BCBS Advantage no more Mayo

@bajjerfan As long as it works for you, great. Many want "Advantage" plans because they cost less. Then folks run into issues with coverage year to year or by location, which leads to complaints. For some unexplainable reason they think they can have good quality care, great customer service, and a low price or "free" as it were. When this idea falls apart, in come the complaints. Advantage plans are my nemesis. They work for some, particularly the healthy among us. They are encouraged by Medicare because of costs and less administration fees yet as far as an advantage to the consumer, the opposite result is usually what we find.

@bajjerfan

I went to the Office of Aging, Lancaster Pennsylvania, and they have a free service to help people pick a Medicare plan. We went over all the options and they sent me home with a list of 5 choices I was interested in. Check if you have an office of aging.

@hrhwilliam
Your answer is biased. I have had an advantage plan for 17 years and same for my husband and we have never had an issue or problem (with coverage with different companies over the years.) It would be more helpful if you offered a more balanced answer. I am a trained SHIP counselor and many people have advantage plans that work for them. Not every person who chooses an advantage plan does so to save money- some people like the concept and additional benefits.

@tsch BCBS is nit offering ny plan anymore in rochester mn. Mayo doesn't accept many advantage programs. My opion is based on no more advantage plan. I am wondering what other people who are loosing their advantage plan are doing. Not a biased answer because my plan is no more.

@tsch So very many complaints when out of network refusals pop up or coverage gets dropped. Now we have one in support of Advantage plans. Basically the very definition of bias.
The number of times patients complain by claiming Mayo Clinic doesn’t take Medicare, only to find out Mayo doesn’t take the patients advantage plan, has given me bias to no end. This main discussion is yet another example. BCBS tried renegotiating rates lower than original Medicare and Mayo, like so many others said “No”.
As a SHIP counselor, I do hope you inform people of the disadvantages of an advantage plan as well. It works for you, wonderful. But I travel so likely it won’t work for me, for example.

Move away from an advantage plan to a supplemental. Much more money but much more certainty of coverage. Because our conditions are expensive and unpredictable, a supplemental plan will almost assuredly be a better bet.

@hrhwilliam
I agree with what you are saying. I would recommend anyone when they are eligible for Medicare to go with original Medicare with a medigap policy. Cost a little more per month but you can see any Medicare provider that accepts Medicare assignment. People really do need to understand that "advantage" plans can change networks and that does happen.

@tsch My not-for-profit advantage plan I have through my former employer was started by area physicians and is not affiliated with a commercial insurer. Excellent customer service, no questions asked at Mayo, very happy with it. Rated top #1 in NYS. Changes may be coming because of the state of our country's health care - will deal with that as it happens.

@tsch I don't think the answer is biased but a fact. Just because you have had an advantage plan for 17 years with no issue or problems doesn't mean others with advantage plans have had the network change. In my opinion if you choose a regular medigap policy when you first become eligible you will be less likely to have the network change as you can then see any provider that accepts medicare assignment.

Do advantage plans limit you to their designated PPO providers?