Beginning January 1, 2025, Premera Blue Cross will no longer offer Medicare Advantage plans. All coverage ends on December 31, 2024.
Although Premera Blue Cross offers private insurance services in Alaska and Washington, its Medicare Advantage plans were limited to Washington residents only.
Nearly 32,000 people in 14 Washington counties were enrolled in a Premera Medicare Advantage plan in 2024.
The company announced on October 1, 2024, that it would no longer offer Medicare Advantage plans beginning on January 1, 2025. It will still offer Medicare supplement plans (Medigap).
You can only enroll in Medicare or change your coverage during certain periods.
At this time and in this specific situation, you may be able to make changes during:
- Open Enrollment Period (OEP): From October 15 to December 7
- Medicare Advantage OEP: From January 1 to March 3
- Special Enrollment Period (SEP): When your plan ends its contract with Medicare, you’re eligible for an SEP from 2 months before the contract ends until 1 full month after the contract ends.
You’ll be automatically enrolled in Orignal Medicare if you don’t join another Medicare Advantage plan before your current plan ends.
Need help? You have options
Medicare has a helpline with staff available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (excluding some federal holidays) to answer your questions. You can call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY: 1-877-486-2048).
For personalized health insurance counseling, contact Washington’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at 1-800-562-6900 (1-360-586-0241).
Some of the companies that offer Medicare Advantage plans in Washington include:
- Aetna Medicare
- Allwell
- Community Health Plan of WA Medicare Advantage
- Humana
- Kaiser Permanente
- Regence BlueShield
- UnitedHealthcare
- Wellcare
You can enter your ZIP code here to see which Medicare Advantage plans are offered in your area.
Plan availability and prices vary. There are multiple tiers of plans, and not every plan is offered in every county. Plans typically include a monthly premium, deductible, copayments, and coinsurances.
The following table shows some of the costs for the Medicare Advantage plans with the lowest drug and premium costs available in the most populous counties in Washington (King, Pierce, and Snohomish).
| Aetna Medicare Preferred (PPO) | Aetna Medicare SmartFit (PPO) | Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Key (HMO) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Annual medical deductible | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Out-of-pocket maximum | $14,000 in and out of network | $14,000 in and out of network | $6,600 in and out of network |
| Primary care copayment | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Specialist copayment | $0 to $55 | $0 to $45 | $35 |
| Prescription drug deductible | $450 | $590 | $0 |
Medicare Advantage plans offer an option for bundled healthcare services that go beyond Original Medicare.
In 2024, Premera Blue Cross offered several HMO Medicare Advantage plans in Washington. The company will not offer Medicare Advantage plans in Washington in 2025.
You can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan offered by a different insurer or switch to Original Medicare. Plan offerings and prices vary by county.