Understanding Scan: A Medicare Supplemental Insurance Option

is scan a medicare supplemental insurance

SCAN Health Plan is a Medicare Advantage plan that offers Medicare beneficiaries healthcare coverage and services beyond what the federal program covers. SCAN has been keeping seniors healthy and independent for over 40 years. SCAN Health Plan offers Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans and is available in five states: California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. SCAN has no- or low-cost benefit plans, and its members will pay less for their medications in 2025. SCAN offers a range of supplemental benefits, including dental, vision, transportation to medical appointments, urgent care, and fitness programs. SCAN has received high star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and was named to U.S. News & World Report's 2023 list of Best Medicare Advantage Companies.

Characteristics Values
Type of insurance Medicare Advantage plan
Area served California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas
Number of members 285,000+ (as of 2022)
Ratings 4.5/5 stars (as of 2022)
Cost No- or low-cost benefit plans
Benefits Dental, vision, transportation, urgent care, prescription drug coverage, fitness, etc.

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SCAN Health Plan's history and growth

SCAN Health Plan, founded in 1977, is a non-profit, Medicare Advantage plan based in Long Beach, California. SCAN provides healthcare coverage to Medicare beneficiaries in California, Arizona, Texas, and Nevada, serving more than 285,000 members.

The Senior Care Action Network (SCAN) was developed by a team at USC. The new network was briefly known as the Long Beach Geriatric Healthcare Council, Inc., before changing its name to SCAN. Their healthcare delivery model was centred on assessing each senior's needs on an individual level to coordinate appropriate social services and medical care through a network of local agencies, community providers, and hospitals.

Until 1983, SCAN was relatively unknown outside of Long Beach. In 1984, it was officially licensed as a health plan in California and began enrolling members in its Social HMO. Between 1996 and 1998, SCAN expanded into three Southern California counties, more than doubling its membership. In 2020, SCAN operated in 11 counties within California. As of March 2025, SCAN operates in 13 counties across Northern and Southern California, serving 300,000 members across 22 counties in five states. This expansion increased SCAN's revenue from $3.4 billion in 2020 to $5.5 billion in 2025, allowing the nonprofit to reinvest in benefits and the member experience.

SCAN has consistently received high ratings, including a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating for six consecutive years as of 2022. It has also been named to the U.S. News & World Report's 2023 list of Best Medicare Advantage Companies for five years in a row, with a 91% member satisfaction rating for 2023.

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SCAN Medicare Advantage plans

SCAN Health Plan offers Medicare Advantage plans in five states: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. The company has been in operation since 1977 and has been offering Medicare Advantage plans since 1984. SCAN Health Plan is one of the largest not-for-profit Medicare plans in the United States.

SCAN Health Plan offers a variety of Medicare Advantage plans, including HMO and HMO-POS plans. The plans have different premium and out-of-pocket costs, and the specific benefits covered may vary depending on the location and type of plan chosen. For example, some plans offer a "$0 premium" option, while others may have a higher premium but include more benefits.

In addition to standard benefits, SCAN offers what they call "culturally sensitive and identity-tailored" plans. For example, their plan for older LGBTQ+ adults includes lower copays for HIV treatments and gender-affirming hormone therapy, while their plan for Asian Americans provides an allowance for healthy groceries at Asian markets.

SCAN Health Plan's Medicare Advantage plans are a great option for those looking for comprehensive coverage and tailored benefits to meet their specific needs. With their high ratings and focus on keeping seniors healthy and independent, SCAN's plans are definitely worth considering for those seeking Medicare Advantage options in the states they serve.

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SCAN's prescription drug coverage

SCAN Health Plan has been providing seniors in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas with Medicare Advantage plans for over 40 years. SCAN offers a range of benefits, including prescription drug coverage, dental, and vision.

SCAN also offers tools to help members save money on their prescriptions, such as the Rx Savings Finder Tool, which provides coupons for drugs that are excluded from Medicare coverage. Members can also use the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to manage their drug costs, especially if they have high drug costs earlier in the year. SCAN's pharmacy benefit partner, Express Scripts, offers a tool to calculate potential medication costs through this plan.

In addition, SCAN has announced that many members will pay less for their medications in 2025, with comprehensive pharmacy benefits and no coverage gap. This is a significant improvement from previous years, where the amount paid for prescription drugs did not count towards out-of-pocket costs.

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SCAN's dental and vision coverage

SCAN Health Plan offers Medicare Advantage plans with no or low-cost benefit plans in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. SCAN has been keeping seniors healthy and independent for over 40 years.

SCAN plans provide preventive dental services that are covered by Original Medicare. Some SCAN plans also offer additional dental coverage at a monthly premium. This supplemental dental coverage is offered through Delta Dental and includes two plans with different monthly premiums and copayment amounts. Both plans cover preventive services, including exams, cleanings, and X-rays. Members can enroll in Delta Dental within two months of their effective date or during the annual enrollment period from October 15 to December 7.

SCAN also offers vision coverage through EyeMed® Vision Care, which includes eye exams and comprehensive coverage for frames and contacts.

In addition to dental and vision coverage, SCAN plans may also include extra benefits such as discounts on fitness tools, gym memberships, acupuncture, transportation to medical appointments, and more.

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SCAN's LGBTQ+ Medicare Advantage plan

SCAN Health Plan is a Medicare Advantage insurer that focuses on older adults. In October 2022, SCAN launched a Medicare Advantage plan aimed at LGBTQ+ seniors, called SCAN Affirm. This plan was created in collaboration with Included Health, an integrated virtual care and navigation platform for underserved populations, including the LGBTQ+ community.

SCAN Affirm is currently available in California's Los Angeles and Riverside counties, as well as Texas and Nye County, Nevada. It is the first LGBTQ+-focused Medicare Advantage plan, addressing the unique health and social needs of LGBTQ+ seniors. This group has typically been underserved by the healthcare system, and SCAN's goal is to help them age with dignity and respect.

The plan includes lower copays on specialty drugs, including HIV treatments and gender-affirming hormone treatments. It also offers virtual care and navigation services, peer groups, community resources, advocacy, and companion care services to address social isolation and exclusion. Additionally, SCAN Affirm provides legal services reimbursement to help members with setting up living wills, power of attorney, and other important legal documents.

SCAN Health Plan offers a range of Medicare Advantage plans in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. These plans provide benefits such as dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, transportation to medical appointments, urgent care benefits, and fitness programs. SCAN also offers supplemental benefits, such as an allowance for over-the-counter health items.

Frequently asked questions

SCAN is a health plan that offers Medicare Advantage Plans in California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and New Mexico. SCAN has been keeping seniors healthy and independent for over 40 years.

SCAN Health Plan offers Medicare Advantage Plans that include prescription drug coverage, dental, and vision. They also offer supplemental benefits like yearly vision exams, an allowance for prescription eyewear, reliable rides to medical appointments, urgent care benefits, an allowance for over-the-counter health items, and fitness programs.

SCAN Health Plan offers no- or low-cost Medicare Advantage Plans. Many SCAN Health Plan Medicare Advantage Plans have a $0 premium, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost is lower than other major plans.

SCAN Health Plan is available to individuals who are 65 and older or under 65 and enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B.

SCAN Health Plan offers HMO and HMO-POS plans, which require members to use a specific network of doctors and hospitals. They may also need a referral from their primary doctor to see a specialist.

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