Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) is among the leading health insurance carriers in the U.S. and provides a wide selection of Medicare Supplement Insurance (also called Medigap) plans. 

Medicare Supplement Insurance plans can help cover of the out-of-pocket expenses that Original Medicare (Part A and B) doesn’t cover. These costs can include deductibles, coinsurance, copayments and more. 

About Blue Cross Blue Shield

The History of BCBS

BCBS was founded in 1929 and strives to help provide high-quality and affordable health care to all Americans.¹

Dallas public school teachers and loggers and miners in the Pacific Northwest were among the first groups to enjoy coverage by the companies that would later become BCBS.

In 1966, BCBS companies were the first and only insurers in the nation who had the ability to administer Medicare, which had just been signed into law. That year, BCBS processed claims for close to 5 million Medicare beneficiaries.

BCBS Companies

Today, 36 different locally operated BCBS health insurance companies administer coverage to Americans in all 50 states, as well 5 million federal employees, retirees and their beneficiaries.² 

Insurance companies that partner with BCBS offer plans directly to consumers and to small businesses, large companies, labor unions and federal employees.

BCBS also creates and shares regular reports to inform community health industry leaders regarding data points that can help them more accurately make decisions. This can help them provide lasting, efficient and quality care and help improve the access to health care for millions of Americans.

2023 BCBS Medicare Plans

There are 10 standardized Medigap plans available in most states. You can use the Medigap plans comparison chart below to see the standardized benefits offered by each type of plan.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Supplement Costs and Benefits

Depending on where you live, your local BCBS company may offer one of the following Medicare Supplement Insurance plans in 2024.

Medigap Plan F

Medigap Plan F is the most popular Medicare Supplement plan, and it is the only plan to offer all nine of the standardized Medigap benefits. If you have Medigap Plan F, you won’t have to pay any out-of-pocket Medicare costs for covered services.

Depending on where you live, your local BCBS company may also offer a high-deductible Plan F option.

Medigap Plan F will no longer be available to new Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible for Medicare before Jan. 1, 2020, you may be able to enroll in Medigap Plan F after that date, as long  as it is available where you live.

If you currently have Medigap Plan F, you can keep it, even after 2020.

Medigap Plan G

Medigap Plan G offers all of the same benefits as Plan F except for Medicare Part B deductible coverage. 

The Medicare Part B deductible is $240 per year in 2024. Once you meet your Part B deductible, your Plan G coverage would be the same as Medigap Plan F.

In 2023, Medicare Supplement Insurance beneficiaries who had Plan G paid an average premium of $135 per month. Medigap Plan F beneficiaries in the same year paid an average premium of $202 per month.³

That’s a difference of $804 in premiums for the year, which is far more than the $240 Part B deductible in 2024. This means that Plan G could potentially be a better value for Medicare beneficiaries, even if they meet their Part B deductible.

Medigap Plan N

Medigap Plan N offers the same benefits as Plan G, except for Part B excess charges coverage. As long as you visit health care providers who accept Medicare assignment, you will not likely have to pay Part B excess charges.

If you have Plan N, you may have to pay a $20 for some doctor’s office visits and a $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don’t result in inpatient hospital admission.

Blue Cross Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) Plans

Medicare Advantage plans replace Original Medicare and offer all of the same benefits that Part A and Part B offer. Many Medicare Advantage plans also offer prescription drug coverage, and some plans offer additional benefits that can include:

• Dental care

• Hearing aids and vision care services

• Health and wellness programs

Depending on where you live, a local BCBS company may offer Medicare Advantage plans in your area.

Medicare Supplement Insurance and Medicare Advantage are not the same thing. You cannot have a Medicare Supplement plan and a Medicare Advantage plan at the same time.

2023 Medigap Eligibility

In order to enroll in a BCBS Medicare Supplement Insurance plan, you must be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B and reside in the area in which the desired plan is sold. 

If you are under 65 years old and qualify for Medicare because of a disability, you may be able to purchase a Medigap plan. Not all states require insurance companies to offer plans to beneficiaries under 65, however.

Where Can I Get Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Supplement Plans?

Depending on where you live, you may be able to apply for a BCBS Medicare Supplement Insurance plan.

The following BCBS companies sell Medigap plans in these states in 2023:

How to Enroll in a Blue Cross Blue Shield Medigap Plan in 2023

The best time to enroll in Medicare Supplement Insurance is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. During this time, you will have guaranteed issue rights, which means insurance companies are not allowed to use medical underwriting to determine your rates. 

You may still apply for a plan after your open enrollment period has ended, but you may be subject to medical underwriting.

Find Medicare Supplement Plans Where You Live

Call today to speak with a licensed insurance agent who can help you compare 2023 Medigap plans that are available where you live.