What is Blue Shield Silver 87 PPO?

Asked by: Gay Hermiston  |  Last update: October 13, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (46 votes)

The Silver 87 Plan is a health plan that gives qualified members more coverage at lower prices. Someone on a Silver 87 Plan will pay less for medical services than someone who is enrolled on a top-of-the-line Platinum Plan.

Is Blue Shield Silver a good plan?

The Blue Shield Silver 70 PPO plans are a great choice if you see the doctor occasionally and are looking for a good balance between your monthly plan premiums and the cost when you get care. If you are looking for a high-value, lower-cost plan offering predictable copays, our Silver 1750 PPO plan could be for you.

What is a silver PPO?

Silver plan health insurance is a popular option, designed to strike a balance between affordability and coverage. Silver plans are the only metal level plans that include unique cost-sharing opportunities to help further lower out-of-pocket costs for members who qualify.

What does Blue Shield PPO mean?

A Blue Shield preferred provider organization (PPO) plan maximizes flexibility and choice. Employees can choose from a large number of in-network physicians, see a specialist without a referral, and customize their care. Compare plans and networks. PPO plan options.

Is Blue Shield Medicare PPO?

Blue Shield of California

The Blue Shield Medicare PPO plan is a PPO plan; however, it has copays just like you would find in an HMO plan.

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43 related questions found

What is the difference between PPO and Medicare?

What's a PPO? A type of Medicare-approved health plan from a private company that you can choose to cover most of your Part A and Part B benefits instead of Original Medicare. It usually also includes drug coverage (Part D). offered by a private insurance company.

What is the biggest disadvantage of the Medicare Advantage plan?

Medicare Advantage Plan Pros And Cons

One disadvantage is that some Medicare Advantage plans may offer fewer options when it comes to doctors and hospitals, as they may have smaller plan networks than Original Medicare.

Why do doctors prefer PPO?

HMO plans might involve more bureaucracy and can limit doctors' ability to practice medicine as they see fit due to stricter guidelines on treatment protocols. So just as with patients, providers who prefer a greater degree of flexibility tend to prefer PPO plans.

Is Blue Shield PPO or HMO better?

HMO plans are generally less expensive than PPO plans, with lower monthly payments, making them ideal if your favorite doctors are already in the network, or if you receive most of your care close to home.

Is it worth getting PPO?

PPO plans give you more choices when picking health care providers than other types of insurance. In a PPO plan, you have a network of “preferred” providers. These include doctors and specialists who can offer care at the lowest out-of-pocket cost, compared to out-of-network providers.

What is the Silver 87 plan?

This health insurance plan is for individuals and families with an annual gross income between 151% to 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL), who also meet other applicable guidelines. This would be a good plan for a 40-year-old with an income between 150% ($18,090) and 200% ($24,120).

Is the silver plan worth it?

A Silver health plan is a good choice for many people, because it balances premium and out of pocket medical costs. However, if you are young, do not anticipate using insurance often and have significant amounts of cash in savings, you may find that you save money with a Bronze or catastrophic plan.

What is the difference between Blue Shield Silver 73 and 87?

The Silver 73 covers 73% of your out-of-pocket costs, 3% more than the standard Silver Plan. However, if you qualify for a Silver 87 or a Silver 94, you will receive 87% or 94% coverage, which is 17% or 24% more of your out-of-pocket costs than the standard Silver Plan.

What is the difference between Blue Cross Blue Shield gold and silver?

Gold plans have a higher monthly premium compared to Silver plans, but lower out-of-pocket costs for care. Gold plans are ideal for individuals and families needing frequent medical services and want their insurer to share more in the cost for care.

What is the best health insurance in the USA?

Investopedia's analysis ranks Kaiser Permanente as the best health insurance company for 2025 because of its blend of affordability and low customer complaints. UnitedHealthcare and Aetna also earned top marks. We evaluated nine insurers using dozens of criteria, such as customer satisfaction, plan types, and costs.

Is it better to have a high or low deductible for health insurance?

A lower deductible plan is a great choice if you have unique medical concerns or chronic conditions that need frequent treatment. While this plan has a higher monthly premium, if you go to the doctor often or you're at risk of a possible medical emergency, you have a more affordable deductible.

What is a disadvantage of a PPO plan?

In general, PPO plans tend to be more expensive than an HMO plan. Your monthly premium will be higher and you will have to meet your deductible before your health insurer starts paying. You will also have to pay more out-of-pocket if you visit a provider who is not part of your PPO network.

What are the two most common health insurance plans?

Before choosing a health insurance policy for yourself, your family, or your employees, you must know what types are available. Some popular health insurance policy options are: Preferred provider organization (PPO) plans. Health maintenance organization (HMO) plans.

Why is PPO more popular than HMO?

HMO insurance plans generally offer lower monthly premiums compared to PPO plans. However, coverage is limited to a relatively small network of providers. PPOs offer access to a broader range of providers than HMOs, allowing greater access to out-of-network and specialty care.

Why are out of pocket costs higher with PPO?

HMO plans typically have lower monthly premiums. You can also expect to pay less out of pocket. PPOs tend to have higher monthly premiums in exchange for the flexibility to use providers both in and out of network without a referral.

Does PPO have a deductible?

Deductibles: PPO plans usually come with a deductible. This means you pay for care and services until the deductible is met. Then your plan starts sharing costs.

Why would a person choose PPO over an HMO?

A PPO plan provides more flexibility in choosing your health care providers, but it may cost more than an HMO. Key areas to remember: Your maximum copay or coinsurance is less when you stay in network for services.

What is the best Medicare plan that covers everything for seniors?

Original Medicare with Medigap likely offers the most comprehensive coverage, but it may also be the most costly. A person can consider their income and how much they are able to spend before choosing a Medicare plan. Original Medicare with Medigap also offers a lot of flexibility when choosing a doctor or specialist.

Why are people dropping Medicare Advantage plans?

Among the most commonly cited reasons are excessive prior authorization denial rates and slow payments from insurers. In 2023, Becker's began reporting on hospitals and health systems nationwide that dropped some or all of their Medicare Advantage contracts.

Can I drop my Medicare Advantage plan and go back to original Medicare?

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: Between January 1 and March 31 of each year, if you already have a Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without drug coverage) you can: Switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without drug coverage). Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and return to Original Medicare.