Start Enrolling in Health Insurance With BCBSNM

One of the main differences between Medicare and Medicaid is who qualifies. There are also a few differences when it comes to cost and included benefits.

Medicare:

• You have to be 65+ or have certain disabilities to qualify.
• You may have monthly premium payments, yearly deductibles and copays.
• Your coverage is split into parts, with each part covering specific services and benefits.
• Learn more about Medicare coverage.

Medicaid:

• Your eligibility depends on your annual income, household size, age and state residency. Medicaid is meant mainly for low-income adults.
• You'll normally have very low or no costs for health care.
• You don't need to enroll in multiple parts to be covered for things like pharmacy and prescription benefits.
• Learn more about Medicaid.

Both Individual and Family plans and Group plans are private health insurance options, but their main difference is in how you enroll:

Individual and Family plans:

• You enroll on your own and without the help of an employer or organization.
• Open Enrollment begins every year on Nov. 1.
• Most people enrolling in BCBSNM Individual and Family coverage have the same plan options, except where plans are only available in certain counties or regions.

Group, or employer-sponsored plans:

• You enroll through an employer or organization. Sometimes, your employer helps pay for part of your coverage.
• Open Enrollment is decided by your employer or organization.
• Your employer or organization chooses which plan options they offer employees. Different companies may offer different BCBSNM Group plans.

You might be able to; it depends if your employer offers BCBSNM coverage. Employers contract with BCBSNM to offer their employees health insurance plans designed to fit your needs as an employee and the business's size.

To learn if your job offers BCBSNM coverage, ask your Human Resources team or benefits coordinator. They can help explain your options and when to enroll. Then, learn more about the benefits of BCBSNM as a group member.

Want to learn more about your coverage options? Have a question about your plan cost? Just need help finishing your application? Learn who you should call depending on the type of coverage you're shopping for:

• Individual and family: 1-888-809-1135
• Medicare: 1-866-286-6159 (TTY 711)
• Employers: 1-855-346-2015
• Group plan members: call the number listed on your member ID card

If you're already a member, you can explore your benefits and covered care specific to your plan by logging in to your member account.

If you're not a member yet, visit the Prescription Drugs section of our website. There, you'll learn more about common prescription and pharmacy terms and programs, annual drug lists by plan type and more.

Our Provider Finder^® tool lets you search in-network doctors, hospitals and specialists. When you search as a guest, you can filter by ZIP code, plan name and type of care needed to explore covered doctors. If you're already a BCBSNM member, log in to get search results personalized to you and your plan. Search plan networks.

If you started your BCBSNM health insurance application and didn't get to finish it, you may be able to pick back up where you left off. Find out how you may be able to log back in.