Accepted Insurance Plan Changes for 2024

Vanderbilt patients who have BCBSTN Medicare Advantage – Blue Advantage plans will no longer be in-network after December 31, 2024. This is for all Vanderbilt hospitals, clinics, offices, and partners. This was a mutual agreement between VUMC and BCBSTN. 

If you have this plan, you may still get care at any Vanderbilt hospitals, clinics, offices, or partners until December 31, 2024.

They begin after December 31, 2024. You may continue to get care at any of Vanderbilt’s hospitals, clinics, offices, or partners until then. Here are a few important notes about the changes:

• BCBSTN MA plans do not have out-of-network benefits. This means if you choose to get treatment at Vanderbilt for any non-emergency services, you’ll have to pay the whole bill yourself. 
   
• You’ll get a letter from both BCBSTN and VUMC about this change. We’re working with BCBSTN to help our patients find new healthcare providers. This is to make sure you can still get quality care through other plans with in-network providers. 
   
• If you did not get a letter from VUMC, you can download a copy by clicking this link.

• Vanderbilt University Medical Center  
• Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital  
• Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital  
• Vanderbilt Bedford County Hospital  
• Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital  
• Vanderbilt Home Care Services  
• Vanderbilt Dialysis Centers  
• Vanderbilt Cool Springs Surgery Center  
• Spring Hill Surgery Center  
• Vanderbilt Imaging Services 
• Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center at Tennova Healthcare – Clarksville (radiation oncology) 
• Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center at Maury Regional Spring Hill (radiation oncology) 
• All Walk-in Clinics that VUMC owns or partners with

No, they're only for the BCBSTN Medicare Advantage - Blue Advantage plan.

• If you have BCBSTN's BlueCare Plan (TennCare), nothing changes for you.
   
• If you have the Blue Cross Commercial plan, nothing changes for you.

Yes.

We’ve made a separate agreement with BCBSTN for transplant patients. It says that you can get care at Vanderbilt University Hospital and Vanderbilt Medical Group doctors until 12 months after your transplant. This is for patients who’ve recently had a transplant as well as those who are on the waitlist.

If you have questions or want to know more about how this affects your transplant care, talk to your transplant financial counselor.

In some cases, there will be continuity of care needs or a special service that only we provide that may allow us to provide your care past January 1. If that may apply to you, talk to your provider.

Yes, they apply to all Vanderbilt providers (clinicians, physicians, and advanced nurse practitioners). They may also apply to community providers who do procedures at Vanderbilt hospitals, clinics, offices, or partners.

Talk to your insurance broker or benefits advisor for more information about Medicare plans and this year's open enrollment period. They'll go over your options and find a plan that's best for you. As a patient care provider, we're not able to help you decide.

If you are affected by this change and wish to continue to receive care at VUMC, we are in-network for:

• Traditional Medicare
   
• Aetna Medicare Advantage
   
• Cigna HealthSpring Medicare Advantage
   
• Farm Bureau Medicare Advantage
   
• UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
   
• Humana MA PPO

Visit VUMCMedicareAdvantage.com or call our helpline at (855) 429-2989.

There are a few ways. You may:

• go to VUMCMedicareAdvantage.com and choose "Request Your Medical Records" from the menu.
   
• log in to your My Health at Vanderbilt account at MyHealthAtVanderbilt.com or in the mobile app and choose "Request My Records" from the menu
   
• call the medical records main call center at (615) 322-2062 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. If a request needs to be filled outside of our normal operating hours, we'll charge a fee.
   

If you are a patient at one of our affiliated partners, your medical record may be requested by contact them directly:

Only until December 31. After that, Walgreen's walk-in clinics will be out-of-network if you have the BCBSTN Medicare Advantage - Blue Advantage plan.

Yes, you may schedule an appointment as you normally would.

Follow our normal process to cancel any existing appointment.

Yes, you may schedule an appointment as you normally would.

Yes, you may schedule an appointment as you normally would.

If you'd like help finding a provider near you or have questions about this change call BCBSTN at 1-800-831-2583, TTY 771.

You can also find network providers at bcbstmedicare.com. Just select Find a doctor.

The Open Enrollment period provided an opportunity to change insurance plans and ended on December 7, 2024.

Talk to your insurance broker or benefits advisor. They may be able to help you find a new plan that has Vanderbilt in-network. 

If you are affected by this change and wish to continue to receive care at VUMC, we’re in-network for these Medicare Advantage plans:

• Traditional Medicare  
   
• Aetna Medicare Advantage  
   
• Cigna HealthSpring Medicare Advantage  
   
• Farm Bureau Medicare Advantage  
   
• UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
   
• Humana MA PPO
   

Traditional Medicare - which is also known as Medicare Part A and B, offers the widest and easiest access to care. You can choose any providers who accept Medicare. You don't need a referral to see a specialist. And you don't have to worry that your doctor may leave the plan's network. You may pick up a "Medi-Gap" or "Supplemental" plan to help cover your coinsurance costs. You can also choose "Part D" coverage to help pay for your medicines.

Medicare Advantage - plans are more like a private insurance plan that you may have had through your job. The most common types are health maintenance organization (HMO) and preferred provider organization (PPO) plans. These plans used preferred networks. This may make it harder to see your preferred doctor. And you may need referrals from your primary care provider before you can see a specialist. Medicare advantage plans include coverage for your medicines. And they usually have a set deductible instead of coinsurance.

You'll likely need to pay a premium whether you choose traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage plans. When you compare the costs between the 2 types, it's important to include any extra costs for Part D or supplemental options you choose.

You can see how these compare by using the Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage Comparison Guide at VUMCMedicareAdvantage.com

You can fill out the BCBSTN Continuity of Care form to ask for continued treatment at Vanderbilt for a short time. They’ll review the form and let you know if it’s OK. These directions are included in the letter BCBSTN will send to you.

Yes, but only until your provider releases you from their care.

For questions about your transplant care, talk to your transplant financial counselor.

We may be able to treat you until you’re released from our care. In some cases, there will be continuity of care needs or a special service that only we provide that may extend your care past January 1. If that may apply to you, talk to your provider.

You’ll be treated as in-network for the whole continuity of care time. This is until we release you from care or move you to another provider. This will be on a case-by-case basis. Talk with your provider.

You may visit our website at VUMCMedicareAdvantage.com or call BCBSTN 1-800-831-2583, TTY 711.

If you’re having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the closest emergency room. Our emergency departments provide lifesaving and stabilizing care to all patients in an emergency. It doesn’t matter what insurance you have or if you don’t have any at all. 

We do not expect it to affect prescriptions written by Vanderbilt providers. But we suggest you call the pharmacy to make sure they’re covered. You can call the Vanderbilt Pharmacy at (615) 322-6480 to ask about regular prescriptions and the Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy at (615) 875-0080 for specialty medicines. You may also send your pharmacists a message through My Health at Vanderbilt.

No, the Vanderbilt pharmacies can only fill prescriptions written by Vanderbilt providers.

Call our VUMC Patient Relations Department at (615) 936-6154, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.