Do Meijer and Health Insurance Make Sense? The Blues Think So!

Meijer is certainly woven into the fabric of West Michigan. When shopping at a Meijer store is there anything you can't find? Probably not!

We know you can find everything from soup to nuts at a Meijer store, so to speak. However, there has been one thing missing: Health Insurance. Wait a minute, Meijer Health Insurance?

Not exactly. However, Meijer is teaming up with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s newest Medicare Advantage plan for senior citizens.

Hmmm, okay, let's see. I'm shopping at Meijer, and I'm getting tomatoes, some chicken, my prescriptions and, oh yes, I'll have an appendectomy.

Seriously folks, according to Crain's Grand Rapids Business Report, Meijer has teamed up with the Blues to create the Medicare Plus Blue PPO + Meijer plan. It is brand new and 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.

For the time being it's limited to only Michigan stores, about 120 of them, but could expand to other states in the future.

The allowance is good at approximately 120 stores Meijer operates in Michigan and is Meijer’s entry into the health insurance arena.

Some stores already have walk-in medical clinics through partnerships with health systems, and been very successful, but health insurance is a whole new ball game.

As many seniors may know, 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.

Let's face it, people are living longer and finances may become strained, so why not make their life a little easier.