Illinois state retirees in Aetna’s TRAIL Medicare Advantage plan will keep BJC HealthCare in network for 2027 under a one-year agreement, even though BJC leaves Aetna’s and Anthem’s other Medicare Advantage plans on Jan. 1. Illinois’ Central Management Services estimates about 5,000 plan members are affected. The deal covers the state’s group plan only, not individual Aetna policies.
TRAIL, short for Total Retiree Advantage Illinois, is the Aetna Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan the state offers to retirees, annuitants and survivors of the State Employees’ Group Insurance Program, the Teachers’ Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) and the College Insurance Program (CIP). Illinois CMS says it cannot break out how many University of Illinois System retirees and dependents are in the 5,000…