Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Offers Tips for Choosing a Medicare Plan
Only one week left in Annual Enrollment Period

BATON ROUGE, La. – BATON ROUGE –  For Medicare-eligible Louisianians, there’s still time to sign up for Medicare Advantage (MA) coverage. The Annual Enrollment Period ends on Thursday, Dec. 7. Coverage on the plan you choose will start Jan. 1, 2024. 

For those still seeking coverage, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana offers the following tips on choosing a plan:

Know your Medicare options
With Original Medicare (Parts A and B), you get coverage for hospital care, doctor visits, skilled nursing facility care, home healthcare services and preventive services.

Original Medicare doesn’t cover all of your healthcare expenses, leaving you responsible for about 20 percent of your costs. It also doesn’t include prescription drug coverage (Part D), which you can buy separately.

With Medicare Advantage (Part C), you get Parts A and B, plus extra benefits. These plans are offered through private insurance companies.

Consider Medicare Advantage
If you are looking for an all-in-one plan with extra benefits, Medicare Advantage might be right for you. Depending on the plan you choose, you could get a fitness center membership, plus vision, hearing and dental services. Some MA plans even include prescription drug coverage.

You will still need to pay your Medicare Part B premium, but the good news is that MA plans have low or $0 monthly premiums. You really can get more for less!

Don’t go it alone. Ask for help.
Blue Cross Medicare experts are available by phone to answer questions and help beneficiaries find a plan that best meets their needs. It doesn’t cost anything to work with an agent, and there is no obligation to enroll.

To learn more about Medicare and Blue Cross plan options, or to connect with an agent, visit www.bcbslaplan.com/medicare or call 1-800-568-1417 (TTY 711), 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week.

Medicare beneficiaries are also encouraged to use the following resources to learn more about Medicare:

Medicare Made Easy Virtual Educational Events

Blue Cross hosts a Medicare Made Easy broadcast series where beneficiaries can get their healthcare coverage questions answered by Medicare experts.

All Medicare Made Easy educational events take place on Blue Cross’ Facebook page. Visit http://www.facebook.com/bcbsla for more details or to see recordings of past broadcasts.

Questions can be posted before, during or after the event. Check the Facebook page regularly for updates about this series. You can RSVP for the events or share them from your personal Facebook page. 

You can connect with Blue Cross on social media @BCBSLA for updates about online educational events, health tips and more. Blue Cross posts often on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok. 

Medicare 101 and Enrollment Tips Videos

Blue Cross’ Medicare Made Easy YouTube playlist features short videos from in-house experts, including a Medicare 101 video (5:20) that explains the different parts of Medicare and what to consider when picking a plan. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana YouTube channel also has videos about various health topics from Blue Cross’ clinical team, including doctors, nurses, social workers and pharmacists. You also can see recordings of past Medicare Made Easy educational events on the YouTube channel. Subscribe to know when new videos are added. 

Protect Yourself from Fraud 

Unfortunately, enrollment season is a time when fraud and scams increase. Be alert and be suspicious whenever anyone asks you for your personal, financial or health information – especially if it’s unexpected. In this video (6:58), Blue Cross Special Investigations Manager Kandyce Cowart explains why she wants people to learn to be rude, all in an effort to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. 

If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud or were approached by a scammer, report it immediately. Blue Cross customers can contact the insurer’s Fraud Hotline at 1-800-392-9249.


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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Blue Advantage from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Blue Advantage from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is a PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in either Blue Advantage plan depends on contract renewal.