Name of Manual - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

Health Care Options
Platinum Blue SM (Cost) Blue Cross has made a commitment to offer a broader variety of
Medicare products to eligible Minnesota Medicare beneficiaries. In
mid-2005, Blue Cross introduced its Medicare Cost product,
VantageBlue, statewide. Effective January 1, 2010, VantageBlue
was renamed Platinum Blue and offered three plan options.
Platinum Blue is an open access product for Medicare
beneficiaries who are residents of Minnesota, offered through a
contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS).
Members can chose from three different medical benefits plan
options:
• Core
• Choice
• Complete
Platinum Blue is also offered to employer groups. There are three
options for employer groups: Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C. All
individual and employer group options provide coverage for
Medicare eligible services with expanded coverage levels and
additional benefits. Members who have only Medicare Part B
coverage will not receive any plan coverage for Medicare Part A
services.
The Core option requires copays for inpatient hospital, inpatient
mental health care, urgently needed care and emergency room
visits, but requires 20 percent coinsurance for many other services
covered.
The Choice option also requires $50 to $100 copays for inpatient
hospital care, inpatient mental health care, urgently needed care
and emergency room visits, as well as $10 copays for many other
services. Some benefits require coinsurance.
The Complete option offers the most comprehensive coverage,
having all the benefits of the Core and Choice options but
generally at $0 copay. A few benefits require 20 percent
coinsurance.
All individual and group plan options include travel coverage (innetwork
benefit levels when traveling in the United States, but
outside of Minnesota), health and wellness education, and a fitness
program. The Choice and Complete individual and Plan A, Plan B
and Plan C group plan options also include benefits for hearing
aids and fittings and vision exams and eyewear.
5-12 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Provider Policy and Procedure Manual (12/27/10)