INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in our nation’s history, the federal government, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), approved a comprehensive new structure to deliver Medicare Advantage Regional PPO’s (Regional PPO) to Medicare beneficiaries across the Midwest.
As a result, several WellPoint, Inc. subsidiaries, including Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana, in Kentucky and in Ohio, were awarded contracts from CMS to deliver these Regional PPO’s, known as Blue Medicare Access, to residents in every county in these states beginning in January 2006.
“Medicare beneficiaries across the Midwest won in a big way as a result of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003,” said Lynne Gross, President, Senior Markets, with WellPoint Central Region. “Only as a result of these contracts from CMS could a carrier like Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield afford to offer health benefits to beneficiaries in every county.”
These plans are available with affordable monthly premiums, which vary by plan selection. They offer considerable value through the following features:
* Low premiums and more benefits than traditional Medicare
* Prescription drug coverage for brand and generic drugs
* Freedom to choose the doctor and hospital of choice from an extensive network of participating providers and no referrals are required to see specialists
In Kentucky:
In addition to the Part D Plan; there are new Medicare Advantage Plans (called Medicare Part C) available in Kentucky as well. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky’s Medicare Advantage Plans provide a range of coverage options for Part A, Part B and Part D benefits.
Medicare beneficiaries in Kentucky will have a choice of two of Anthem’s Medicare Advantage PPOs: Blue Medicare Access and Anthem Medicare Preferred. The Kentucky Medicare beneficiaries who live in Lexington, Paducah, Bowling Green and Louisville will also have a Medicare Advantage HMO from which to select, called Anthem Senior Advantage.
In Indiana:
Medicare beneficiaries in Indiana will have a choice of two of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana’s Medicare Advantage PPO’s: Blue Medicare Access and Anthem Medicare Preferred. The Indiana Medicare Beneficiaries who live in southern Indiana, close to Louisville, Kentucky, will also have a Medicare Advantage HMO, Anthem Senior Advantage, from which to select.
Blue Medicare Access is offered in every county in the State of Indiana and Anthem Medicare Preferred is offered in counties surrounding Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend and the Southern Indiana counties of Clark, Floyd and Harrison. Anthem Senior Advantage is offered in the Southern Indiana counties of Clark, Floyd and Harrison.
In Ohio:
There are new Medicare Advantage Plans (called Medicare Part C) available in Ohio as well. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio’s Medicare Advantage Plans provide a total coverage option for Part A, Part B and Part D benefits. Medicare beneficiaries in Ohio will have a choice of two of Anthem’s Medicare Advantage PPO’s: Blue Medicare Access and Anthem Medicare Preferred, as well as Anthem’s Medicare Advantage HMO, called Anthem Senior Advantage.
Ohio Blue Medicare Access is offered in every county in Ohio and Anthem Medicare Preferred and Anthem Senior Advantage are offered in counties surrounding Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Youngstown, Columbus, Toledo, Dayton and Cincinnati areas.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio are subsidiaries of WellPoint, Inc. . WellPoint, Inc. is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and serves its members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through HealthLink and UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at http://www.wellpoint.com .
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
CONTACT: Indiana, Tony Felts, +1-317-287-6036, tony.felts@anthem.com ,Kentucky, Christi Lanier-Robinson, +1-502-889-3167,christi.robinson@anthem.com , Northern Ohio, Chip Palazzo, +1-216-643-0101,chip.palazzo@anthem.com , or Southern Ohio, Kim Ashley, +1-513-682-8863,kim.ashley@anthem.com , all of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Web site: http://www.wellpoint.com/
