Effective January 1, 2026, Independence Blue Cross (IBX) retired certain Medicare Advantage PPO plans. Many affected members selected another Medicare Advantage plan with either IBX or another carrier. Members may have also elected to return to Original Medicare with a standalone Part D prescription drug plan (PDP) with or without a Medicare supplement (Medigap) plan. However, some members may not have made a coverage decision and were moved to Original Medicare without drug coverage.
Impacted members have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) through February 28, 2026, to enroll in a new Medicare health plan.
What providers need to know
- During upcoming visits, inform affected patients about the SEP and the importance of selecting a new plan before the February 28 deadline.
- Claims for services rendered under the terminated plans will be processed for dates of service through December 31, 2025. As of January 1, 2026, members transitioned to Original Medicare without a PDP selection may experience changes in coverage, especially for prescription drugs.
- There are no changes to provider contracts or reimbursement rates because of these plan retirements.
- Collect updated ID cards and plan details at every visit to ensure eligibility and accurate claims processing.
Diverse plan options available
IBX offers other Medicare Advantage plans. To enroll, members who want to switch to a different IBX Medicare Advantage plan must use the official IBX enrollment process. To learn more about other plans or connect to a licensed sales agent, members can visit ibx.com/Medicare.
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