Blue365 is a discount program, not a benefit, and it should be described to employees that way.
Blue Cross calls Blue365 its exclusive discount program and lists it with the well-being resources included in its medical plans. It saves members money on products and services, but it does not pay claims.
What the program is and what members do.
Savings on health-related products
Blue Cross says Blue365 offers savings on health-related products and services such as gym memberships, travel discounts and personal care items. Blue Cross’s member pages group offers into fitness, healthy eating, personal care and wellness. Employees reach offers by logging in to their Blue Cross account and selecting Member Discounts with Blue365.
Examples Blue Cross currently shows
The member page lists access to more than 12,700 gyms for $28 per month, WW for as little as $19.50 per month on select plans, up to 20% off Fitbit devices and 30% off select shoes. It also lists LASIK, eye care, dental care and hearing aid savings. Blue Cross changes offers over time, so treat these as examples.
What a discount is and is not
A Blue365 discount lowers the price of something the member buys directly. It is not insurance coverage, does not count toward the deductible and does not appear on an explanation of benefits. Employees should be told this plainly so that a hearing aid or LASIK discount is not mistaken for a covered benefit.
Eligibility, funding and plan design.
Who can use it
Blue Cross lists Blue365 as included with its medical plans, and the employer well-being page names it among the resources every one of its medical plans includes. Blue Cross also offers Blue365 free to its Medicaid members through Blue Cross Complete. Confirm whether covered dependents have access.
How it is funded
Blue Cross describes Blue365 as included, not as a rider or buy-up. The employer does not pay per member for the discount program. The employee pays the discounted price for any gym or product they choose, so the savings come out of the employee’s pocket, not the plan’s.
Where it fits in a plan design
Blue365 fits as an extra for workforces that want a low-cost perk, particularly for gym access, hearing and vision. It does not change premiums, cost sharing or the plan’s benefits. It works best as part of a communications package rather than as a stand-alone wellness strategy.
What to settle before relying on it.
Which offers are available to our members today?
Blue365 offers change, and some are described as available on select plans. We would ask the Blue Cross representative to confirm the current list for your plan and not copy last year’s flyer into the benefits guide.
Are any discounts tied to a health outcome?
A plain discount is not a reward. If an offer asks employees to hit a target or share health data to qualify, treat it as part of the wellness design and have counsel review it for HIPAA, ACA, ADA and GINA issues.
Do the savings overlap with coverage we already provide?
Hearing, vision and dental discounts may sit beside covered benefits in your plans. We would check that employees are told which route to use first, so they do not pay a discount price for something their plan already covers at a lower cost.
Common questions about this program.
Is Blue365 part of our health plan benefits?
Blue Cross describes it as a discount program included with its medical plans. A discount is not coverage, so it does not replace a benefit or count toward plan limits. Confirm the current terms with Blue Cross.
Does the employer pay for the gym membership?
No. Blue Cross shows a discounted monthly gym price that the member pays. If an employer wants to subsidize gym costs, that is a separate decision with its own tax and compliance questions.
How do employees find the discounts?
Blue Cross says to log in to a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan account and select Member Discounts with Blue365. Some offers also link out to partner sites. Give employees the login path in enrollment materials.
Programs and vendors named on this page
Official pages for the services mentioned above. Availability, cost and eligibility vary by plan and employer group, so confirm what applies to your group with the carrier.
Where these details come from.
This page summarizes what Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan publishes. Programs change, so confirm current details with the carrier before relying on them.
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