Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan wants to change how it distributes discounts to the more than 200,000 customers who buy its insurance coverage to supplement Medicare.
The insurer said Friday it will ask state regulators to allow deeper discounts to low-income seniors while reducing the discounts on premiums for wealthier seniors. That means many customers would pay more than they do now to allow low-income customers to pay less.
All Blue Cross customers for the most popular of its so-called Medigap policies now get a 39 percent discount off monthly premiums.
Seniors with annual incomes below $16,245 would get a 50 percent discount under the new proposal. Other discounts on premiums would be 39 percent, 34 percent or 25 percent depending on the income level of the customer.
