Medicare Blog

can i go to a workoit facility when having medicare and blue cross federal

by Prof. Ellis Kulas Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Gym memberships & fitness programs
You pay 100% for non-covered services, including gym memberships and fitness programs. Gym memberships or fitness programs may be part of the extra coverage offered by Medicare Advantage Plans, other Medicare health plans, or Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) plans.

Which Blue Cross Plans offer Medicare Part B reimbursement?

And as I mentioned previously, Blue Cross Basic is the only Blue Cross plan that offers a medicare part B reimbursement out of the Blue Cross plans. Blue Cross Standard does not offer a part B reimbursement even though it is the most expensive Blue Cross plan. For 2022, Blue Cross Basic offers a $800/person/year Medicare part B reimbursement.

Should federal employees get Medicare Parts A and B?

But long-story short, for most federal employees, it makes sense to get on Medicare parts A and B while keeping your federal insurance as well. And while part A is free, part B is not. In 2022, the lowest premiums for Medicare part B is $170.10/month per person

Are you eligible for Blue Cross health insurance reimbursement?

However, the reimbursement only applies to certain Blue Cross companies and plans, so you’ll need to log into your Blue Cross account or call a representative to see for sure whether you’re eligible. Let’s take a look at some more details of the program.

Do retired federal employees need to enroll in Medicare?

Here’s a perfect example: Some retired federal government employees qualify for insurance called the Federal Employee Health Benefits program (FEHB). Once they reach age 65, the typically also qualify for Medicare. Which program should they use? Do they need to enroll in Medicare if they already have FEHB benefits?

Does Fepblue cover weight loss programs?

The program permits you to obtain discounts on several drugs related to dental care, weight loss, hair removal and hair growth, and other miscellaneous health conditions.

Do federal employees get gym discounts?

If you're a state, federal or local worker, and you're looking to save on joining a gym or trying out a new training regimen, then check out the ID.me Shop. After you verify your government employee status, you'll find dozens of exclusive government employee discounts on exercise and fitness memberships, and more.

Does BCBS FEP include Silver Sneakers?

BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD AND SILVERSNEAKERS All at no extra cost to you.

Does Fepblue pay Medicare deductible?

Is combining our coverage with Medicare right for you? Even though you pay a premium for Part B and your Service Benefit Plan coverage, when you combine, we wipe out all your other out-of-pocket costs (deductibles, copays and coinsurance) for covered medical services.

What discounts can federal employees get?

Federal employees can enjoy excellent discounts from leading cell phone carriers such as T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T on both accessories and phone service. Often, the discounts range between 5%-20%, and most companies are willing to combine special offers with discounts.

Do federal employees get flight discounts?

Leading airlines, hotels and resorts and car rental companies offer excellent federal employee travel discounts. This also extends to U.S. Military, National Guard and Veterans. The combined savings for both official government and leisure travel is considerable for those who serve our country.

Does Medicare automatically include Silver Sneakers?

SilverSneakers comes automatically with qualifying Medicare health insurance plans. Eligible Medicare beneficiaries 65 years of age and older just need to get a SilverSneakers membership card to show at participating fitness locations.

Does AARP pay for gym membership?

It includes: A free gym membership. Access to our nationwide gym network of gyms and fitness locations—the largest of all Medicare fitness programs. View thousands of on-demand workout videos and live streaming fitness classes.

Is Silver Sneakers available to anyone on Medicare?

Silver Sneakers is a private health and fitness membership program designed for seniors. It's available at no cost to those enrolled in a participating Medicare Advantage plan.

How do I get my $800 back from Medicare?

All you have to do is provide proof that you pay Medicare Part B premiums. Each eligible active or retired member on a contract with Medicare Part A and Part B, including covered spouses, can get their own $800 reimbursement.

Should I keep FEHB when I retire?

Keeping FEHB in Retirement is Very Important Being able to continue FEHB into retirement allows you more flexibility in your retirement planning. You get to keep better coverage for a lower cost, and the government will continue to pay for the lion's share of your premium costs.

Do most federal retirees get Medicare Part B?

About 70% of federal retirees enroll in Part B, which means paying two premiums and in essence two duplicative insurance programs. A portion of the retirees that join Part B might do so as a hedge against the elimination of FEHB retiree benefits.

How does Medicare work with service benefit plan?

Combine your coverage to get more. Together, the Service Benefit Plan and Medicare can protect you from the high cost of medical care . Medicare works best with our coverage when Medicare Part A and Part B are your primary coverage. That means Medicare pays for your service first, and then we pay our portion.

How much does Medicare reimburse for a B plan?

Each member of a Basic Option plan who has Medicare Part A and Part B can get reimbursed up to $800 per year for paying their Medicare Part B premiums.

What is Medicare for seniors?

What's Medicare? Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people age 65 or older, people under 65 who have certain disabilities and people of any age who have End-Stage Renal Disease. It has four parts that cover different healthcare services.

What Is Medicare Skilled Nursing Care?

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), skilled nursing care is care given by a nurse or other trained health care provider who can administer IVs and other injections, change out wound dressings, manage medication doses and more. Coverage is good for a certain number of skilled nursing care hours per day and per week.

Some Anthem BCBS Medicare Advantage Plans May Offer Additional Benefits for Home Use

There are many additional health care services that can be beneficial to individuals who are homebound or have difficulty leaving the home. And many of these home health care benefits may be covered by a Medicare Advantage plan from Blue Cross Blue Shield.

How Can I Enroll in a BCBS Medicare Plan With Home Health Care Benefits?

Once a year during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP, also called the fall Medicare open enrollment period), you can make changes to your Medicare coverage.

How much does Blue Cross Blue Shield reimburse for gym membership?

The total reimbursement amount can be up to $150-200 per year.

How much is the Blue Cross reimbursement?

The total reimbursement amount can be up to $150-200 per year. However, the reimbursement only applies to certain Blue Cross companies and plans, so you’ll need to log into your Blue Cross account or call a representative to see for sure whether you’re eligible. Let’s take a look at some more details of the program.

What is Blue365 for BCBS?

This is a program for BCBS members that helps you get discounts on health and wellness products.

How long do you have to be a member of BCBS to get reimbursed?

The same rules apply: You’ll need to be a member at the studio & a BCBS member for at least 4 months.

What is the fitness benefit program?

The Fitness Benefits program applies to health clubs with “a variety of cardiovascular and strength-training equipment.”. That means full-scale gyms. (Think LA Fitness, Planet Fitness, etc.) You won’t be reimbursed for joining a country club and working out on the tennis courts, or taking up a martial arts class.

Why do insurance companies want you to go to the gym?

But health insurance companies like Blue Cross, Oxford, and Aetna want you to go to the gym because they’re banking on it costing them less in the long run. The benefits of regular exercise, not to mention healthy eating, are nearly immeasurable.

How much money can you get back with Blue Cross Blue Shield?

That’s a pretty cool perk, and that money can really add up over the course of the year and make a difference in your budget. You can get back up to $150 per year with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts or up to $200 per year with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

The Options

Blue Cross and Medicare

  • When picking a health insurance plan for retirement, a major factor to consider is how it is going to work with Medicare at age 65. If you don’t know what parts of Medicare make sense for you, check out this article: Do You Really Need Medicare and FEHB as a Federal Employee? But long-story short, for most federal employees, it makes sense to get on Medicare parts A and B while …
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Medicare Part B Premium Reimbursement

  • Your federal health insurance likes it when you get on Medicare part B because that means that Medicare becomes your primary coverage and your federal insurance becomes the secondary. Because of this, some federal plans offer a Medicare part B premium reimbursement once you enroll in Medicare part B. But not all plans do. And as I mentioned previously, Blue Cross Basic i…
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Comparing The Numbers

  • For 2022, Blue Cross Basic offers a $800/person/year Medicare part B reimbursement. So if you and your spouse are on Medicare part B and Blue Cross Basic, they’d reimburse you $1,600 every year (or $133/month). Here is an example comparison of the monthly cost of having Blue Cross Standard and Medicare vs. Blue Cross Basic and Medicare for you and ...
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Other Factors

  • But like always, cost is not the only factor that should be considered. Whatever plan you choose, you will want to make sure that it allows you to see your preferred providers and that it makes sense for your entire situation. In this article, I focused solely on Blue Cross plans but there are lots of other plans that have pros and cons as well. Because health insurance plans make chang…
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