Makailah Hunt understands people oftentimes have a lot of questions about health insurance — questions they’re just as often not quite sure how to ask. As a Memphis-based health insurance advisor with BlueCross, she’s able to answer these questions face to face, making people both feel at ease and informed.
To help make care more convenient and affordable, BlueCross has worked with Sanitas to open eight Blue of Tennessee medical centers across the state.
These urgent and primary care centers have expanded hours and are staffed with BlueCross onsite advisors like Makailah who are there to help provide quick, accurate answers to questions about health insurance coverage.
Doctors and nurses with Sanitas can help with a variety of medical needs, including but not limited to:
- preventive care
- chronic condition management
- vaccinations
- pediatric services
- women’s health services
- lab workand diagnostic imaging services
Here, Makailah shares her perspective on what makes Blue of Tennessee centers stand out — and why she feels her presence helps patients.
On-site BlueCross insurance advisors help make Blue of Tennessee a unique one-stop shop.
“Members and visitors are able to walk up and ask directly for assistance with their insurance needs,” Makailah says.
“Being face to face makes it easier to address questions about your health care benefits, and establishing a warm, personal connection with our members is what I enjoy most.”
“How often can you walk into your doctor’s office and speak with someone from your insurance company?”
Our insurance offerings provide members a broad network of primary care providers [PCPs] so they can choose the PCP that works best for their individual needs. Members aren’t locked into seeing a particular PCP and can opt to select a Blue of Tennessee doctor if they want. This helps give members flexibility and helps people establish consistent care that works for them.
“I work with members to change the assigned PCP in our system to the actual doctor they’re seeing that day at Blue of Tennessee,” she says. “A typical day involves me making sure members’ insurance is up to date and active for them to have a successful visit with the provider.”
Adding to the convenience factor, if visitors don’t have health insurance but are eligible for an enrollment period, they can purchase a BlueCross Marketplace, Medicare Advantage or Dual Special Needs plan on site, and have peace of mind that their insurance will be accepted by the Sanitas health care providers.
“We’re here to help you navigate the system and find a policy that best fits your family,” Makailah says.
Blue of Tennessee is focused on the needs of the individual.
“I approach each interaction by treating our members like family,” Makailah says. “I would want my mother and sister to have exceptional services wherever they go, so I give out that same hospitality.”
During the pandemic, we all had to get used to being physically separated for everyone’s health and safety. Blue of Tennessee’s goal is to help re-establish in-person connections and relationship-building.
“Health care is so different now than it was three years ago,” Makailah says. “Having our members here in person and hearing directly what they’re truly going through, what they need from us, and how we can help them be healthier, is so important. So, whether it’s changing your PCP, learning what providers are in your network or better understanding your benefit options, we’re here to help you.”
Makailah recently assisted a member who didn’t understand why he couldn’t get a screening at a certain doctor’s office.
“By the time he left our office, he felt so much better about the situation, as I connected him with the appropriate personnel to continue the follow-up process,” she says. “I checked in with him via phone a few days later. He remembered me and was pleased to hear from me.”
Blue of Tennessee is committed to making your benefit options easy to understand.
Navigating the health care system can be difficult. Sometimes Blue of Tennessee visitors aren’t looking to see a doctor, they just have questions about their coverage. Since many of our members enroll in health insurance while at their jobs, they often must so do quickly so they can get back to their work and don’t fully understand their benefits.
“We had a man come in a few weeks ago, and he just wanted to know whether he was meeting his deductible,” Makailah says. “I took the time to explain when and how he’d reach that.”
Oftentimes, when on the phone, it can be hard to tell if someone understands or still has questions. Maybe they’re hesitating to ask follow-up questions. When speaking to visitors and families in person, Makailah can read visual cues that help her determine whether she needs to spend a little more time explaining details or providing examples.
“I enjoy my job because I can help untangle some of the more complicated parts,” she says.
“We’re able to talk to each other more, I’m able to be of more help to the member, and the member can see that I genuinely care about their needs.”
Jesse joined the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee corporate communications team in 2017. A Chattanooga native, he has more than 15 years’ experience in content creation, management, and strategy for consumer audiences, including a six-year stint in health care marketing.