all original itemized bills to the claim form.

A PPO offers more flexibility with limited coverage or reimbursement for out-of-network providers. An EPO is more restrictive, with less coverage or reimbursement for out-of-network providers. For budget-friendly members, the cost of an EPO is typically lower than a PPO.

EPO -- Exclusive Provider Organization plans provide coverage for services within the network, except for covered emergency care. Standard EPO plans generally use the same network as our PPO plans.

A participating provider is a healthcare provider that has agreed to contract with an insurer or managed care plan to provide eligible services to individuals covered by its plan.