Highmark Medicare products make care more affordable - Pittsburgh

• Introducing a brand new $0 premium plan, Together Blue Medicare HMO, with great coverage centered around the Allegheny Health Network
• Introducing a brand new $0 premium plan designed specifically for our nation’s veterans – Freedom Blue PPO Valor
• Redesigning Community Blue Medicare HMO Prestige – now a $50 premium plan for those members looking to minimize out-of-pocket costs for care
• Added value for current Highmark members with lower copays and expanded supplemental benefits, including increased dental and over-the-counter allowances on many plans
• Lowering premiums for the 5th year in a row for Security Blue HMO-POS and Freedom Blue PPO members
• Waiving in-patient COVID related cost-sharing for the third year in a row
• Locally based Medicare Advisors to guide shoppers through plan selection and enrollment and answer any questions

PITTSBURGH (October 1, 2022) – Highmark has announced plan enhancements that will provide more value to Medicare members with lower premiums and copays, expanded supplemental benefits, and the introduction of new Medicare Advantage products to ensure a portfolio of plans that meets the needs of Western Pennsylvania consumers.

“When we began planning for our 2023 Medicare products, we looked at ways to make enhancements that help make high-quality care more affordable for Western Pennsylvania seniors,” said Alexis Miller, President, Government Business.  “All of our plans offer $0 PCP visits and many offer $0 labs, and we have lowered copays for specialists and physical therapists on many plans to make it more affordable to access high-quality care.”   

Continued commitment to affordability
Highmark recognizes that the right Medicare Advantage plan is affordable both when you are healthy and when you need to access more care.  “We are adding two new $0 premium products that are a great value,” said Ellen Galardy, senior vice president of Highmark Medicare & ACA Markets.  “Whether someone is looking for one of our most popular plans like Community Blue Medicare or Complete Blue PPO or one of the brand-new $0 options, we’re confident that one of our local Medicare experts can help shoppers find a plan that fits both their budget and their healthcare needs.”

In addition to product improvements designed to make access to care easier and more affordable, Highmark offers many additional benefits and tools that make it easier for our members to stay engaged with their health and manage chronic conditions.

“We recognize how important it is for our senior members to have affordable access to their prescriptions,” said Galardy. “This year we are enhancing our prescription drug benefits on many plans by lowering copays, which will help our members to fill their prescriptions at a lower out-of-pocket cost.”

Highmark enrollees can also continue to expect robust supplemental benefits that go beyond original Medicare to ensure they have access to the products and services they need to stay healthy. Highmark plans include dental, vision, and hearing coverage, and some plans also offer free transportation to medical appointments, allowances for over-the-counter items, and free home-delivered meals following an inpatient hospital stay.

2023 Medicare Advantage products
Tim Clouse, vice president of Highmark Medicare & ACA Sales, recognizes the growing popularity of Medicare Advantage plans.  “Each year, more and more seniors in Western Pennsylvania choose a Medicare Advantage plan," said Clouse.  “These plans offer premiums as low as $0 and include valuable supplemental benefits like dental and vision coverage.  And seniors in Medicare Advantage plans are more likely to get preventive care, which is key to staying healthy.”

In 2023, Highmark will provide more value to Medicare members with lower premiums and copays and expanded supplemental benefits.  Highmark will also launch two new plans to create a portfolio that better meets the needs of all seniors – a $0 PPO designed with our nation’s veterans in mind, and a $0 HMO built around Allegheny Health Network.  In addition, Community Blue Medicare Prestige HMO is being significantly enhanced, with a $50 premium and $0 copays for the most-used professional services.

Centered around the Allegheny Health Network, Highmark’s new Together Blue Medicare HMO Signature is a $0 premium plan that comes with market-leading copays on many services, as well as exclusive access to the Together Connect Team – a specialized customer service team that can help members find doctors, schedule appointments, explain plan details and connect them with in-network providers.  This plan also puts some money back in members’ Social Security checks with a monthly $24 Part B giveback.  In 2023, Together Blue Medicare HMO Signature will be offered in Allegheny, Butler, Erie, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.

The new Freedom Blue PPO Valor is a $0 premium plan with a $60 monthly Part B giveback that is designed to supplement the medical and drug coverage our nation’s veterans already receive through the VA.  Not only does this plan offer $0 in-network primary care and $10 specialist visits, but also includes $5 copays for mental health visits and generous supplemental benefits, including $0 dental exams and x-rays. 

“We wanted to honor our veterans by making sure we have an option for a great Medicare Advantage plan that complements the coverage they receive through the VA. Plus, many of our $0 plans also offer enhanced supplemental benefits, including vision, comprehensive dental, hearing, and allowances for over-the-counter items.” said Clouse.

The Community Blue Medicare HMO Prestige plan now has a $50 premium and offers $0 copays on primary care visits, specialist visits, and labs, as well as some of the lowest copays Highmark has to offer on outpatient services. This plan is ideal for those members who are looking to minimize out-of-pocket costs when they receive care from a network of high-quality local providers. It continues to feature lower copayments for prescription drugs and generous supplemental allowances for dental and over-the-counter products.

For those consumers that want broad network access to affordable care, Highmark has made enhancements to its $25 premium plan, Complete Blue PPO Distinct.  This plan includes $10 specialist copays and $5 physical therapy copays, new $0 preventive dental exams and x-rays, as well as allowances for comprehensive dental and over-the-counter products.  Not only does this plan provide access to Allegheny Health Network, UPMC, and community hospitals, but most in-network copays will be the same as out-of-network copays to make sure costs are predictable for our members. 

Complete Blue PPO Signature also provides access to Allegheny Health Network, UPMC, and community hospitals with a $0 monthly premium.  This plan features $0 PCP and lab copays, plus reduced copays for specialists and physical therapy.  In addition, it includes dental and over-the-counter allowances.

The $0 premium Community Blue Medicare HMO Signature plan, Highmark’s most popular plan in western Pennsylvania, offers affordable access to AHN doctors and hospitals.  This plan also offers $0 PCP copays, $0 preferred generic prescriptions at preferred pharmacies, and reduced copayments for retail prescriptions, and lots of supplemental benefits.

The Security Blue HMO-POS and Freedom Blue PPO plans benefit from lower premiums for the fifth year in a row, reduced urgent care and advanced imaging copays on many plans, plus valuable features to help members recover from serious illness like our post-discharge meal delivery service.

In addition to Medicare Advantage plans, Highmark offers a wide range of Medigap Blue supplemental products to ensure that everyone can find the right Highmark Medicare plan for them.  Medigap Blue lowers members’ out of pocket costs for services covered under Medicare Part A and Part B, and offers the freedom and flexibility to see any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare. Additionally, members of Highmark Medigap Blue plans have exclusive access to the Whole Health Balance program, which provides extra coverage for hearing aids, vision, dental and fitness.  Highmark also offers standalone Blue Rx PDP prescription drug plans.

For additional information, you can visit any of Highmark’s local Highmark Direct stores to discuss coverage options face-to-face with a personal Medicare advisor.  Hours and additional information is available at HighmarkDirect.com. Highmark Direct stores in the Pittsburgh area are located at:

1. Monroeville - 4008 William Penn Highway.  412-744-2428
2. North Fayette - 218 Summit Park Drive.  412-871-4345
3. North Hills - 4885 McKnight Road.  412-971-4233
4. South Hills – 1775 North Highland Road.  724-782-4965

Additionally, individuals can call a Medicare expert at 1-800-318-1487.  Information and pricing are also available at Medicare.highmark.com.