BayCarePlus Expands Access to Additional Benefits for Diabetic Members

Individuals with diabetes in the Tampa Bay area who qualify for Medicare soon will have a new option for health insurance designed specifically for them.

BayCarePlus Medicare Advantage, a subsidiary of BayCare, is expanding access to more affordable benefits for its members with diabetes. 

BayCarePlus members who have been diagnosed with diabetes will have the option of receiving easy access to affordable benefits to effectively manage their diabetes and avoid serious illness.

“We’re thrilled to continue to expand benefits for BayCarePlus members,” said Dr. Kristyn Greifer, chief medical officer for BayCarePlus Medicare Advantage. “Diabetes is one of the most expensive chronic conditions to manage for patients in the United States. We hope the affordable access to additional benefits will help our members better manage the disease and enjoy a longer, healthier life.”

BayCarePlus Complete (HMO) or BayCarePlus Premier (HMO) members will be qualified to receive insulin, testing supplies and other necessary items for low or no additional cost. Members enrolled in these plans will benefit from controlled, predictable copays of $35 or less for Select Insulins and zero copays on diabetic supplies. They also will receive enhanced benefits for dental care, podiatry routine visits and nutrition counseling. 

BayCarePlus is one of the first Medicare-insurance enterprises in the region to offer an expanded benefit of this kind. The company unveiled these new benefits on Oct. 1, 2021, with enrollment beginning Oct. 15. These new benefits will take effect on Jan. 1, 2022.

Diabetes affects more than 34 million people across the country every year. Of those, more than 25 percent are over 65 years old. Medical costs for diabetes care total $327 billion annually.

BayCarePlus hopes the additional benefits will help make the ongoing diabetes expenses more affordable and improve the health of its members.  

BayCarePlus Medicare Advantage (HMO) products, established by BayCare in 2018, are available to Medicare residents in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties. These plans were created to help the local community receive easy access to high quality, affordable health care. BayCarePlus now serves more than 11,000 Medicare-eligible residents throughout the four-county area. 

For more information, visit BayCarePlus.org/Diabetic-Benefits/.