Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Minnesota Receives Medicare Drug Contract

Published: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 - 22:00

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Minnesota was recently awarded a contract with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to offer Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage through its Northern Plains Alliance, a group of six Blue Cross plans throughout the upper Midwest. It will extend drug coverage to all of Minnesota’s 700,000 seniors and others covered by Medicare. The stand-alone Part D plan, called MedicareBlue Rx, will offer several options, starting at $13.58 per month. “We’re all aware of the toll rising prescription drug costs have on our physical, financial and emotional security, especially for people on fixed incomes,” says Deborah Madson, Blue Cross vice president of government programs. “That’s why bringing coverage for prescription drugs into the scope of the Medicare program is such great news. It completes the full range of coverage options available, not just for our members, but for all Minnesotans with Medicare.”

The plan allows people with Medicare to add drug coverage alongside their Medicare Parts A and B, or Medicare Supplement coverage. Those who have supplemental Medicare and drug coverage can switch their drug coverage to a Part D plan while keeping their existing plan to fill in the gaps in Medicare Part A and B. Because the federal government pays for most of Plan D’s costs, there will be Part D options that actually offer more coverage for lower monthly premiums than the drug coverage options currently available.

For more information, visit www.bluecrossmn.com.

About The Author