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Blue Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans

Guaranteed Issue Plans

Guaranteed issue plans are offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (herein called “Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois” or “BCBSIL”).

Guaranteed Issue Plans do not require underwriting. Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans are identified by the letters A, B, C, D, F, G, M and N. Each plan covers a different set of costs. 

This chart lists plans available in Illinois. 

  Basic Benefit Option Comprehensive Plan Option Innovative Plan Options Budget-Conscious Plan Options
  Plan A  Plan G Plan G Plus High Deductible Plan G Plus Plan N Plus High Deductible Plan G Plan N7
Reduced Premium Medicare Select Option Available1,2 (eligibility based on ZIP code)      
Basic Benefits ✔ 


copay applies7

copay applies7
Skilled Nursing Coinsurance   ✔  ✔  ✔ 
Part A Deductible   ✔  ✔ 
Part B Deductible              
Part B3
Excess
  ✔  ✔  ✔    ✔   
Foreign Travel4
Emergency Care
  ✔  ✔  ✔ 
Routine Hearing Exam ✔  ✔  ✔  ✔ 
24/7 Nurseline
Annual Out-of-Pocket Limit5              
Vision Benefits        
Dental Benefits     ✔  ✔     
SilverSneakers® Fitness Program     ✔  ✔     

 

Plan F, High Deductible Plan F, and Plan F Plus

Plan F, High Deductible Plan F, and Plan F Plus are available to anyone who was eligible for Medicare before 2020.

Eligibility

Eligibility is simple. If you’re at least 65, you must be:

  • Enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B.
  • A resident of the state where the plan is offered.

If you’re under 65 and disabled, you must be:

  • Getting Social Security Disability Insurance for 24 consecutive months, or
  • Diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), in which case Medicare starts immediately.

Enrollment Periods

If you are aging into Medicare, you can enroll in the Medicare Supplement Insurance Secure Plans during the six-month open enrollment period that starts once you’re 65 and have Medicare Part B. This six-month open enrollment period is the best time to enroll because it’s the only time when enrollment is guaranteed, and you don’t have to undergo underwriting. If you have already aged into Medicare and want a secure plan, you must apply. You can apply at any time. You must answer questions about your health history to qualify.

Under Illinois Senate Bill 147, if you are age 65 – 75 and have an existing Medicare Supplement Insurance policy through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, you have access to a 45-day annual enrollment period that starts on your birthday. You can apply to any Medicare Supplement Insurance policy with the same issuer that offers equal or lesser benefits to your current policy.

During this 45-day period your application cannot be denied, conditioned, nor discriminated in the pricing of coverage due to health status, claims experience, receipt of health care, or a medical condition.

Contact Blue Medicare Supplement Insurance Customer Service for more information.

Guaranteed Eligibility

These plans are only guaranteed eligibility under one of the Guarantee Issue provisions and during the six-month Open Enrollment Period that begins on the first day of the month in which you turn 65 and are enrolled in Medicare Part B. If you are under age 65 and on Medicare, you will also have a six-month Open Enrollment Period when you reach age 65, beginning on the first day of the month in which you turn 65. In any scenario, you must have Medicare Part B to be eligible for a Medicare Supplement Insurance policy.

Premium Discounts

A BCBSIL Medicare Supplement Insurance premium discount may be available. Read the eligibility criteria to see if you qualify. If you are eligible for a discount, the discount will be applied to your next bill and remain in effect as long as you are enrolled in your BCBSIL Medicare Supplement Insurance plan. Discounts cannot be combined; only one type of discount per member is permitted.

Eligibility Criteria

Household Discount

You may be eligible for a discount if you enrolled in a BCBSIL Medicare Supplement policy issued with an effective date on or after May 1, 2019, and you either:

  • Reside with a spouse or civil union/domestic partner; or
  • Have resided with as many as three adults age 60 or older for the last 12 months.

This discount is 10%.

Continue With BlueSM Discount

You may be eligible for a discount if you enrolled in a BCBSIL Medicare Supplement policy issued with an effective date on or after April 1, 2022 and you were enrolled in a Blue Cross and Blue Shield commercial group or individual health insurance coverage plan and that coverage was within one year of your BCBSIL Medicare Supplement policy becoming effective. This discount is 7%.

Blue Family DiscountSM

You may be eligible for a discount if you enrolled in a BCBSIL Medicare Supplement policy issued with an effective date on or after April 1, 2024 and you meet the criteria for both the Household Discount AND the Continue with Blue Discount. This discount is 12%.

Reduced Premium Options for Plans With Medicare Select

Some Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans have a money saving option called Medicare Select. With this option, the Medicare Part A deductible is covered for non-emergency care at Medicare Select hospitals. If it’s an emergency, the Part A deductible is covered at any hospital.

Medicare Select is not an HMO. You can choose your own doctors and specialists. To avoid paying the Part A deductible, you must agree to use a Medicare Select hospital for non-emergency care.

You’re eligible if you live within 30 miles of any Medicare Select hospital. Find a list of Medicare Select hospitals. Plans F, G, G Plus, and N have Medicare Select options in Illinois.

Only certain hospitals are network providers under this policy. Check with your doctor to find out if he or she has admitting privileges at the network hospital. If he or she does not, you may be required to use another doctor at the time of hospitalization or, if you still use a non-network hospital, you must pay the Part A deductible and any non-covered charges.

Introducing a New Plan G Option: Plan G Plus

Beginning February 1, 2022 all Blue Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan Gs (standard, select, and high deductible) have plus options. Plan G Plus plans have the same medical coverage as their regular versions. They also have additional benefits and programs included so members can get more out of their Blue Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan. Additional benefits and programs include dental, vision, hearing, and fitness.

Read this chart for more details.

Benefit Description Member Pays
In-Network
Member Pays
Out-of-Network
Dental

Preventive Services

  • Cleanings, 2x per calendar year
  • Oral exams, 2x per calendar year
  • Dental X-rays, 1x per calendar year

Oral cancer screening, 1x per calendar year

Extractions (unlimited)

Restorative (fillings), 1x per tooth per calendar year

 

0%
0%
0%


0%

25%

50%

 

50%
50%
50%


50%

50%

50%

Vision

Routine exam with dilation, 1x every 12 months

Eyeglasses or contact lenses
(conventional & disposable)

$0
 

Remaining balance after $130 allowance

$40
 

Remaining balance after $65 reimbursement

Hearing

Routine exam, 1x every 12 months

Advanced hearing aid member fee with recharge

Premium hearing aid member fee with recharge

$0

$699 per aid


$999 per aid

Fitness Access to the SilverSneakers® fitness program    

SilverSneakers® is a wellness program owned and operated by Tivity Health, Inc., an independent company. Tivity Health and SilverSneakers® are registered trademarks or trademarks of Tivity Health, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries.

Help Me Choose a Plan

If you’re not sure what plan you need, answer a few questions to help you decide.

Now that you’ve picked a plan, it’s time to enroll.

Useful Tools

The out-of-pocket annual limit will increase each year for inflation.

Rates as of 04/01/2024. Rates are illustrative only. Actual rates are based on your age, where you live, and your choice of coverage. Please do not send money, you cannot obtain coverage under the above plans until an application is completed and approved. Benefit exclusions and limitations might apply.

Important Information About Quotes for Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans

Quoted prices are based on the criteria specified during your search. This illustration is subject to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois's rating or underwriting and approval, as appropriate, and does not guarantee rates, coverage or effective date. Furthermore, rates are subject to change if any of the information you have provided changes when and if a policy is approved. In addition, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois reserves the right to change rates from time to time.

  1. Medicare Select Plans require that you use Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois contracting Medicare Select hospitals for non-emergency admissions to receive coverage for the Medicare Part A deductible. In an emergency, the $1,600 deductible is covered at any hospital from which you receive care. Only certain hospitals are network providers under this policy. Check with your physician to determine if he or she has admitting privileges at the network hospital. If he or she does not, you may be required to use another physician at the time of hospitalization or you will be required to pay for all expenses. If you move out of the service area, there will be a reduction of benefit coverage and you will have the opportunity to purchase any Medicare Supplement Insurance policy with comparable or lesser benefits offered by the insurer, or Medicare Supplement Insurance/Select plans A, B, C, F, from any insurer within 63 days of termination.
  2. You must live within 30 miles of a participating Medicare Select hospital to be eligible.
  3. Not to exceed any charge limitation established by the Medicare program or state law.
  4. Plans cover medically necessary emergency care services needed immediately because of an injury or illness of sudden and unexpected onset, beginning during the first 60 days of each trip outside the USA. There is a deductible of $250 and a lifetime maximum benefit of $50,000.
  5. The out-of-pocket annual limit may increase each year for inflation (2023 limits shown).
  6. Plan N requires a copayment of up to $20 for office visits and a copayment of up to $50 for ER.
  7. These high deductible plans pay the same benefits as Plans F and G after one has paid a calendar-year $2,800 deductible. Benefits from High Deductible Plans F and G will not begin until out-of-pocket expenses are $2,800. Out-of-pocket expenses for this deductible are expenses that would ordinarily be paid by the policy. This includes the Medicare deductibles for Part A and Part B, but does not include the plan’s separate foreign travel emergency deductible.

For a detail explanation of dental, hearing, and vision benefits for Plan G Plus options, refer to the outline of coverage.

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