11/15/2007   New offer encourages Regence Medicare supplement members to try Regence MedAdvantage

Recent market research reveals that Medicare members are reluctant to switch from their current Medicare supplement plan to a Medicare Advantage plan. To alleviate concerns for our members, we are giving them the opportunity to try a Regence MedAdvantage plan with the assurance that they can return to their Regence Medicare supplement plan if they choose.

Here are the basic elements of this new underwriting policy:

• Effective Jan. 1, 2008
• Good for two consecutive Annual Enrollment Periods (24 months)
• A one-time offer for assured re-enrollment in the Regence Medicare supplement plan they had right before moving to Regence MedAdvantage.
• Available to current Regence Medicare supplement members and to current Regence MedAdvantage members who had a Regence Medicare supplement plan immediately prior to enrolling in a Regence MedAdvantage plan.

This offer is also separate from and in addition to the special Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) protection that allows first-time enrollment or re-enrollment in a Medicare supplement plan from a Medicare Advantage plan within the first 12 months.

• For members who have already used their CMS-mandated initial protection, this new Regence policy applies after the CMS protection is used or no longer applies.
• For members who have not used their initial CMS protection, that protection would be effective first, if it is still available. The two policies do not overlap, and they do not run consecutively.
  

This new policy is an effective differentiator to use with current Regence Medicare supplement members who are considering a move to one of our Regence MedAdvantage plans or to a competitor's Medicare Advantage plan. It presents a unique opportunity to return to their Regence Medicare supplement plan--something our competitors don't offer.

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