Several insurance companies may offer Medicare Advantage plans in 2025, and Excellus Medicare Advantage plans could be just one of many companies that might be available.
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield will likely offer a variety of Medicare Advantage options that could suit your unique needs, making it easier than ever to find a plan that works for you.
From HMO to PPO plans, you’ll likely have access to quality healthcare providers and a range of potential benefits that could help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield will likely offer diverse Medicare Advantage plans that could cater to the distinct needs of individuals.
These plans, also known as Medicare Part C, will offer the benefits of Original Medicare and might include additional services that could be offered by private insurers like Excellus.
Excellus provides Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Health Maintenance Organization-Point of Service (HMO-POS), and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) options, each with different levels of flexibility and provider networks.
Recognizing the differences between these options could help with choosing the plan most suitable for your healthcare needs.
HMO plans offer a designated network of providers and necessitate referrals for specialist visits, while HMO-POS plans provide some out-of-network coverage and allow members to visit specialists without a referral, albeit at a higher cost. PPO plans offer the most flexibility, allowing members to see any provider with higher costs for out-of-network services.
Excellus HMO plans focus on providing a comprehensive selection of features within a designated network of providers.
These plans coordinate care through a primary care physician (PCP) who manages your healthcare needs and provides referrals for specialist visits, ensuring all necessary details are covered.
Choosing an Excellus HMO plan provides benefits such as lower out-of-pocket expenses, and access to esteemed doctors and hospitals, along with coverage for doctor visits, prescription drugs, urgent care, and hospitalization.
Consistently rated highly in terms of affordability, Excellus HMO plans offer a cost-effective option for those who prefer to work within a designated provider network.
For those seeking a balance between the structure of an HMO plan and the flexibility of a PPO plan, Excellus HMO-POS plans offer an attractive alternative. These plans provide increased flexibility when selecting out-of-network providers but with higher copays.
Excellus HMO-POS plans offer a range of benefits, including:
While members have the freedom to receive select services from doctors and hospitals that are not in the network, utilizing out-of-network providers will result in higher costs.
Excellus PPO plans offer:
However, while PPO plans offer the most flexibility in terms of provider choice, it should be noted that care outside of the network will incur higher costs than care within your plan’s network.
Despite the higher costs, PPO plans remain a popular choice for those who prioritize provider flexibility and comprehensive coverage.
In addition to the core benefits offered by Original Medicare, some of the Excellus Medicare Advantage plans may provide a host of supplemental benefits that could be designed to enhance your healthcare experience.
Some of these additional benefits may include prescription drug coverage through Medicare Part D, dental, vision, and hearing benefits.
By potentially incorporating these potential benefits into their Medicare Advantage plans, Excellus will likely strive to offer a comprehensive healthcare solution that could address various aspects of your health and well-being, ensuring you may receive complete care.
Certain Excellus Medicare Advantage plans may include prescription drug coverage through Medicare Part D, which could provide essential medication benefits to members. By potentially offering Part D coverage, Excellus will likely ensure that members have access to the medications they need to manage their health effectively.
To optimize your potential prescription drug benefits, you should:
By following these steps, you may be able to maximize the value of your prescription drug coverage while minimizing out-of-pocket expenses.
Some of the Excellus Medicare Advantage plans may offer some of the following benefits to members:
With these comprehensive benefits, Excellus may be able to ensure that members receive well-rounded care that addresses all aspects of their health.
Excellus Medicare Advantage plans will likely be available throughout the state of New York, providing coverage to New York residents in a wide service area that might include central New York, eastern New York, and the Greater Rochester area.
This extensive coverage could potentially ensure that a broad range of individuals may have access to quality healthcare through Excellus Medicare Advantage plans.
Counties that might be covered by Excellus Medicare Advantage plans include:
Excellus Medicare Advantage plans may be available in all cities within these counties, possibly providing comprehensive healthcare coverage to York residents and others across the entire service area.
Choosing the appropriate Excellus Medicare Advantage plan for your needs will likely require careful consideration of various factors, including plan costs, provider networks, and plan ratings.
By evaluating these potential factors, you could make an informed decision and choose a plan that best aligns with your healthcare requirements and financial situation.
When selecting an Excellus Medicare Advantage plan, it’s important to assess the associated costs, such as premiums, copayments, and coinsurance. These potential costs may vary depending on the plan selected and the level of coverage required.
The provider network could be an important aspect to consider when choosing an Excellus Medicare Advantage plan. This network could dictate which doctors, providers, pharmacies, and facilities may be included in the plan.
By utilizing providers within the network, members could potentially access covered services at discounted costs, while some out-of-network providers may result in higher expenses.
Excellus will likely offer a comprehensive network of doctors, providers, pharmacies, and facilities, which could allow members to have access to quality healthcare providers within their selected plan.
Be sure to review the provider network when selecting an Excellus Medicare Advantage plan to ensure that your preferred doctors and specialists are included.
The Star Plan Rating system could be an important tool to consider when choosing an Excellus Medicare Advantage plan.
Developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), this system rates Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans on a 5-star scale, with 1 being the lowest score and 5 being the highest.
Ratings will likely be based on multiple categories, including quality of care and customer service, allowing consumers to easily compare the performance of different plans.
When choosing an Excellus Medicare Advantage plan, you may want to review the Star Plan Rating for each available option.
Higher-performing plans with four or more stars may receive annual bonus payments, as it could indicate a higher level of quality and performance.
Utilizing the Star Plan Rating system could help you make an informed decision when selecting the best Medicare Advantage plan for your needs.
Once you’ve decided on the most suitable Excellus Medicare Advantage plan for your needs, the enrollment process is fairly simple.
Enrollment can be done by calling one of our licensed agents at 1-833-641-4938 (TTY 711), Mon-Fri 8 am-9 pm EST. The initial enrollment period begins three months before your 65th birthday and continues for three months.
To enroll in an Excellus Medicare Advantage plan, you’ll likely need to provide the following:
Be sure to enroll during the Annual Election Period, which takes place from October 15 to December 7 each year, or during the special enrollment period if you’re eligible.
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield could offer a variety of Medicare Advantage plans that may be designed to suit the unique needs of individuals seeking comprehensive healthcare coverage.
By understanding the distinctions between HMO, HMO-POS, and PPO plans, evaluating potential plan costs, considering provider networks, and utilizing the Star Plan Rating system, you could make an informed decision and select the best Excellus Medicare Advantage plan to support your health and well-being for years to come.
Based on data from previous years, the Excellus has been recognized as having the highest star-rated Medicare Advantage plans.
To determine the best Medicare Advantage plan for you, you may want to consider the star ratings, and possible out-of-pocket costs, review your medication needs, verify your doctors are included in the plans, and check the plan type.
There are two types of Medicare Advantage plans: Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans.
HMO plans offer smaller networks, while PPO plans provide a wider coverage of providers and allow for access to out-of-network doctors.
Medicare Advantage Plans cover all Medicare Part A and Part B services except hospice, and some plans may include prescription drug coverage under Part D. Emergency and urgent care will likely be covered in all types of Medicare Advantage Plans.
Excellus HMO plans could provide access to a designated network of providers and require referrals for specialist visits, whereas HMO-POS plans allow members to visit specialists without a referral but at a higher cost.
PPO plans offer the most flexibility with higher costs for out-of-network services.
ZRN Health & Financial Services, LLC, a Texas limited liability company
Russell Noga is the CEO of ZRN Health & Financial Services, and head content editor of several Medicare insurance online publications. He has over 15 years of experience as a licensed Medicare insurance broker helping Medicare beneficiaries learn about Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans, Medigap insurance, and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.