This article was last updated on Feb. 14, 2023.
If you’ve recently made the decision about what type of Medicare coverage is right for you, congratulations! The hard part is over, but there are a few things you might want to consider doing if you’ve enrolled in a Wellmark Advantage Health PlanSM to help you maximize your benefits.
Know where to get care on a Medicare Advantage plan
Choosing the kind of medical care you need is important for managing your health, safety and budget. And, knowing where to go before the need arises, can be helpful. While you should always seek care from a hospital emergency room if you’re experiencing a potentially life-altering injury or illness like chest pain, broken bones or other serious injury, there are other, lower-cost options for less serious health conditions.
No or low-cost care options with a Medicare Advantage plan
- Have a basic question about your health or upcoming care? Call the 24/7 nurse line.
- Need to schedule regular wellness care or a same-or next-day appointment? An appointment with your primary care physician (PCP) is free for most plans and just $10 if your plan includes a PCP copay.
- Want an answer quickly but don’t need to see someone in-person? Try a virtual visit through Doctor On Demand® External Link.
Other care options
- Seek specialist care when you have a specific health condition. No referral needed.
- If you have a non-emergency injury or illness that needs immediate attention, an express care or urgent care may be best for you.
As always, make sure you’re using an in-network health care provider to get the best price for care. To find one near you, visit Wellmark.com/Finder-Medicare Opens New Window.
Away from home? Blue Medicare AdvantageSM (PPO and HMO) members have worldwide coverage for emergency or urgently needed services. Just contact the plan as soon as you know you’re receiving care outside your service area.
Make sure you’re using the most up-to-date coverage at the pharmacy
Your Blue Medicare Advantage plan includes coverage for thousands of prescription drugs. While you save money on your covered medications at any in-network pharmacy, you may pay less when you choose 90-day supplies. Simply provide your Member ID card at the network pharmacy to receive your benefit. To access the most up-to-date drug list, visit Wellmark.com/Finder-Medicare Opens New Window.
Rather have your medications shipped at no cost, directly to your home? It’s easy to get started. Simply call our mail-order pharmacy at 888-832-6168 or log in to or register for a CVS Caremark® account External Site. All you need is your Member ID number.
Plan to take advantage of no-cost wellness activities
Get your calendar out — it’s time to start making some appointments. All these wellness activities are covered with a Blue Medicare Advantage plan at no additional cost:
- Annual wellness visit and physical exam
- Immunizations, including influenza, pneumonia, COVID-19 and more
- Diabetes screening
- Mammograms
- Colorectal cancer screening
- Depression screenings
- Other preventive and diagnostic screenings as prescribed
For a full list of covered activities, refer to your plan’s Evidence of Coverage Opens New Window.
Don’t forget about the extra benefits to help you stay healthy
With a Wellmark Advantage Health Plan, you have access to enhanced benefits that keep your mind and body healthy — at no additional cost. Choose from perks like:
- SilverSneakers®: Gain access to local fitness center classes and online resources.
- Dental: Keep your dental health in check with preventive exams and cleanings, plus more.
- Hearing: Pay nothing for an annual hearing exam and hearing aid fitting, plus an allowance toward the cost of hearing aids.
- Vision: Enjoy a $0 copay for a routine eye exam, plus an allowance for glasses or contacts.
- Over-the-counter (OTC) products: Get a quarterly allowance to spend on more than 300 OTC health products.
- Personal emergency response system (PERS): Feel protected with an emergency response device and 24/7 monitoring when you have a Blue Medicare Advantage Enhanced PPOSM plan.
Get rewarded for your healthy lifestyle
Wellmark Advantage Health Plan members can sign up for Live Healthy BlueSM and be rewarded for taking charge of your health. Earn gift cards by completing an annual wellness visit and other healthy living activities. The program also offers recommendations and tools to track your health activities, plus a library of articles, videos and decision aids to help you develop your personalized journey toward better health.
If you're new to Medicare, start here
Request your free Medicare Get-Ready Guide to learn about the different parts of Medicare, your coverage options, and when you're eligible to enroll.
Bonus tip! Don’t forget to sign up for your Blue Medicare Advantage member portal
Gain easy access to helpful information, like the member customer service phone number and contact information for benefits like the 24-hour nurse line, dental, vision, hearing and fitness through SilverSneakers. To get signed up or logged in, simply visit WellmarkAdvantageHealthPlan.com/login External Site.
Newly eligible for Medicare and have questions?
We’re here to help. If you live in Iowa or South Dakota, you can request your free Medicare Get-Ready Guide Opens New Window or call us directly at 800-336-0505, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, Central. TTY hearing impaired users call 711.
If you live outside Iowa or South Dakota, visit the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association website External Site or call 888-630-2583 (TTY: 888-781-4262) Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central Time) to find a Blue plan near you.
SilverSneakers® is a registered mark of Tivity Health, Inc., an independent company that provides health and fitness programming on behalf Wellmark Advantage Health Plan, Inc. © 2023 Tivity Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
Doctor On Demand is a separate company providing an online telehealth solution for Wellmark members. Doctor On Demand® is a registered mark of Doctor On Demand, Inc.
CVS Caremark® is an independent company providing mail order and specialty drug dispensing in support of Wellmark Advantage Health Plan.
Live Healthy Blue is a service mark owned by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Blue Cross®, Blue Shield® and the Cross and Shield Symbols are registered service marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.
Wellmark Advantage Health Plan is a PPO and an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Wellmark Advantage Health Plan depends on contract renewal.
Y0156_MBR5thingsNwMAPln_M CMS Accepted 03012023
