PacifiCare of California

PacifiCare of California is a member of PacifiCare Health Systems, which is the nation's fifth largest managed care corporation. It serves more than three million health plan members.

PacifiCare of California itself was established in 1978. Today, it has a commercial provider network of more than 230 hospitals, 30,000 primary care and specialty physicians and 4,695 pharmacy locations, making it one of the largest networks in the state.

Its SignatureFreedomSM plan for individuals is a PPO offering coverage that may start as low as $100 a month for an individual and $300 for a family, although rates, of course, depend on your personal situation. PPO plan flexibility means you can see any physician you want, receiving greater coverage for in-network providers. Members receive $1,000 per year in a self-directed account, which can be used with no deductible or co-payment for certain types of preventative care. Unused money rolls over to the following year. For medical care that isn’t covered by your self-directed account, you are offered coverage with a high deductible. After you pay the deductible, PacifiCare of Arizona pays the rest. Plus, members can use PacificCare HealthCredits SM toward discounts on fitness products like bicycles and treadmills.

In 1992, PacifiCare of California became the state's first HMO to earn a three-year, full accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates managed care organizations.