Commercial prescription drug plans will have out-of-pocket maximum when paired with Medicare supplement products

Effective Jan. 1, 2017, group members with commercial prescription drug plans will have a $7,150 out-of-pocket maximum applied to their plans when they’re paired with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Medicare supplement products or BCN 65. Members who reach their out-of-pocket maximum will have their prescription drugs covered in full for the rest of their plan year.

The new out-of-pocket maximum applies only to prescription coverage. The change doesn’t apply to grandfathered or retiree-only groups.

Keep the following in mind:

• A Blue Cross Medicare supplement plan is a commercial PPO product that is secondary to Medicare. It can be paired with a commercial prescription drug plan.

• BCN 65 is a commercial HMO product that is secondary to Medicare. BCN 65 covers Medicare copayments, coinsurance and deductibles, and provides some additional benefits such as preventive care.