TUFTS ASSOCIATES

Tufts has been a good provider for us. My human resources manager is a good liaison and provides time for us to meet with Tufts representatives if there are enrollment questions. I like that Tufts has an online service. I have an account there and can search for information about my coverage, search for providers that are covered, and see health information. They also have a mobile site, but I haven't used that feature yet. I really like the way I can search for providers -- the filters can narrow results by proximity, gender, etc. It also shows contact info for the doctor and shows if they are taking new patients or not. When I've had people suggest doctors, I can search for them by name and see if they are included in my coverage. The internet site seems well-protected, too -- I had to select a security key picture, which I should always see when I log in. If it is missing, they advise that you don't proceed to the site because there could be a security breach. I find the site really easy to navigate and it's easy to find contact information in case there is anything that can't be answered on the site. Overall, it feels pretty user-friendly. It walks you through procedures such as how to get a referral, what to expect from certain visits, what to ask your provider, etc. I don't hang around on the website but it's served my needs on the occasions where I was trying to figure something out or make decisions. We've been lucky and haven't needed to do much aside from routine care and a few specialists here and there. I can't speak to more complicated needs or claims. They also provide a nurse hotline. We have the magnet on the fridge and called it once when we weren't sure if an injury should be seen at the emergency room or not. The nurse was really nice and helpful and he even called back later to check in to see how things were going. We liked the option of being able to get a professional opinion about the situation before just heading into the germy ER. We've filled several prescriptions and haven't had issues with that -- in general, the pharmacies know what they're doing and after going through paperwork and getting in the system, it's automated and direct. I know that some people have issues with insurance companies and deal with a lot of red tape. As I said, we've been lucky and haven't needed anything out of the ordinary.