Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage Plans

At some point in your life, you  may have had insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Whether you had an individual or employer group plan, you probably formed some opinion about the company. If your experience was good and you are Medicare eligible, you may want to check out the Blue Medicare PPO Advantage Plan.

A Medicare Advantage Plan is not  Medigap insurance. If you are new to Medicare, you may want to check out the official Medicare website or review your Medicare and You handbook that is mailed to all Medicare beneficiaries.

You can also complete the web form on this page to receive your free mini-course on Medicare Advantage plans.

Blue Medicare PPO may be an option in your service area

Blue Cross Blue Shield offers several Medicare Advantage Plans, but I wanted to take a look at one popular plan available in Florida. If you are a fan of Blue Cross Blue Shield, the Blue Medicare PPO Advantage Plan may meet your needs.

Of course as the name implies, it’s a PPO. So you have a provider network. But, the good news is that Blue Cross Blue Shield typically has superior network coverage, and the Blue Medicare PPO is no exception.

The following are some of the plan’s features for in network service:

• Maximum annual in-network out of pocket expense is $6700.
• Primary care doctor visit is a $15 co-pay.
• A specialist co-pay is $50.
• Hospital out-patient procedures require up to a $150 co-pay.
• $225 co-pay per day for days 1-7 in-patient hospital stay.

This is merely a brief overview of in-patient plan benefits and you should consult an agent or review the Summary of Benefits for the Blue Medicare PPO Advantage Plan.

One strong point is the co-pay for in-network out-patient procedures. Many Medicare Advantage Plans provide the same 80% coverage as original Medicare. The Blue Medicare PPO offers a decent value in this area, given that so much is provided in an out-patient setting.

The plan includes Part D drug coverage, but requires an annual Part D deductible of $150.  Check the plan’s Summary of Benefits to get complete information on benefits and costs.

So maybe you like the plan. Now you have to reconcile the benefits with the monthly premium. In Escambia County Florida, the monthly premium for Blue Medicare PPO is $150 for the 2011 plan.

To compare plan premiums in your area check out the official Medicare site and enter you State and County to search for Blue Medicare PPO or other Medicare Advantage Plans offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield