California Medicare Options - Alignment Platinum+ Instacart Comparison Review
Alignment Instacart Advantage Plan Comparison
It's one of the most popular Advantage plans on the market! The new Alignment plans with Instacart added on.
In Los Angeles, there are two plans with Instacart but one of them is a top choice across the market.
The Platinum+ Instarcart plan. You can check out our Alignment plan comparison or How to compare Alignment plans to get more information but we're going to dive deeper into the plans here.
Instacart is a massive online grocery delivery company and....they chose to partner with Alignment.
That tells us a lot about the rising star status of Alignment health in one of the most competitive marketplaces...on the planet.
Our credentials in case you're wondering:
So...let's really understand how it works with these topics:
- The Instacart benefit with Alignment plans
- Platinum+ Instacart Alignment plan
- AVA+ Instacart Alignment plan
- How to quote Instacart plans with Alignment
- How to apply for Instacart plans
Let's get started. Doorbell's ringing! (that's grocery delivery).
The Instacart benefit with Alignment plans
Here's the description from Alignment directly:
Members with a qualifying chronic condition who enroll in one of these plans will have access to:
- $50 to $100 quarterly grocery allowances through Instacart
- A complimentary Instacart+ membership with free delivery on all orders over $35
- A live customer support line to assist members while setting up an Instacart account and placing orders
- A curated Alignment Health Virtual Storefront on Instacart where members can easily shop Alignment Healthcare’s recommended items
Alignment Healthcare and Instacart Launch Co-Brand Initiative
And what about the qualification piece?
Qualifying chronic conditions include: congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, diabetes, and stroke. Other chronic conditions may apply.
$100.00 limit every 3 months (no rollover) through Instacart
So basically, a $400 annual benefit in grocery delivery if we qualify based on chronic healthcare needs.
Two plans have this add-on benefit:
So...how do we compare this benefit in light of everything else?
Let's look at the two most popular plans that have this benefit in more detail.
Platinum+ Instacart Alignment plan
This is one of Alignment's top plans depending on the area.
Sure, the instacart benefit is a nice add-on but Platinum+' core benefits are fantastic.
Let's look at those with Los Angeles (the biggest Advantage plan market) as an example.
So...it hits all the key points of our Triple Threat selection strategy for Advantage plans:
So...
- Zero premium
- Low out of pocket max
- High star rating
In fact, the out-of-pocket max is usually the lowest in the area. $198 is fantastic.
$800 is pretty standard in Los Angeles and that's on the low end.
4 Star is also a great indication of how the enrollees feel about the plan. Pretty good!
Why not go with this plan?
You would want to consider these situations against the Platinum+ plan:
- Eligible for D-SNPs (medi-cal or LIS additional help from the State)
- Eligible for C-SNPs (based on chronic illness for richer benefits)
Those can offer much richer benefits if you qualify so we need to take that into account.
The 2nd most popular plan is the SmartHMO which has a Part B Give Back benefit which is very popular if cash flow is an issue and health is okay.
Learn all about Alignment's Smart HMO Part B Give-back plan. Head's up...it has a smaller network.
Okay...let's look at the other Instacart plan.
AVA+ Instacart Alignment plan
This plan is not nearly as popular as the Platinum+ plan but it does have the Instacart add-on so let's check it out.
So...how do we compare this plan?
It's kind of a hybrid plan with different pieces.
First...the "AVA" part of it.
It's short for Alignment Virtual Application.
AVA speaks to Alignment's push for telehealth benefits first. It's short for Alignment Virtual Application.
The goal of AVA is to anticipate care needs so that members don't end up having bigger problems and we'll watch to see how it works over time.
May be a game changer with AI tech coming online.
Not sure if it's really ready for prime-time yet BUT...the Star Rating is 4 Star still so people seem to like the plan and the AVA isn't too much off a distraction or negative.
One note...the Max out of Pocket is $1999 which is quite a bit higher so we have to take that into account...especially against the Platinum+ plan at $199!
The network is slightly different in that it's a hybrid HMO/POS. POS is short for Point of Service which can be more flexible than HMO.
The key is to always enter you doctors when running the quote to see if this even matters.
The Platinum+ has a really good network including Optum, Regal, and Heritage (examples in Los Angeles that are very popular).
Speaking of quoting the Instacart plans...
How to quote Instacart plans with Alignment
We make this easy. And free!
You can run your secured quote for Alignment plans (against other major carriers) here.
A few notes to get the most accurate quote.
Under preferences, make sure to enter:
- Your doctors!
- Medications and dosages (exactly as listed on bottles)
- Preferred Pharmacy
- Sort results by "Annual Estimated Total Cost"
The latter is really important to take into account your medication out-of-pocket costs.
Of course, we're happy to run these quotes are help with any questions. help@calhealth.net
There's no cost for our assistance!
Okay...so you like one of the plans...then what?
How to apply for Instacart plans
This is even easier. Right from the quote link above, you can just "Add to Cart" and access the online app for any of the Alignment plans including the Instacart ones above.
The online app is:
- Secured
- Fast
- Free
It ties directly into the Alignment enrollment system to provide the fastest processing available.
To learn more about when you an enroll, check out Guide to Advantage Plans or reach out to us at help@calhealth.net or set up a time to chat:
We're happy to help!