why senior gold? - Minnesota Health Insurance Network

FREEDOM TO BE HEALTHY.
CHOOSE SENIOR GOLD TODAY.
2013
Senior Gold sm (Medicare supplement) Enrollment Kit
S5743_082912_K05_MN CMS Accepted 09/03/2012

MEDICAL BENEFITS
YOU CAN DEPEND ON.
Senior Gold, a Medicare supplement plan from Blue Cross and Blue Shield
of Minnesota, helps you pay for expenses Original Medicare doesn’t
cover. With Senior Gold, you have choices. When you select all the
coverage options, you’ll have the most comprehensive plan that begins
right away and covers all deductibles, copayments or coinsurance for
Medicare-eligible services and supplies. Senior Gold has key features to
help you lead your healthiest life.
➜➜
Have peace of mind. Rest assured knowing your benefits will never
change from year to year.
➜➜
Catch the travel bug. Travel or live anywhere in the United States and
receive coverage from any provider who accepts Medicare. Senior Gold
is also portable, so take it with you if you spend significant time in
another state, or move out of Minnesota entirely.
➜➜
Get easy access to care. Our extensive provider network means you
can see providers who accept Medicare in Minnesota and anywhere in
the United States, with no referrals needed. You also receive worldwide
emergency coverage.
WHY SENIOR GOLD?
➜➜
Portable — take Senior Gold
with you when you move
➜➜
Dependable — your benefits
never change
➜➜
Reputable — Minnesota’s
most popular Medicare
supplement plan
CHOOSE THE AMOUNT OF COVERAGE YOU WANT
Senior Gold provides a basic level of health care coverage, and you
can add optional coverage to get the most comprehensive plan.
OPTION 1
OPTION 2
OPTION 3
PREVENTIVE
Covers Medicare
Part A inpatient
hospital deductible
Covers Medicare
Part B annual
deductible
Covers 100 percent of
eligible medical expenses
and supplies not covered by
Medicare Part B that exceed
Medicare-approved charges
Covers hearing and
vision screenings
not covered by
Original Medicare
1

SAVE TODAY
FOR A
HEALTHIER
TOMORROW.
We want our members to make the most of their health plan. With
Senior Gold, you can keep your health and wellness a priority by taking
advantage of additional services and discounts available to you.
These include:
➜➜A fitness discount with a $20 credit toward your monthly health
club fees when you exercise at a participating fitness center at
least 12 times per month
➜➜
Weight management program discount
➜➜
Eyewear and hearing aid discounts
➜➜
Health Guides to answer benefit questions, help you find a
provider and more
➜➜
Complementary care discounts for acupuncture, massage and
health and wellness products
LOOKING FOR PRESCRIPTION
DRUG COVERAGE?
Consider MedicareBlue SM Rx (PDP),
a stand-alone prescription drug
plan with a Medicare contract.
You can pair Senior Gold with
any stand-alone Medicare
prescription drug plan.
HEALTH KNOWLEDGE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
All Senior Gold members have access to a personalized online
member center at myBlueCrossmn.com. Once logged in
you can:
➜➜
Track claim status
➜➜
Search for a provider in your network
➜➜
Compare provider cost and quality information
➜➜Access online health and wellness resources
2

NAVIGATING MEDICARE
WHAT IS A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLAN?
A Medicare supplement plan, sometimes called a
Medigap or Medicare Select plan, is offered by a
private health plan to supplement Original Medicare.
Medicare supplement plans help pay the copayments,
coinsurance and deductibles not covered by Original
Medicare. You choose how much coverage you want.
With Senior Gold, Medicare will approve and pay for
Medicare-covered health care services and then your
plan will help pay the remaining costs. Many Medicare
supplement plans also offer additional benefits and
features to help you lead your healthiest life.
WHAT IS ORIGINAL MEDICARE?
Original Medicare is a health insurance program
for people age 65 and older and those with certain
disabilities, including permanent kidney failure.
Established in 1965, Medicare is administered by
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an
agency of the U.S. federal government.
Medicare Part A is hospital insurance that helps pay for
inpatient care in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.
Medicare Part B is medical insurance that helps pay
for doctor visits, certain preventive screenings and
services, physicians’ services, lab tests, durable medical
equipment and outpatient hospital treatment.
AM I ELIGIBLE FOR SENIOR GOLD?
You must be a resident of Minnesota to apply for Senior
Gold. You must also be entitled to Medicare Part A
and enrolled in Medicare Part B. If you apply during
your Medicare supplement open enrollment period,
you do not need to answer health questions on your
application. This open enrollment period begins on
the day your Part B coverage starts and continues for
six months.
You can apply for Senior Gold at any time throughout
the year. You may also be eligible to apply after your
open enrollment period has expired, without providing
a health history in certain circumstances. Contact
your local licensed agent or a Blue Cross Medicare sales
consultant for more details.
3

READY TO
ENROLL?
➜➜
Review the enclosed Choosing a Medigap Policy and
Summary of Coverage and Disclosure of Information to
make sure Senior Gold is the right plan for you.
➜➜
Complete the enclosed Insurance Suitability,
Medicare Supplement/Medicare Select Plan Application
for Coverage and automatic payment (optional) forms.
Or visit bluecrossmn.com/medicare for electronic forms
or to enroll online.
➜➜
Return your completed forms and automatic payment
form using the postage-paid envelope. If you choose
not to enroll in automatic payment, do not include this
form in the envelope.
➜➜You can also enroll over the telephone at 1-877-662-2583
(TTY users call 711) and ask to speak with a sales
consultant, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time, daily.
4

QUESTIONS? NEED MORE
INFORMATION?
Contact a Blue Cross Medicare
consultant or your local
licensed agent.
1-877-662-2583
TTY 711
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time, daily
bluecrossmn.com/medicare
1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
TTY 1-877-486-2048
24 hours a day/7 days a week
medicare.gov

luecrossmn.com/medicare
SM
FOR THE HEALTH OF ALL.
We’re a health company that stands for the health of all. That means
going beyond providing health coverage to deeply investing in
programs and initiatives that build healthy cultures at home, at work
and in the community — not just for our members but for everyone.
Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota and Blue Plus® are nonprofit independent licensees
of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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