Results of Surveys of Health Insurance Company Websites

Insurer Insurer and If a glossary was present, exactly what # of search

# website address for words or phrased were returned as results returned
glossary, if found the result after searching the glossary for the term
for the term “experimental” “experimental”
1 2015 Aetna “Experimental services or procedures
https://www.aetna.co These are often newer drugs, treatments
m/glossary.html or tests. They are not yet accepted by Aetna.com
doctors or by insurance plans as standard 1583
treatment. They may not be proven as
effective or safe for most people.”
2016 Aetna “Experimental services or procedures
https://www.aetna.co These are often newer drugs, treatments
m/glossary.html or tests. They are not yet accepted by
doctors or by insurance plans as standard
treatment. They may not be proven as
effective or safe for most people.” Aetna.com
999
2018 Aetna “Experimental services or procedures
https://www.aetna.co These are often newer drugs, treatments
m/glossary.html or tests. They are not yet accepted by
doctors or by insurance plans as standard
treatment. They may not be proven as Aetna.com
effective or safe for most people.” 801
2 2015 CIGNA “Experimental Procedures
http://www.cigna.com Unproven or investigational treatments Cigna.com (191)
/glossary that are not in line with generally Medical Library
accepted standards of care.” (70)
2016 Cigna “Experimental Procedures
http://www.cigna.com Unproven or investigational treatments Cigna.com (389)
/glossary that are not in line with generally Medical Library
accepted standards of care.” (430)
2018 Cigna “Experimental Procedures
http://www.cigna.com Unproven or investigational treatments Cigna.com (23)
/glossary that are not in line with generally Medical Library
accepted standards of care.” (149)
3 2015 Emblem “Experimental Procedures
http://www.emblemhe Procedures that are mainly limited to
alth.com/en/Members/ laboratory research.” Emblemhealth.co
Resources/Glossary.as m
px 321
2016 Emblem “Experimental Procedures Emblemhealth.co
http://www.emblemhe Procedures that are mainly limited to m
alth.com/en/Members/ laboratory research.” 197
 Resources/Glossary.as
px
2018 Emblem “Experimental Procedures. Procedures
https://www.emblemh that are mainly limited to laboratory Emblemhealth.co
ealth.com/Members/R research.” m
esources/Glossary 39
4 2015 Humana Term not in glossary
https://www.humana.c
om/learning-
center/glossary/?kc=1 Humana.com
005011074 15
2016 Humana Term not in glossary
https://www.humana.c
om/learning-
center/glossary/?kc=1 Humana.com
005011074 0
2018 Humana Term not in glossary Humana.com
https://www.humana.c “global search
om/learning- results” – 0
center/glossary but then shows 8
that were found
??
[https://www.hum
ana.com/global-
search-
results?searchTer
m=experimental&
searchCollection=
IDE_HumanaCo
m&frontEnds=ID
E_HumanaCom&
interfaceID=1]

5 2015 Kaiser No general glossary found Kaiserpermanente

.org
85
2016 Kaiser No general glossary found Kaiserpermanente
.org
80
2018 Kaiser No general glossary found https://healthy.kai
https://healthy.kaiserp serpermanente.or
ermanente.org/ g/
[website address had 80
been changed]
6 2015 Blue Cross/Blue Term not in glossary
Shield of
Illinois/http://
www.bcbsil.com/insur
ance-basics/
understanding-health- BCBSIL.com
insurance/ glossary 0
2016 Blue Cross/Blue Term not in glossary
Shield of
Illinois/http://
www.bcbsil.com/insur
ance-basics/
understanding-health- BCBSIL.com
insurance/ glossary 0
2018 Blue Cross/Blue Term not in glossary
Shield of Illinois
https://www.bcbsil.co
m/insurance-
basics/understanding- BCBSIL.com
health- 1
insurance/glossary#E
7 2015 United Term not in glossary
Healthcare/http://ww
w.uhc.com/searchresu UHC.com
lt?q=glossary&locale= 29
en
2016 United Term not in glossary
Healthcare/http://ww
w.uhc.com/searchresu UHC.com
lt?q=glossary&locale= 359
en
2018 United 1st link: https://www.uhc.com/united- UHC.com
/http://www.uhc.com/ for-reform/uniform-glossary-health- 384
searchresult?q=glossar reform-terms-and-definitions à “The
y&locale=en à Uniform Glossary is accessible at the
brings you to list of following
2413 results for search sites: www.cciio.cms.gov(Opens a new
of “glossary” window), www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform
(Opens a new
window) and www.healthcare.gov(Opens
a new window). Plans and issuers must
also provide a paper copy of the Uniform
Glossary upon request.
“

2nd Link: to “Glossary of Health

Coverage and Medical Terms” – term
 not in glossary
(https://www.uhc.com/content/dam/uhcd
otcom/en/HealthReform/PDF/Provisions
/uniform-glossary-final.pdf)

8 2015 “Experimental – Investigational or

HCSC/http://www.me unproven, not yet proven safe or
dicalpolicy.hcsc.net/m effective.”
edicalpolicy/activePol
icyPage?lid=i2kcy40k www.medicalpoli
&corpBrand=HCSC& cy.hcsc.net
corpEntCd=IL1 443
2016 HCSC It appears changes were made to the
HCSC website that render it not possible
to make an exact comparison. Upon
clicking on the link used in 2015, the
searcher is taken to an error message See notes in
“this web page is not available.” middle column of
ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED. table.
2016 HSCS Term not in glossary
alternative search at
http://www.hcsc.com/
glossary.html
2018 HSCS It appears changes were made to the
HCSC website that render it not possible
to make an exact comparison. Upon
clicking on the link used in 2016, the
searcher is taken to an error message
“Error 404: SRVE0190E: File not
found: /glossary.html”

2018 HSCS Could not find a glossary. Search on http://www.hcsc.c

http://www.hcsc.com/ main website for “glossary” brought me om/
to http://www.hcsc.com/understanding- 0
health-insurance/how-insurance-work.
That page does not mention the term
“experimental”
9 2015 Cannot find way to search without
Anthem Blue Cross putting in member number
Blue
Shield/anthem.com
2016 Cannot find way to search without
Anthem Blue Cross putting in member number
Blue
Shield/anthem.com
2018 Anthem Blue There was no apparent When I googled https://www.anth
Cross Blue “Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield em.com/
https://www.anthem.c glossary” found link to a Glossary 1
om/wps/portal/ca/foot (https://www.anthem.com/wps/portal/ca/
er?content_path=share footer?content_path=shared/f0/s0/t0/pw [Allowed you to
d/f0/s0/t0/pw_a10414 _a104140.htm&label=Glossary) search without
0.htm&label=Glossar putting in
y) “Experimental: Procedures that are not member number]
recognized under generally accepted
medical standards as safe and effective
for treating a particular condition.”
10 2015 Carefirst Inc. “Experimental Procedures
Group/https://member Any service or supply that is in the
.carefirst.com/individu developmental stage or is in the process
als/search.page?search of human or animal testing.”
Word=glossary&searc
hBtn.x=0&searchBtn. https://member.ca
y=0&actionFieldAudi refirst.com
ence=search 10
2016 Carefirst Inc. “Experimental Procedures
https://member.carefir Any service or supply that is in the
st.com/individuals/hea developmental stage or is in the process
lth-insurance- of human or animal testing.”
glossary/health-
insurance-glossary- https://member.ca
e.page?alphaId=glossa refirst.com
ry-e 15
2018 Carefirst Inc. “Experimental Procedures https://member.ca
https://member.carefir Any service or supply that is in the refirst.com
st.com/members/healt developmental stage or is in the process 14
h-insurance- of human or animal testing.”
glossary/health-
insurance-
glossary.page?

11 2015 Centene Corp. No general glossary found www.centene.co

Group/centene.com m
0
 2016 Centene Corp. No general glossary found www.centene.co
Group/centene.com m
0
2018 Centene Corp. No general glossary found www.centene.co
www.centene.com/ m
0
12 2015 Blue Cross Blue Term not in glossary
Shield of Florida
Group/http://www.bcb
sfl.com/wps/wcm/con
nect/34c4f6004f40e07
1bc3dfe53a65fe90d/S http://www.bcbsfl
BCUniformGlossary.p .com
df?MOD=AJPERES 12
2016 Blue Cross Blue Term not in glossary
Shield of Florida
https://www.floridabl http://www.bcbsfl
ue.com/general/glossa .com
ry#E 17
2018 Blue Cross Blue Term not in glossary http://www.bcbsfl
Shield of Florida .com
https://www.floridabl 52
ue.com/general/glossa
ry#E

13 2015 Blue Cross Blue “experimental

Shield of See investigational.”
Michigan/http://www. “investigational
bcbsm.com/providers/ Any procedure, treatment, supply,
help/glossary/provider device or drug that has not received
-e.html FDA approval or is not yet supported by
the clinical community because the
scientific evidence available does not
demonstrate the effectiveness of the bcbsm.com
service or technology.” 10
2016 Blue Cross Blue “experimental
Shield of Michigan See investigational.”
http://www.bcbsm.co “investigational
m/providers/help/glos Any procedure, treatment, supply,
sary/provider-e.html device or drug that has not received
FDA approval or is not yet supported by
the clinical community because the
scientific evidence available does not
demonstrate the effectiveness of the Bcbsm.com
service or technology.” 389
 2018 Blue Cross Blue “experimental Bcbsm.com
Shield of Michigan See investigational.” Did not give
“investigational exact # of search
Any procedure, treatment, supply, results – 10 pages
device or drug that has not received
FDA approval or is not yet supported by
the clinical community because the
scientific evidence available does not
demonstrate the effectiveness of the
service or technology.”
14 2015 Assurant Health: Term not in glossary
http://www.assuranthe
alth.com/learning-
center/ understanding-
health-insurance/ Assuranthealth.co
glossary-of-health- m
insurance-terms#gl05 5
2016 Assurant Health: Term not in glossary
http://www.assuranthe
alth.com/learning- Assuranthealth.co
center/glossary-of- m
health-insurance- 5
terms
2018 Assurant Health: According to the following link found in No search box
http://www.assuranthe 2018, Assurant, Inc., “exited from the
alth.com/learning- health insurance marketplace” as of June
center/glossary-of- 10, 2015. See
health-insurance- http://www.assuranthealth.com/ said:
terms
“Important news regarding Assurant
Health. On June 10, 2015, Assurant
Health’s parent company, Assurant, Inc.,
announced an exit from the health
insurance marketplace to focus on
housing and lifestyle specialty protection
products and services. Assurant is
winding down its major medical
operations. Assurant is committed to
providing a smooth process for our
customers and will meet all claims and
benefit commitments.”

Preceding link did not appear in search

from 2016.
15 2015 Golden Rule Experimental or Investigational
Insurance Co.: Procedures -- Health care services,
http://www.goldenrule procedures, therapies, devices, or
.com/glossary- supplies that the insurance company
terms/experimental- considers medically unproven are
procedures/ considered experimental or investiga- http://www.golde
tional procedures. Such treatments are nrule.com
typically excluded from coverage. 5
2016 Golden Rule “Experimental or Investigational
Insurance Co.: Procedures -- Health care services,
http://www.goldenrule procedures, therapies, devices, or
.com/glossary- supplies that the insurance company
terms/experimental- considers medically unproven are
procedures/ considered experimental or investiga- http://www.golde
tional procedures. Such treatments are nrule.com
typically excluded from coverage.” 2
2018 Golden Rule www.uhone.com
Insurance Co.: Curiously, as of April 2018, the Golden has no search box
Rule link from 2016 connects to a
http://www.goldenrule
United Healthcare Glossary at
.com/glossary-
https://www.uhone.com/glossary. That
terms/experimental-
glossary listed “Experimental or
procedures/
Investigational Procedures. Health care
services, procedures, therapies, devices,
or supplies that the insurance company
considers medically unproven are
considered experimental or
investigational procedures. Such
treatments are typically excluded from
coverage.”
Searching the internet for a transaction
between Golden Rule Insurance and
United Health did not yield any results.
Therefore, no explanatory corporate
transaction was found. However, it may
be that some corporate transaction led to
this change. It also is possible that
Golden Rule licensed the right to utilize
the definitions promulgated by United
Healthcare. Interestingly, however, there
is no United Health Care glossary at ( )
did not list a definition for
“experimental.”
16 2015 Excellus: Term not in glossary
https://www.excellusb
cbs.com/wps/portal/xl
/mbr/searchdisplay?W
CM_GLOBAL_CON
TEXT=/wps/wcm/con
nect/default/excellus/
member/health+plans/ https://www.excel
glossary/glo- lusbcbs.com
glossary+of+terms 9
2016 Excellus: Term not in glossary
https://www.excellusb
cbs.com/wps/portal/xl
/mbr/searchdisplay?W
CM_GLOBAL_CON
TEXT=/wps/wcm/con
nect/default/excellus/
member/health+plans/ https://www.excel
glossary/glo- lusbcbs.com
glossary+of+terms 9
2018 Excellus: Term not in glossary https://www.excel
https://www.excellusb lusbcbs.com
cbs.com/wps/portal/xl 2
/how-it-
works/glossary
17 2015 Molina Health Term not in glossary
Care:
http://www.molinahea
lthcare.com/members/
common/Search/result
s.aspx?k=glossary&s= http://www.molin
membersentirewebsite ahealthcare.com
&v=en-us 820
2016 Molina Health Term not in glossary
Care:
http://www.molinahea
lthcare.com/members/
common/Search/result
s.aspx?k=glossary&s= http://www.molin
membersentirewebsite ahealthcare.com
&v=en-us 1,700
2018 Molina Health Link from 2016 did not bring me to an http://www.molin
Care: actual glossary – rather a list of search ahealthcare.com/
results for “glossary” 91
 When I searched google for “Molina
Health Care Glossary” found this link:
http://www.molinahealthcare.com/provi
ders/oh/marketplace/manual/PDF/17%2
0Glossary.pdf Which lists
“Experimental or Investigational: any
medical service including procedures,
medications, facilities, and devices that
Molina Healthcare has determined have
not been demonstrated as safe or
effective compared with conventional
medical services.”

• Searched on April 6, 2018