Blues beef up offerings for 2021 Medicare enrollees

The nonprofit health care insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan recently announced efforts to provide lower rates for Medicare members in 2021, new $0 premium HMO-POS and PPO options and a variety of no-cost benefits including medical and behavioral telehealth visits for the 2021 annual enrollment period.

Premiums for many of Blue Cross and Blue Care Network’s 10 available Medicare Advantage plans will be maintained or reduced and feature expanded benefits to meet the needs of all eligible members. For the first time, the Blue Essential PPO plan will be offered at a $0 premium in most counties statewide and includes a $0 medical deductible and $0 innetwork primary care doctor visits. Features include preventive dental services and routine hearing and vision coverage.

The new Community Value HMO-POS plan features a suite of supplemental benefits, including a $0 in-network medical deductible and primary care copay, $0 pharmacy deductible and embedded preventive dental services, as well as routine hearing and vision coverage. Members can receive care closer to home through a local provider network built around high-quality primary care physicians.

To help provide the support members’ need to stay safe at home, Blue Cross has developed a program for in-home support services and caregiver assistance, wellness check-ins, light housekeeping, companionship and reliable appointment transportation, among other supportive measures.

Several of Blue Cross’ COVID-19 response efforts will remain in place for all Medicare Advantage plans including $0 in-network primary care doctor copays, $0 costshare on medical and behavioral telehealth visits and $0 cost-share on COVID-19 testing and related services.

Blue Cross is also introducing a new benefit program, “Advantage Dollars,” which offers members in select plans an allowance to spend on over-the-counter supplies for health and hygiene, in addition to healthy foods. Members can use their Advantage Dollars card to purchase eligible products at over 1,600 retail locations in Michigan alone.

For more information on a Medicare Advantage plan with Blue Cross, visit bcbsm.com/ medicare or call 888- 563-3307 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, with weekend hours Oct. 1 through March 31. TTY users call 711.