Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri: Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plans

Medicare supplemental insurance plans, also known as Medigap plans, are designed to fill in the coverage gaps left by the Original Medicare Plan (Medicare Parts A and B). Medigap policies in Missouri, labeled by letters A through L, are federally legislated and ‘standardized’, meaning that any Medigap policy that you find through one company will offer the exact same benefits as the same letter policy at a different Missouri insurer – for example, Medigap Plan A at company X provides the same benefits as Plan A at company Y, provided both are in the state of Missouri.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the largest and most established Medigap insurance company in Missouri. They offer six Medicare supplemental insurance plans for senior residents: plans A, B, C, D, F, and SmartChoice High-Deductible Plan F. SmartChoice High-Deductible Plan F offers identical benefits as the regular – and very popular – Medigap Plan F. The single difference is the annual deductible amount required by SmartChoice Plan F, which was $1,900 in 2008, and is offset by a lower monthly premium.

The Medicare supplemental insurance plans offered by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri are referred to as SmartChoice Preferred Plans. All SmartChoice Preferred Plans offer exclusive benefits in addition to those provided in the Medigap plans themselves, including coverage of basic vision care, office visits, and Medicare-approved chiropractic services, before meeting the annual deductible. Additional benefits such as these are offered by few Medicare supplemental insurance companies, and should be taken into consideration when choosing your Medigap insurer and policy.

Senior residents of Missouri also enjoy the following benefits when enrolling in a Medigap policy with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri:

• High-quality customer service by an established, trusted company
• Immediate coverage of pre-existing conditions. It’s possible that you’ll be required to wait up to six months for this coverage with certain insurers.
• Claims are filed automatically for you by your health care provider.
• You have the freedom to choose any doctor, hospital or health care provider you prefer.