Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia is expanding its $0 premium Medicare Advantage plans with four plans in 16 additional counties for 2018, bringing the total to 43 counties where BCBSGa will make plans available to Medicare-eligible Georgians. This expansion complements an already robust portfolio of health plans BCBSGa offers in the state. All of these plans are available for enrollment in this year’s Medicare annual election period.

The opportunity to enroll in a Medicare plan begins October 15 and continues through December 7. This is the one time each year when most people can pick or switch Medicare Advantage plans.

“Once again, we are privileged to offer consumers a variety of Medicare Advantage products, because we believe it’s important for consumers to have options as they look for the plan that fits their health care needs in 2018,” said David McNichols, Medicare president of the company’s central region. “We put our experience to work to give members high-quality, affordable health care, allowing them to live the life they’ve earned.”

For 2018 insurance plans, individuals eligible for Medicare – people 65 years and older and those with certain disabilities – are able to enroll in BCBSHP MediBlue Essential, BCBSHP MediBlue Plus, or BCBSGA MediBlue Access.

Georgians who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid – also known as dual-eligible – have the option of enrolling in BCBSGa’s dual-eligible plan – BCBSHP MediBlue Dual Advantage.

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia is one of the nation’s only insurers that can offer a full continuum of Medicare products, including something for every budget and lifestyle,” added McNichols.

In addition to Medicare Advantage plans, BCBSGa offers standalone prescription drug plans (known as Part D plans) in all Georgia counties for people who enroll in Original Medicare, a government-sponsored program. Both the MA Prescription Drug and Part D drug plans utilize a preferred pharmacy network to help members save costs. This preferred cost-sharing pharmacy network will continue to be offered in 2018. MAPD will also add more hypertension medications for a $0 copay to the existing list of $0 copay medications that treat hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and osteoporosis - some of Medicare’s most common conditions and utilized prescription drugs.

BCBSGa also offers Medicare Supplement plans to Original Medicare enrollees all across the state. These plans help cover costs Original Medicare does not cover, such as copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles at any doctor or medical facility that accepts Medicare. These Supplement plans are generally paired with a prescription drug plan.

Information about Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Medicare Advantage plans.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Medicare Advantage plans for individuals eligible for Medicare:

• BCBSHP MediBlue Essential offers enrollees $0 copay for an annual oral exam, dental cleaning, eye exam, and hearing exam. Members also receive a $3,000 benefit for hearing aids each year and membership to SilverSneakers, a fitness program tailored to older adults. A new benefit for the 2018 year is that members now have access to 10 days of meals (2 per day) after a member leaves the hospital. This meal benefit aims to help members recover quicker after being discharged.

  This plan is available for a $42 monthly premium in the counties of Bryan, Burke, Chatham, Clayton, Columbia, DeKalb, Effingham, Forsyth, Fulton, Glascock, Gwinnett, Harris, Jefferson, McDuffie, Muscogee, Richmond, Rockdale, Talbot, and Warren.

• BCBSHP MediBlue Plus gives enrollees $0 monthly premiums and offers benefits such as $0 copay for annual hearing, dental, and eye exams; a $3,000 hearing aid benefit per year; routine transportation services for 22 one-way trips for pharmacy and medical visits; membership to SilverSneakers; and 10 days of meals (2 per day) after leaving the hospitals. Members also have access to a personal emergency response system. PERS gives members the ability to maintain their independence and delay, or possibly eliminate, the need to utilize assisted living services. This plan is available to residents of Clayton, DeKalb, and Fulton counties.

• BCBSGA MediBlue Access offers enrollees $0 copay for an annual oral exam, dental cleaning, eye exam, and hearing exam. Members also receive a $3,000 benefit for hearing aids each year and membership to SilverSneakers. The plan offers members more flexibility to see clinicians inside and outside of the network, with higher out-of-pocket costs when seeing doctors who are not in the network.

  This plan is available for a $57 monthly premium in the following counties: Barrow, Bibb, Bryan, Burke, Chatham, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, DeKalb, Douglas, Effingham, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Glascock, Gwinnett, Harris, Henry, Houston, Jefferson, Jones, Liberty, McDuffie, Meriwether, Monroe, Muscogee, Newton, Paulding, Peach, Richmond, Rockdale, Spalding, Talbot, Toombs, Troup, Twiggs, Walton, and Warren.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Medicare Advantage plan for dual-eligible individuals:

• BCBSHP MediBlue Dual Advantage is a $0 premium plan that gives members a number of competitive plan benefits, such as preventive vision and comprehensive dental coverage, a $3,000 hearing aid benefit per year, and SilverSneakers. Members also have access to a quarterly stipend to pay for certain over-the-counter health products, 24 one-way trips to pharmacy and medical visits, PERS, and 10 days of post-discharge meals (2 per day).

  This plan is available to dual-eligible individuals residing in the counties of Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bryan, Burke, Butts, Chatham, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, DeKalb, Douglas, Effingham, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Glascock, Gwinnett, Harris, Henry, Houston, Jefferson, Jones, Liberty, McDuffie, Meriwether, Monroe, Muscogee, Newton, Paulding, Peach, Richmond, Rockdale, Spalding, Talbot, Toombs, Troup, Twiggs, Walton, and Warren.