Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH) is set to expand the northwest suburban system’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BC/BS) coverage to include “Medicare Select Plan F. “ ( NCH also accepts the new BC/BS Medicare Advantage plan.). The change goes into effect on January 1, 2013.
In the Medicare Select plan, seniors pay 15-20% less in premiums than in the standard BC/BS Medicare supplemental insurance plan. They receive their healthcare services from providers in a defined network of hospitals within a geographic area. Hospitals in the Medicare Select network waive the deductible on inpatient admissions. BC/BS also explains on their website (www.bcbsil.com): “Medicare Select is not an HMO. With Medicare Select, you are fully covered for emergency care at any hospital, and you can choose your own doctors and specialists.”
This plan not only benefits seniors for inpatient hospital care, but also provides them access to NCH physicians and other healthcare service providers in the NCH System, such as lab, home health, rehabilitation services, and diagnostic imaging.
According to Stephen Scogna, Chief Operating Officer at NCH, “We are very pleased to be able to enhance and further strengthen our support of seniors in our community by offering this additional Medicare Select plan option. This plan makes coverage affordable to many seniors who may otherwise not be able to afford supplemental insurance.”
NCH offers many other preventive care and wellness programs for seniors. NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) acknowledged NCH’s alignment with the needs of the community’s older adult population by recently awarding the hospital their “Senior Friendly” designation.
Seniors interested in more information on NCH’s Medicare Select Plan F option should call the toll free number for Blue Cross/Blue Shield: 800.646.3000
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