LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Anthem) is planning to submit a request to expand its current Medicare Advantage Service area into additional counties within Kentucky. Development of the application is underway with an expected submission of January 2005.
Anthem plans to submit applications to offer its Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO products in Fayette, McCracken, Warren and Madison counties. Anthem already offers Medicare Advantage plans in Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Jefferson, Oldham, and Bullitt counties.
“In Kentucky, we should celebrate our 65th birthdays by receiving enhanced health insurance options,” said Mike Lorch, Vice President, Health Care Management for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky. “We think people will recognize the value of the Anthem product and the convenience of one-stop-shopping for their total coverage package.”
Anthem offers Anthem Senior Advantage, a Medicare Advantage HMO product, in six Kentucky counties to Medicare-eligible Kentuckians over 65 and those under 65 who are eligible for Medicare through disability. Anthem Medicare Preferred is a Medicare Advantage Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) available in the Cincinnati and northern Kentucky (Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties) areas.
In general, Medicare Advantage plans tend to provide members benefits that exceed original Medicare coverage. Prescription drug coverage, for example, offers annual out of pocket costs that are less than what would be expected in fee-for-service Medicare. Also, members in Medicare Advantage Plans are eligible for Anthem’s Medicare-approved Drug Discount Card Program.
Anthem’s mission is to improve the health of the people it serves. The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies provide health care benefits to more than 12.7 million people. They are subsidiaries of Anthem, Inc. ; all are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Anthem is the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Colorado, Nevada, Maine and Virginia, excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. More information about Anthem is available at http://www.anthem.com/ .
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
CONTACT: Chip Palazzo of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield,+1-216-643-0101
Web site: http://www.anthem.com/