MARQUETTE — Upper Peninsula Health Plan has announced the addition of a new point-of-service feature to its UPHP Advantage (HMO-POS) Medicare Advantage plan. UPHP Advantage covers hospital insurance (Part A) and medical insurance (Part B) as well as prescription drug coverage (Part D).

Dental, hearing, vision services and fitness center memberships are also included. New in 2021, UPHP Advantage will include a POS benefit that will allow coverage by out-of-network providers.

In January, the POS benefit will be available at no additional cost to members enrolled in UPHP Advantage.

“HMO-POS works a lot like other HMO plans by requiring use of network doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and other providers, except in urgent or emergent situations,” UPHO officials said in the release. “What sets UPHP Advantage apart is that beneficiaries may now see out-of-network providers when traveling outside of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula under the POS benefit. Prior authorization is required for some services.”

To learn more about Medicare and understand your options, visit http://www.uphp.com/medicare to download our FREE Medicare guide. As a reminder to those who are Medicare eligible, the Medicare Annual Election Period is Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.

Individuals who have questions can call UPHP Customer Service at 1-877-349-9324 (TTY 711), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time, with weekend hours from Oct. 1 through March 31. The call is free.

Upper Peninsula Health Plan Advantage is an HMO-POS plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in UPHP depends on contract renewal. Learn more at www.uphp.com/medicare.

Upper Peninsula Health Plan currently manages the care of nearly 50,000 Upper Peninsula residents enrolled in Michigan Medicaid, Children’s Special Health Care Services, the Healthy Michigan Plan, MI Health Link, and Medicare Advantage. Its network exceeds 2,000 providers. Learn more at www.uphp.com.