Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois - Medicare Supplement Plans Overview
Why You Need Medicare Supplement Insurance
Medicare is a federal program to help older Americans and some disabled Americans pay for the high cost of health care. However, Medicare was never intended to cover all your health care costs. So even if you're covered by Medicare, you are still responsible for a large portion of your health care costs. Without Medicare Supplement insurance, your out-of-pocket costs could add up to more than $51,700 this year alone.
What Medicare Doesn't Cover
Medicare does not cover all health care costs. Medicare coverage consists of Part A (which covers hospital and skilled nursing facility care), and Part B (which covers doctor bills and other medical expenses).
Even with Medicare Part A and Part B coverage, you're responsible for some out-of-pocket expenses including:
- Part A hospital deductible ($1,100)
- Part B deductible ($155)
- Copayments for hospital stays over 60 days
- Care in a skilled nursing facility after 20 days
- Twenty percent coinsurance for doctor bills and other medical expenses
By law, Medicare Supplement insurance is standardized into twelve plans (Plans A through L). That means Plan F from one company must include the same benefits as plan F from another company. While the benefits must be the same, each company's rates, reputation, membership features and quality of service can vary. With Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, you don't have to sacrifice comprehensive benefits or freedom-of-choice for affordability. Their Medicare Supplement plans provide substantial benefits at rates that can save you money over other plans.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Member Benefits
All Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Medicare Supplement plans give you:
- Guaranteed Acceptance with no health questions asked
- Freedom to choose any doctors or specialists
- Coverage with domestic travel (Plans D and F cover foreign travel)
- Guaranteed renewability regardless of changes in your health
- Coverage guaranteed to match Medicare's cost increases year after year
- Blue Extras Member Discount Program that include discounts on wellness products and services including vision, fitness clubs, weight management, complementary alternative medicine, hearing and more
- No claim forms, in most cases
Medicare Supplement Basic Benefits
Basic benefits included in all plans include:
- Hospitalization - Part A coinsurance plus coverage for 365 additional days after Medicare benefits end.
- Medical Expenses - Part B coinsurance (generally 20% of Medicare-approved expenses), or in the case of hospital outpatient department services under a prospective payment system, applicable copayments.
- Blood - First three pints of blood each year.
*Plans K and L include benefits at different levels of cost sharing (see outline of coverage).
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Medicare Supplement Plans
| Plans |
A | D | F | K* | L* |
| Basic Benefits | X | X | X | X | X |
| Skilled Nursing Coinsurance | - | X | X | 50% | 75% |
| Part A Deductible | X | X | X | 50% | 75% |
| Part B Deductible | - | - | X | - | - |
| Part B Excess (100%) | - | - | X | - | - |
| Foreign Travel Emergency | - | X | X | - | - |
| At Home Recovery | - | X | - | - | - |
| Annual Out-of-Pocket Cost | - | - | - | $4,620 | $2,310 |
**Plans K and L provide for different cost-sharing than plans A-F. Once you reach the annual limit, the plan pays 100% of the Medicare copayments, coinsurance and deductibles for the rest of the calendar year. The out-of-pocket annual limit does NOT include charges from your provider that exceed Medicare-approved amounts, called "excess charges." You will be responsible for paying excess charges.
Med-Select Options
Plan D, Plan F, Plan K and Plan L Med-Select options offer you the same solid benefits as the "standard" plans, but cost less. You save on premiums simply by agreeing to use any of the Med-Select participating hospitals for non-emergency elective admissions. If you do not use one of these hospitals for your non-emergency admissions, you pay the $1,100 Part A deductible. Med-Select is not an HMO. With Med-Select, you are fully covered for emergency care at any hospital, and you can choose your own doctors and specialists.
Med-Select is available in specific geographic areas only. You must live within a 30 mile radius of a Med-Select participating hospital.