Blue Shield of California recently launched a new Medicare Supplement with added benefits for certain eligible geographic areas.
If you’ve ever had car troubles and gotten stuck somewhere, you know what a disaster it can be.
First, there’s the wasted time.
Next, there is the lost opportunity cost of missing your important events
Utilizing the power and leverage of millions of members Blue Shield of California now offers the ability to bundle award winning AAA Inc. national roadside assistance with your Blue Shield of CA Medicare Supplement.
Savings, for one my friend. Since the Blue Shield membership is in the millions of people we are able to offer AAA roadside service at a discounted rates.
Second, you have the convenience of knowing your AAA roadside service will always be active when car trouble occurs, and you need it because you’re certainly not going to cancel your health insurance.
What exactly do you get with the AAA piece bundled on PLAN G INSPIRE Medicare Supplement?
Nothing bad ever happens to you right?
Sooner or later we all have a car break down on us, and that's always unfortunate.
Luckily, Blue Shield now bundles the leading California roadside assistance from a name we all know in the insurance business: AAA Inc.
HEARING TESTING & HEARING AID COVERAGE
Educational Resources- AAA offers a website resource filled with a library of information and good advice, all in the notion of keeping you safe on the roads.
For example, there is a great section concerning medications, and information surrounding how specific prescriptions you may be taking may effect your driving.*
AAA Roadwise Driver- an educational course designed to help you fine tune your driving skills, not for the NASCAR track but just some simple training education to make your driving safer.
Is that all PLAN G INSPIRE comes with? Hardly friend… they're just getting started.
PLAN G INSPIRE also includes other additional benefits not covered by Medicare added to the plan beyond the AAA roadside assistance.
In addition California G Supplement Inspire members will also get:
Getting a little older and having a hard time hearing? What, I can't hear you??!
Kidding aside, strangely enough a lot of Original Medicare does not cover hearing loss including coverage for exams and testing, as well as hearing aid devices as well.
When you become a senior citizen you’ve reached the age when you need hearing coverage the most!
*keep in mind this is just educational information about your medications and how they may effect your driving, it is not medical advice.
Hearing Aids have come along so far.
That's not your father's hearing aid!
Along with Blue Shield alternate G Plan Medicare Supplements which also include Hearing Aid coverage, G Extra & G Innovative (available only in select zip codes) G Inspire Medicare Supplement includes the same multi option hearing consultation, testing, and hearing aid insurance coverage.
This hearing aid coverage is provided by Blue Shield and is NOT included in Original Medicare!
What about Over The Counter 'OTC' medications? Can I get any help with retail over the counter costs which Medicare does not cover?
Great news here!
Blue Shield's G Inspire brings $100 allowance per month for over the counter pharmacy.
You can find eligible OTC items on the Blue Shield website here.
Can you just use your Blue Shield id card at any retail pharmacy for OTC items?
No, the allowance is not available for use everywhere. To purchase over the counter items on the Blue Shield Inspire G Supplement you must login to your member account and place orders via the Blue Shield catalog.
Are OTC allowance funds usable towards Medicare expenses?
No, they are not. Remember, this OTC allowance is not part of Medicare Part B or Part D RX coverage. If you purchase an item which is covered by either of these plans, you would bill your insurance plan and cannot use your OTC allowance to pay for the item.
BLUE SHIELD INSPIRE MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT
What type of over the counter items will it help with? Is it even useful?
Only if you consider go to products including vitamins, cold medicine, and band-aids useful.
Blue Shield of California recently launched a new Medicare Supplement with added benefits for certain eligible geographic areas.
If you’ve ever had car troubles and gotten stuck somewhere you know what a disaster it can be.
First there’s the wasted time.
Next, there is the lost opportunity cost of missing your important events
Utilizing the power and leverage of millions of members Blue Shield of California now offers the ability to bundle AAA roadside auto service with your Medicare Supplement.
Why do this?
Savings, for one. Since the Blue Shield membership is in the millions of people we are able to offer AAA roadside service at a discounted rates.
Second, you have the convenience of knowing your AAA roadside service will always be active when car trouble occurs, and you need it because you’re certainly not going to cancel your health insurance.
What exactly do you get with the AAA piece bundled on PLAN G INSPIRE Medicare Supplement?
Nothing bad ever happens to you right?
Sooner or later we all have a car break down on us, and that's always unfortunate.
Luckily, Blue Shield now bundles the leading California roadside assistance from a name we all know in the insurance business: AAA Inc.
Educational Resources- AAA offers a website resource filled with a library of information and good advice, all in the notion of keeping you safe on the roads.
For example, there is a great section concerning medications, and information surrounding how specific prescriptions you may be taking may effect your driving.*
AAA Roadwise Driver- an educational course designed to help you fine tune your driving skills, not for the NASCAR track but just some simple training education to make your driving safer.
Is that all PLAN G INSPIRE comes with? Hardly friend…we're just getting started.
PLAN G INSPIRE also includes other additional benefits not covered by Medicare added to the plan beyond the AAA roadside assistance.
In addition California G Supplement Inspire members will also get:
Blue Shield is proud to offer VSP Vision plan coverage included with the PLAN G Medicare Supplement.
VSP offers one of the largest network of Vision care contracted providers in the nation.
When visiting a VSP contracted doctor or retail facility you will receive savings on services such as office visit consultations, vision exams, glasses, frames, contacts, & lenses.
What does the VSP plan cover?
Blue Shield’s G Plan INSPIRE VSP offering brochure can be viewed here: G Inspire But, some examples of the mainstay items included within the VSP vision coverage are:
‘In- network’ contact lenses every 12 months: $120 allowance
‘In-network’ frames every 24 months: $100 allowance
‘In-network’ comprehensive eye exam once every 12 months: $20 co-pay
SILVER SNEAKERS GYM ACCESS PROGRAM
Blue Shield of CA G Inspire plan like many other premier Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans includes the award winning Silver Sneakers gym membership program.
Full Silver Sneakers plan brochure is located here Silver Sneakers.
What's included in Blue Shield's Silver Sneakers bundle? Only the most amazing health exercise benefits including:
-15,000+ location facility access
-exercise classes for all capabilities and experience levels
-health and nutrition tips and exercise videos through Silver Sneakers On-Demand TM.
Is Silver Sneakers any good? How do you know?
Here's how! 88% of Silver Sneaker who consistently completed the program and system say it improved their life.
Ok, sounds pretty good right. But what does it cost??
That's the best part!
WHAT DOCTORS ACCEPT THE G INSPIRE MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT?
"If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor." Sounds familiar? In this case it's actually most likely true.
The G Inspire Medicare Supplement plan utilizes the Original Medicare provider network, which is the largest medical provider network in the United States. Roughly 97% of medical providers accept the Original Medicare plan.
Take a quick look at the Medicare Supplement directory search here.
DISCOUNT PRICING
More great news! Blue Shield of California offers a variety of discounts available to certain members.
Here's what is available.
- $25 discount off monthly premiums for applicants 'new to Medicare' recipients for the 1st year of enrollment
- $7 monthly household discount for 2 spouses enrolling on the exact same plans
- $3 per month auto-draft e pay enrollment
Play your cards right and you can take advantage of all of them.. that's a total of $35 per month in monthly first year premium savings, or $420 for the year.
AVAILABILITY
Is Blue Shield G Inspire Medicare Supplement available everywhere? Why don't I see quotes online in my area?
Currently Blue Shield offers G Inspire plan in select Northern California counties.
Contact Us to to see what alternatives Blue Shield has in your county such as Blue Shield's G Extra, G Standard or Medicare Advantage plans.
When can you apply?
Original Medicare eligible enrollees can apply any month of the year, but potentially face medical underwriting. Medicare Advantage enrollees have the opportunity to disenroll once a year during the disenrollment period & AEP.
WHERE IS THE G INSPIRE MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT AVAILABLE?
If you live in Southern California and don't see the plan available in quoting engines online, that's because it's not available in your area.
G Inspire Medicare Supplement is available only in these California counties currently:
(alphabetically)
Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba respectively.
WHAT IF I'M ENROLLED IN ANOTHER MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT ALREADY?
No problem whatsoever!
You can apply any month of the year and may be approved with simple medical underwriting.
Or, if you have health conditions California offers the Birthday Rule where a current Original Medicare + Supplement enrollee can switch to the same plan level or below without any medical underwriting.
CONTACT US if you'd like submit an application emailed, mail, phone, or online.
For a a brochure of the G Inspire Medicare Supplement additional coverage details download G Inspire.
Is there any else missing?
Yes, and thanks for asking. G Inspire includes FREE Teledoc Physician consultation by Phone or Video. Yes, FREE.
Why is this a good thing. For one, there's no waiting in emergency rooms or Physician Office check in rooms full of sick people.
That way if you're really sick and can't afford to get sicker, or healthy and don't want to get sick you can stay home safely during your Teledoc visit, all at no charge.
Better service, more convenient, less costly.