323, What part of the Chicago area are you in? I am in Naperville. I have original Medicare with a Plan G BCBS supplement. With BCBS you can either pick a plan that you can go to almost any hospital in the state (other than the Rush Copley system), or you can pick a plan that you can go to any hospital in the US. I am thankful I paid the extra $14/month or it would have prevented me from going to NJH. Just be careful if you decide to make the switch. Personally, I like to keep as many health options open as possible.
Jennifer