Get rewarded for smart choices with SmartShopper
Costs for the same in-network medical test or procedure can vary from one provider to the next. Why pay more than you have to?
With SmartShopper®, you can compare quality, in-network providers and find the most cost-effective location of your choice—and earn up to $500 in cash rewards as a share of the savings. There’s no limit to how many rewards you may earn and no added cost to you for using the service. Plus, every provider listed on SmartShopper is part of your Blue Cross plan’s network.
SmartShopper is offered with all fully insured plans (except those that are HSA-qualified, like BlueSolutions). If you purchase your health insurance through work and aren’t sure whether your plan qualifies, ask your employer.
With SmartShopper, you can:
- Shop for mammograms, ultrasounds, MRIs, and other common tests and procedures
- Compare costs nationwide for added flexibility
- Shop through your myBCBSRI account
- Call the SmartShopper Personal Assistant Team for help shopping or scheduling appointments
- Receive a cash reward once the claim is paid
How to shop with myBCBSRI:
- Log-in to your myBCBSRI account and click SmartShopper under Self Service.
- Search for a procedure. Results with a green box are SmartShopper-eligible.
- Select your SmartShopper-eligible option, schedule your appointment, and go.
- Receive a check once your claim is paid.
Learn what SmartShopper could do for you
Perguntas frequentes
SmartShopper® is a healthcare shopping and savings program available through most Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) health plans, with the exception of HSA-qualified high deductible plans and Medicare plans.* With SmartShopper, you can save money and earn cash rewards by “shopping around" for the most cost-effective, quality providers of many common medical services. Whether you are at home or work, SmartShopper can help you find the care you need in minutes.
- You’ll want to register your account by calling the SmartShopper Personal Assistant Team at 866-285-7162 to ensure you receive all the benefits of the program.
- Then, when your provider recommends a medical test or procedure, log in to your myBCBSRI account or call the SmartShopper Personal Assistant Team to find a quality, cost-effective location.
- If you are using myBCBSRI or the SmartShopper website, enter the procedure you’re shopping for and up to three lower-cost options available in your area will show up in the results.
- Schedule your procedure at the location of your choice. If you select one of the SmartShopper recommendations, you’ll receive a cash reward in the mail—with no forms and no hassles—once the procedure has been completed and the claim has been paid.
You can use SmartShopper to shop for routine, non-emergency procedures, including ultrasounds and mammograms, MRIs and CAT scans, colonoscopies, and more. To find out if the procedure you need qualifies for a cash reward, shop for it on the website or call the SmartShopper Personal Assistant Team.
Cash rewards vary from $20 to $500, depending on the specific procedure and where you choose to have it. There’s no limit as to how much cash you could earn using SmartShopper. However, if you earn $600 or more in a calendar year, SmartShopper will send you a 1099 form to file with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Cash rewards are considered taxable income. For questions, please consult your tax advisor.
No, your benefits and choice of PCP will not be affected in any way—whether you choose to use SmartShopper to earn cash rewards or not.
No, SmartShopper is a completely voluntary program. You will make the final decision about where to have your procedure. If you select a SmartShopper-recommended facility, you can earn a cash reward. If you do not opt for one of the SmartShopper recommendations, you will not qualify for a reward.
If you’d like to have the procedure at one of the SmartShopper options and earn the cash reward, call the SmartShopper Personal Assistant Team for assistance. They will be happy to help change your appointment and assist you in getting a new referral from your doctor if needed.
If you are already scheduled at a SmartShopper-recommended facility, congratulations! You still need to shop either on the phone or online before your appointment to get a confirmation number to qualify, but you’ll receive the cash reward even if you were already scheduled before you shop.
All healthcare centers and facilities on the SmartShopper list are vetted as part of the Blue Cross network and have met BCBSRI quality standards.
Whether you’re on the phone or online, SmartShopper provides a simple and convenient shopping experience—just like you’ve come to expect in other areas of your life. However, when you shop with the Personal Assistant Team you will get the added benefit of a friendly and professional personal assistant who can answer questions, make changes, set appointments, and support you every step of the way.
The SmartShopper program is offered by Sapphire Digital, an independent company. Incentives available for select procedures only. Payments are a taxable form of income. Rewards may be delivered by check or an alternative form of payment. Members with coverage under Medicaid or Medicare are not eligible to receive incentive rewards under the SmartShopper program. SmartShopper is not available for BCBSRI’s fully insured HSA-qualified high deductible health plans, such as BlueSolutions for HSA. In addition, self-insured employers may choose not to include SmartShopper as part of their health plan benefits. Individuals of self-insured organizations should consult their employer for more information.