1 9 01 MARKET S TREET

PHIL A DE L PHIA, PA 19103-1480

Important information about our

Medicare Advantage products

October 22, 2009

Dear Valued Provider:
I am writing to inform you about changes that Independence Blue Cross (IBC) is making to the Medicare
Advantage products effective January 1, 2010. Medicare beneficiaries will continue to have a diverse array of
products and services to choose from. We are committed to working closely with members and eligible
beneficiaries to help them choose a plan that best suits their needs.
As we have stated in previous issues of Partners in Health UpdateSM, unprecedented decreases in government
reimbursements for Medicare Advantage plans and rising medical costs have led to a very difficult decision not
to renew some of our health plans in 2010.
The following is a list of our individual* Medicare Advantage product offerings for 2010:
Products IBC will offer in 2010:

Products that IBC is not renewing in 2010:

Keystone 65 Advantage HMO

Keystone 65 Complete

Keystone 65 Preferred HMO

Keystone 65 Value

SM

Personal Choice 65 individual in Bucks and

Philadelphia counties**

Security 65 (Medicare supplement)

SM

Personal Choice 65 individual in Chester,

Delaware, and Montgomery counties**
Select Advantage Private Fee-for-Service

*Group Medicare Advantage products are not impacted by these changes.

**The group product will remain in place in all five counties. All members in the Personal Choice 65 PPO plan may continue to use any provider in the
5-county service area.

I also want to explain how these product changes will affect your patients and what we are doing to help
members with non-renewing products select a new health plan.
HOW 2010 PRODUCT CHANGES WILL AFFECT YOU AND YOUR PATIENTS

Because you are contracted with multiple IBC benefits programs, the discontinuation of these Medicare
Advantage products does not affect your contract with us.
The above-mentioned products that are not renewing in 2010 will continue to operate as usual through
December 31, 2009. Coverage will remain the same, and members will have the same services and providers
they have today. However, these members will need to choose a new health care plan before January 1, 2010.
We are enclosing a list of alternative health care plans to share with your Keystone 65 Complete patients who
are looking for new health care coverage. This same information will be mailed to these members this month.
If Keystone 65 Complete members do not select a new plan before the beginning of the new year, they will
automatically be enrolled in Original Medicare.
-overIndependence Blue Cross offers products directly, through its subsidiaries Keystone Health Plan East and QCC Insurance Company, and with Highmark Blue Shield.
Independent Licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
0685

PRODUCT NAME CHANGES FOR 2010

In 2010, product names will be modified to include the type of plan HMO, PPO, or PDP. To assist you in
identifying and differentiating our products, a list of our current products and their new names, effective
January 1, 2010 is below. This change will also be applied to group product names.
Current product name

New product name

Keystone 65 Advantage

Keystone 65 Advantage HMO

Keystone 65 Preferred

Keystone 65 Preferred HMO

Personal Choice 65

SM

Standard

Select Option Prescription Drug Programs (PDPs)

Personal Choice 65

SM

PPO

Select Option PDP

Please note that members will receive new ID cards with the new product names and logos. Member eligibility
can be verified by using the NeviNet web portal, the provider Interactive Voice Response system, or by calling
Customer Service at 1-800-ASK-BLUE. Enclosed is a flyer to help familiarize you and your staff with our new
products and logos.
Please look to future issues of Partners in Health Update for more information about changes to our Medicare
Advantage products.
If you have any questions about these changes, please contact Customer Service at 1-800-ASK-BLUE. If your
patients require more information, please refer them to the Customer Service number listed on their ID card.
Sincerely,

Stephen P. Fera
Vice President, Government and Social Programs
Enclosures

NaviNet is a registered trademark of NaviNet, Inc.

An affiliate of IBC holds a minority interest in NaviNet, Inc., an independent company.