Costco, SCAN Health Are in Aisle 5 Selling MA Plans

There is no guarantee the price of a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan sold at Costco will come close to the $1.50 hot dog it sells, but you never know.

Buying an MA plan is now possible after SCAN Health Plan and Costco said they are bringing together SCAN’s experience serving older adults and Costco’s trusted consumer expertise to create a Medicare Advantage experience focused on the people it serves.

“The partnership is designed to explore practical ways to make healthcare more accessible, connected, and easier to fit into everyday life. Over the coming years, SCAN and Costco plan to develop senior-focused products and experiences that may include pharmacy, over the counter, vision, audiology, and other offerings, pending regulatory review and approval,” the companies said.

At the center of the partnership is a shared goal: helping older adults get more value from their healthcare while staying healthy, independent, and connected to the care they need.

Hold the Mustard?

This could be an interesting combo, says Jay Gormley, chief investment officer and COO, Advisory, Zimmet Healthcare Services Group.

“Costco is partnering with SCAN, a place with unusually deep roots in Medicare innovation [the good kind]. It began in Long Beach, Calif., in the late 1970s as the Senior Care Action Network, built around the idea of helping frail older adults remain independent rather than defaulting to institutional care,” he said.

Today, SCAN is a large nonprofit Medicare Advantage organization operating in multiple states, still focused heavily on seniors and complex populations.

“It is generally viewed as a high-quality MA plan, with strong CMS Star performance and a long-standing reputation for care coordination and member service. So, this could be an interesting one to watch,” Gormley said.

Comments? Send to Patrick Connole at pconnole@parkplacelive.com.