Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s newest Medicare Advantage plan for senior citizens comes with an allowance that enrollees can spend at Meijer Inc. stores across the state.
Under the Medicare Plus Blue PPO + Meijer plan that begins enrollment this month, subscribers will get a $660 allowance to buy health-related items such as vitamins, bandages, medications and equipment. They can also use it to purchase healthy foods if they have a chronic medical condition.
The allowance is good at the approximately 120 stores the Walker-based Meijer operates in Michigan.
“We see this partnership as the opportunity to unlock growth opportunities for both of us and really foster deeper, more authentic customers. For Blue Cross, that’s its member and for Meijer that’s our customers,” said Jackie Morse, Meijer’s group vice president of pharmacy and health. “Meijer has long been a food destination, but we’re much more than that. We’re a health and wellness destination for customers and for members who want to take charge of their health.”
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Partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield on the new Medicare plan marks Meijer’s entry into the health insurance arena.
The supercenter retailer, which has more than 500 stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin, may delve further into health care in the future, Morse said. Some stores already house walk-in medical clinics through partnerships with health systems, and “that’s a model that’s worked well for us,” she said.
“We do continue to explore other models, be it chronic care management, be it something further in the nutrition space or digital. All of those things are certainly in scope from a conversation standpoint, and we’re excited to bring more of those to life,” Morse told Crain’s. “This, to us, is a big initiative and we’re excited to get over the finish line here. This is a long-term strategic partnership, so we see more opportunities between Meijer and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to partner. From a company standpoint, we are exploring health and wellness more holistically and how we can create a cohesive experience for all of our shoppers.”
Enrollment in the Medicare Plus Blue PPO + Meijer plan runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 for policies that take effect on Jan. 1, 2024. The Medicare Advantage plan includes $0 monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and co-pays for primary care visits and generic prescription drugs, as well as dental and vision coverage.
For now, the partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield is exclusive to Michigan, although Meijer could join with Blues plans elsewhere for similar ventures in the future.
“Certainly, down the road, are we open to other partnerships with Blues plans in other states we operate our retail supercenters? We certainly are,” Morse said. “Those are conversations to come, but we’re excited to launch in the state we have the most stores and the greatest brand recognition.”
The strategic partnership in Michigan came together after Blue Cross Blue Shield reached out to Meijer a year ago about a potential collaboration.
Krischa Winright, president of Medicare Advantage at Blue Cross Blue Shield, believes the new plan “is really going to resonate with consumers that we share in common that can get even better value out of their Medicare Advantage offering.”
“We have two really strong, powerful Michigan-based brands that can bring a material amount of value to seniors in this space,” Winright said. “We think there’s a significant amount of value that we can unlock.”
Blue Cross Blue Shield presently has more than 750,000 Medicare enrollees.
The health plan is prioritizing partnerships that bring to market new models or services that help people manage their health, particularly as the population ages, Winright said.
“People are living longer (and) they’re living longer with chronic disease,” she said. “If we do not unlock these new types of models that really get to members where they are and meet their needs where they are, it’s going to be a challenge in the years ahead with the aging population if these types of solutions don’t continue to evolve and spring up.”
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