You do not need to pick a plan level before receiving care from a provider. The lower the provider level you visit, the lower the out-of-pocket costs for the UISelect member.
UISelect Provider Levels
Level 1 Providers
Level 1 providers under UISelect include the University of Iowa Hospital and affiliated clinics, UI Health Care Medical Center Downtown, UI Urgent Care, UI QuickCare, Washington County Hospital and Clinics, and The Iowa Clinic in Des Moines.
- Providers at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Medical residents and medical students are an integral part of the team that supports treatment by the faculty and physicians on staff. When care is provided at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, the individual and the provider will agree on the medical residents' role in their care. An individual may choose to have all primary health care provided by faculty members and staff physicians only.
Level 2 Providers
This level includes providers in Iowa and South Dakota (and a few in surrounding states). They will be listed when you use the XQW to search on Wellmark. These providers are considered to participate with Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield for the Blue HMO (UISelect) network.
Level 3 Providers (not covered)
UISelect does not cover level 3 providers. The only exceptions include emergencies or care with a Wellmark-approved out-of-network referral. (Dependent children attending college, long-term travelers, and families living apart may be covered through guest membership)
Care Providers by Level
| Provider Category | Level 1 | Level 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Description | All UI healthcare locations, including University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, UI Health Care Medical Center Downtown, UI Urgent Care, UI QuickCare, Washington County Hospital and Clinics, and The Iowa Clinic in Des Moines | Providers from the Blue HMO network |
| BCBS Payment Arrangements | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa have contracts with these providers, and they agree to accept payment arrangements and file claims for you. Payments are made directly to these providers. | |
| Claim Settlement | These providers will file claims for you. Claims are settled directly with these providers. | |
How to find providers on Wellmark.com
Wellmark links to search for a provider
- UISelect | Blue HMO Network
- When searching for providers on the Wellmark website, you use the "XQW" prefix.
- Virtual Care via Doctor on Demand is free for UISelect members.
How to find providers on wellmark
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) of Iowa's web page will allow you to search for providers in the Blue POS Network (UIChoice) and the Blue HMO Network (UISelect). The networks are the same; both can be searched using the prefix ‘XQW.’
Searching for a provider in your area
From the main Wellmark.com webpage:
- Begin on Wellmark's main site
- Find the Member Resources tab and select the arrow to show you a dropdown menu - from the menu, select the link labeled "Find a Provider."
- You should now be on the "Find an in-network health care provider" page.
- Select the blue button labeled "Search Now," and you will see a pop-up box that states, "You are now leaving Wellmark.com." Select the blue button, "Continue to New Site."
- You should now see a blue section with a microscope. Select the white button labeled "Choose a location and plan."
- On the next screen, you can enter an address, a city, a zip code, or even allow the site to use your current location to begin your search. Once entered, the site will ask you if what is pulled up is correct. If so, select the green button.
- You should now see a picture of a BCBS ID card with three boxes underneath. Enter “XQW” for UIChoice or UISelect, and select the green "Continue" button.
- The next page is where you can search by:
- Providers by name, providers by specialty (e.g., primary care provider, OB/GYN, mental health, or telehealth), places by name, places by type, or even search all if needed.
The National Provider Locator (outside of Iowa and South Dakota) can be used to search for Level 3 providers under UIChoice.
For members under the UISelect plan, you may use this search for providers outside of Iowa and South Dakota only in the case of an emergency or for those with a Guest Membership under UISelect.
The BlueCard Traditional network is used for UIChoice and UISelect to search outside Iowa.
- Go to Wellmark's National Provider Locator page
- Choose a location
- Select a plan - select by plan name (do NOT use the prefix XQW), use “Or, select by plan name”
- Select “BlueCard Traditional” (this is the network used when searching outside of Iowa and South Dakota)
- Type a name or phrase to find doctors, hospitals, and more
Additional provider information and definitions
FAQ's and Info
A physician specialist focuses on a specific area of medicine or a group of patients to diagnose, manage, prevent, or treat specific symptoms and conditions. (e.g., allergist, cardiologist, dermatologist, neurologist, ophthalmologist, orthopedics)
A non-physician specialist is a provider with more training in a specific area of health care. (e.g., chiropractor, physical therapist, speech pathologist, occupational therapist)
*NOTE:
For UISelect, chiropractors, physical therapists, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists’ office copay is the same as the office PCP copay.
There are times with specific populations where it could be more likely that Doctor on Demand would advise the person to seek in-person care due to potential complications, for example, a newborn or an older adult with multiple health issues. However, in general, there are no specific age restrictions.
*NOTE: Another resource available exclusively to Wellmark members is BeWell 24/7. Health Care professionals can help answer your questions. In addition, the member can find the phone number on their health insurance card.
Participating vs. Non-Participating Providers
In Iowa, participating providers will accept payment arrangements and file claims for you with Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Payment is made directly to these providers.
Non-participating providers do not have contracts with Blue Cross and Blue Shield. They do not agree to accept payment arrangements and are not responsible for filing claims for you. Non-participating providers may charge more for health care than participating providers. Payment is made to you from Wellmark, and you are responsible for paying the provider. Non-participating providers can bill you for the difference between what Blue Cross and Blue Shield will pay for a service and what they charge (balance billing).
When you are out of state, using a participating Blue Cross and Blue Shield provider will lower out-of-pocket costs, and the out-of-pocket maximum for Levels 1 and 2 will apply to these providers. In addition, if you receive care in a state that allows balance billing, using a participating Blue Cross and Blue Shield provider should lower the balance bill.
If you receive emergency care for covered services and cannot reasonably reach a participating provider, emergency room care received during the emergency will be reimbursed as though the member obtained the services from a participating provider. In addition, you will be billed a $150 copay, which will be waived if you are admitted.
An emergency is considered a medical condition that a prudent layperson (with an average knowledge of health and medicine) could reasonably expect to seriously jeopardize a person’s health without immediate medical attention. Therefore, emergency services must be provided to the member in an emergency room (not an urgent care center or physician’s office).
Out of State
UISelect only covers providers within the state of Iowa. If you are outside Iowa and require non-emergent medical care, you may use the free telehealth Doctor on Demand service for mild illnesses. If you visit a provider not within Iowa, the member's services will not be covered unless it is a true emergency situation. Please visit the Emergency Services section above for more details.
Have a Question?
ABOUT OUR SITE:
Our website's information describes only the highlights of the plans and does not constitute official plan documents. Additional terms and conditions may apply. If there are any discrepancies between the information contained herein and the official plan documents, the plan documents will govern. For more detailed information, you may contact Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield at the toll-free number 800-524-9242 (TTY: 888-781-4262), Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central Time). For more efficient service, please have your member ID number handy, which is on the front of your card.