Medicare Cost Plan changes for 2019

Due to a change in federal law, Cost Plans will not be renewed in counties that have at least two competing Medicare Advantage plans in their service areas, and a minimum specified number of members. This includes any type of Cost Plan offered by all health insurance companies.

There are 21 counties where Medicare Cost Plans will NOT be affected. Those include: Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Goodhue, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Le Sueur, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Pine, Pipestone, Rice, Rock, Sibley, St. Louis, Stevens, Traverse and Yellow Medicine.
If you live in any other Minnesota county and currently are enrolled in a Cost Plan, you will need to enroll in new Medicare coverage for 2019. See the map.

In Minnesota, there are only three insurers who offer Cost Plans – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, HealthPartners and Medica. The specific Cost Plan names are as follows:

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

• Platinum Blue Choice Plan
• Platinum Blue Choice Plan with Rx
• Platinum Blue Complete Plan
• Platinum Blue Complete Plan with Rx
• Platinum Blue Core Plan
• Platinum Blue Core Plan with Rx

HealthPartners

• Freedom Active
• Freedom Active with Rx
• Freedom Balance
• Freedom Balance with Rx
• Freedom Basic
• Freedom Ultimate
• Freedom Ultimate with Enhanced Rx
• Freedom Ultimate with Rx
• Freedom Vital
• Freedom Vital with Rx

Medica

• Prime Solution Basic
• Prime Solution Basic with Rx
• Prime Solution Basic with Rx2
• Prime Solution Enhanced
• Prime Solution Enhanced with Rx
• Prime Solution Enhanced with Rx2
• Prime Solution Thrift
• Prime Solution Thrift with Rx
• Prime Solution Value
• Prime Solution Value with Rx
• Prime Solution Value with Rx2

You don’t need to do anything to keep your Cost Plan.

You can either stay enrolled in this new plan, or choose to enroll in a different plan.

You will need to enroll in a new plan.

You will be automatically return to Medicare Original (Parts A and B only) on Jan. 1, 2019.

• Nov. 2, 2018-Mar. 5, 2019 – Seniors who lost their Cost Plans and switched to Original Medicare can buy Medicare Supplement coverage.
• Dec. 8, 2018-Feb. 28, 2019 – Special enrollment period for seniors who lost their Cost Plan
• Jan. 1-Mar. 31, 2019 – New Medicare Advantage enrollment period for all seniors enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. They can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare Part A and B.
• Mar. 1, 2019 – New Medicare plan coverage starts (if you enroll in February)