Specialty benefits for a happier, healthier workforce
Your employees deserve total care and coverage. Combining your group medical with dental, vision, and life benefits helps ensure that their health and security needs are fully covered. That’s better for them – and for your business, too.
Stay competitive by offering total health benefits
More and more, employers are seeing the value of integrating group medical and specialty benefits – dental, vision, and life coverage – into one convenient, consolidated, total health experience.
$575 billion in U.S. business revenue was lost in 2020 due to poor employee health<sup>1</sup>
Specialty and medical together is a win-win.
The value of bundling
Adding dental, vision, and life to an existing group medical plan leads to a lower overall cost of health care (COHC), fewer missed days, and a healthier workforce. Employers also enjoy added cost savings, streamlined administration, and a wealth of coverage benefits, including:
Financial advantages
You’ll have access to bundling discounts and tailored funding arrangements that fit the needs of your employees and your company.
Access to large provider networks
Improved access to care throughout our service areas means you can offer employees who are switching to our plans a seamless transition with minimal disruption.
Coordinated benefits
Coordinating care has been proven to deliver better employee outcomes and a more satisfied workforce.
A streamlined experience
Bundling medical and specialty coverage delivers a more streamlined administrative experience for you and one-stop support for your company’s employees.
Proven savings
$375 PMPY<sup>2</sup>
reduction in medical costs for members receiving periodontal disease treatment
$5M<sup>3</sup>
average COHC savings when medical is paired with vision vs. medical coverage alone
3-6% lower<sup>2</sup>
COHC for members with integrated specialty and medical coverage vs. medical alone
Why add dental coverage?
92.4 million working hours are lost to emergency dental care.4
![]()
A larger network of providers delivers choice and convenience
With some of the largest dental PPO (DPPO) and dental HMO (DHMO) provider networks in California, Blue Shield offers employees flexibility and savings. Employer groups can select any Blue Shield dental plan with or without Blue Shield medical coverage.
Ortho
•Lifetime/annual orthopedic options
•At-home orthopedic care through SmileDirectClub
•Coverage for Invisalign
Enhanced contract limitations on major services
•Crown/bridges/dentures replacement every 5 years
•No missing tooth exclusion
Preventive benefits
•3rd cleaning for pregnant women
•Oral cancer screening
•Caries risk management program
Ongoing network review
•Ensures optimal access to care for employees
Dental care by the numbers
2,400+
dental HMO provider locations in California, one of the state’s largest DHMO networks
45,000+
DPPO access points means more care options for employees across the state
+38%
DPPO network discount delivers maximal savings for employers offering PPO coverage
28%
net effective discount means no matter which dental plan you choose, you save
Why add vision coverage?
$48.4 billion in productivity is lost due to vision impairment.5
![]()
The largest vision network in California
Blue Shield’s vision plans provide the access, benefits, and plan choices employees are looking for. Plus, better eye health can improve employee productivity. That’s why considering a vision plan makes good business sense.
Industry-leading lens benefits
•Progressive lenses, anti-reflective coating, Plano benefits, and photochromic lenses are covered in plans with a $130 (for 101+ employees) and $150 frame allowance
•All plans cover polycarbonate lenses for dependent children to provide extra protection against breakage
•Contact lens benefits
•Hearing aid discounts
Access where employees want it
•Our vision network is a mix of medical and retail optical centers including Costco, Sam’s Club, Target, and many more
Rate guarantees
•2-year rate guarantee for groups with fewer than 100 employees
•4-year rate guarantee for new or existing groups with 101 or more employees
Vision care by the numbers
11,000+
access points across California
134,000+
nationwide access points via our BlueCard network
Up to 20%
discounts on LASIK eye surgery
Why add life coverage?
70% of households would face financial hardship without their primary wage earner.6
![]()
Life benefits your employees can use now
Life insurance is a convenient way to help employees protect their families from financial and unexpected life challenges. And it comes with travel assistance and other perks your employees can use today.
Travel assistance services
Employees can get travel and medical assistance when more than 100 miles from home, including:
•Lost document assistance, including visas and passports
•Legal referrals, emergency cash, and bail assistance
•Immunization requirements
•Medical and dental referrals
•Hospital admission coordination
•Refill/replacement of prescription medication and eyewear
LifeReferrals 24/7
•Employees and beneficiaries have access to legal, grief, and financial counseling
•LifeReferrals can also direct members and beneficiaries to local community resources
Rate guarantees
•2-year rate guarantee for groups of fewer than 100 employees
•3-year rate guarantee for new and existing groups with 101 or more employees
Want to talk? Contact us to discuss your needs.
1. Integrated Benefits Institute, December 2020
2. Based on industry journal reporting
3. Based on Blue Shield of California internal reports
4. Kelekar U, Naavaal S. Hours Lost to Planned and Unplanned Dental Visits Among US Adults, Preventing Chronic Disease, 2018;15:170225. www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2018/17_0225.htm
5. “COST OF VISION PROBLEMS: The Economic Burden of Vision Loss and Eye Disorders in the United States”, Economic Burden of Vision Final Report, https://preventblindness.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Economic-Burden-of-Vision-Final-Report_130611_0.pdf
6. “Facts About Life 2016”, LIMRA