Blogs

Lowering the Risk of Opioid Misuse

BCBSIL Connect Team — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:11:00 GMT

Opioids are helpful when taken the right way. When misused, they can lead to dependence. This can lead to overdose or even accidental death. In 2023, about 76% of all overdose deaths involved opioids. Opioid misuse and related deaths have been consi...(read more)

Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables for Better Health – and Mood

BCBSIL Connect Team — Wed, 07 May 2025 19:30:00 GMT

We all know that eating fresh fruit and vegetables regularly is good for our physical health. It turns out eating plenty of them may also make us happier. A 2022 study found that people who ate a diet ric...(read more)

Digital Smarts: Basic Smartphone Terms Explained

BCBSIL Connect Team — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 01:42:00 GMT

Smartphones are more than just phones. These modern-day marvels can carry out a whole range of functions besides phone calls. With a smartphone, you can surf the web, send and receive emails and texts, record video, take photos, watch movies and much...(read more)

Smartphone Basics for Older Adults: Unlocking the Digital World

BCBSIL Connect Team — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 20:45:00 GMT

If you’re new to smartphones, they can seem scary and confusing. But they don’t have to be. Read on for a simple guide to the basics of using a smartphone. What are smartphone apps? A smartphone is a mobile phone with many of the same fun...(read more)

Calendars Fill Quickly, Schedule Your Mammogram Early

BCBSIL Connect Team — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 13:27:00 GMT

Do you book your doctors’ appointments in advance? A little planning now can help you keep up with important health checks that could save your life one day. Routine mammograms are one of those important checks. When breast cancer is fou...(read more)

Earn Rewards for Healthy Actions

BCBSIL Connect Team — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 11:20:00 GMT

Blue Cross Medicare AdvantageSM members can earn up to $100 in gift cards for Healthy Actions.* Whether it’s scheduling your annual wellness visit or getting your flu shot, now you can earn rewards while taking care of your health. Here are Hea...(read more)

How to Get the Most Out of Your Medicare Advantage Plan

BCBSIL Connect Team — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Welcome to Medicare Advantage. We’re glad you’re a Blue Cross Medicare Advantage member. Ready to make the most of your health care plan? Start with these steps: Plan your Annual Wellness Visit. With no copay and no cost to you...(read more)

Diabetes and the Risk for Kidney Disease

BCBSIL Connect Team — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 09:17:00 GMT

If you have diabetes, you may not know about an important measure to protect your kidneys. What do your kidneys have to do with diabetes? It turns out, people living with diabetes have a higher risk of kidney disease. More than 35 million adults in ...(read more)

Medicare Questions

BCBSIL Connect Team — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 11:18:00 GMT

If you have questions about Medicare, you’re in good company. Medicare can be confusing. There are a lot of choices and a lot of rules surrounding the government health plan for U.S. citizens age 65 and older. Medicare also offers health covera...(read more)

Maximize Your Medicare

BCBSIL Connect Team — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 09:34:00 GMT

Are you getting the most from your Medicare plan? It’s a good idea to spend time reviewing your coverage each year. Knowledge is power, right? Empower yourself by becoming familiar with need-to-know information that can help guide your Medicare...(read more)

One Easy Way to Stay with Blue for Medicare

BCBSIL Connect Team — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:52:00 GMT

It’s a major milestone you’ve been moving toward for a long time — all your working life, in fact. Now you’re on the cusp of 65. That means the hard-earned benefits you’ve worked for your whole life are close at hand &md...(read more)

Getting Started With Medicare

BCBSIL Connect Team — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 18:39:00 GMT

Many people find the idea of signing up for Medicare confusing — and that's understandable. You’re used to getting your insurance from your employer or the marketplace. After so many years of doing something one way, it can be intimi...(read more)

Pneumonia: A Lung Infection Can Affect Heart Health

BCBSIL Connect Team — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 14:28:00 GMT

Every year, nearly one million people in the United States end up in the hospital with pneumonia. Along with making breathing difficult, the infection places stress on the heart. The added stress raises the risk for heart attack, stroke and dying of ...(read more)

How In-Home Test Kits Fit Into Your Schedule

BCBSIL Connect Team — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 13:22:00 GMT

There are things you love to do and things you have to do. Some health screenings fall into the latter. For example, you may not be eager to have a colonoscopy. You're not alone. There’s a way you can dial down the dread. W...(read more)

How to Prevent a Heart Attack

BCBSIL Connect Team — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 14:03:00 GMT

The best way to survive a heart attack is to never have one. How can you prevent becoming one of the millions of Americans who suffer a heart attack? There is actually a lot you can do to protect your heart. Knowing the risks and symptoms of heart d...(read more)