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Blogs: Make Your Health a Priority with Preventive Care

BCBSIL Connect Team

You owe it to yourself to take care of your health. One good place to start is by scheduling your yearly preventive health care exam. Preventive care is very important for people of all ages. Scheduling an annual preventive care visit will give you a...
- December 2, 2024
Blogs: End Your Energy Slump

BCBSIL Connect Team

Do you sometimes feel like the energy has just drained from your body? You’re not the only one feeling more tired, more often. Many people have lifestyles that lead to frequently feeling tired. There are simple steps you can take to have more e...
- December 2, 2024
Blogs: Winterize Your Exercise, Indoors and Out

BCBSIL Connect Team

Has old man winter blown away some of your exercise motivation? Even though it’s cold outside, your muscles still need to feel the burn. You can beat midwinter workout blahs by switching things up. Just 30 minutes of moderate activity most days...
- December 2, 2024
Blogs: Managing Diabetes? You Have a Partner Who Can Help

BCBSIL Connect Team

If you’re living with diabetes, think of your primary care provider (PCP) as your partner in taking charge of your health. You can work together to successfully manage your diabetes so you can stay healthier. It’s important to get the reg...
- December 2, 2024
Blogs: Keep Your Member ID Card Close

BCBSIL Connect Team

It might be a thin piece of plastic tucked in your wallet until you need it. Or it might be something you find in an app on your phone. Either way, your member ID card packs a wallop. What else holds everything you need to take care of your health? W...
- December 2, 2024
Blogs: Who Makes Decisions About My Health Care?

BCBSIL Connect Team

This article is intended for HMO members enrolled in an employer health insurance plan. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois provides coverage for your health care. But you and your doctor are in the best position to make decisions about treatment....
- December 2, 2024
Blogs: What Is Diabetes?

BCBSIL Connect Team

Diabetes is taking a serious toll on our nation. About 38 million Americans suffer from the life-threatening disease — and the numbers keep growing. With diabetes, the body can no longer make enough insulin or use the insulin it does make to c...
- November 26, 2024
Blogs: 5 Ways to Beat Holiday Stress

BCBSIL Connect Team

While `tis the season to be jolly, for many of us the holiday season can also be a stressful time. With all the pressure to cook, gather and shop, it’s no wonder we feel overwhelmed during the holidays. The weight of stress can affect our heal...
- November 21, 2024
Blogs: Why Is It Important To Donate Platelets?

BCBSIL Connect Team

Blood platelet transfusions can save the lives of people with low platelet counts or malfunctioning platelets, says the American Red Cross. What Are Platelets? Platelets are tiny cells that flow through your blood. Their main job is to prevent and st...
- November 20, 2024
Blogs: Donating Blood: Common Myths Debunked

BCBSIL Connect Team

Blood donations save lives, and the need for blood has never been greater. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood or platelets, says the American Red Cross. More people, more illness, even more natural disasters around the world mean we n...
- November 20, 2024

How to Make the Most of a Date with Your Doctor

BCBSIL Connect Team August 14, 2023

Wouldn’t it be great to call your doctor and get in to see them when you need to? Waiting to see a care provider can be hard. Left to our own devices, we’re often tempted to self-diagnose. We call mom to get her advice about what to put ...
- 32327 Views
Back Pain Is Such a Pain

BCBSIL Connect Team August 13, 2023

Its happens to many of us. We move or lift something the wrong way and our back protests. Sometimes it’s just a brief twinge of pain — a reminder to move more carefully. Other times, the pain may be intense and last a long time. The ...
- 4307 Views
From Headache to Heartache: NSAIDs Pose Heart Dangers

BCBSIL Connect Team August 12, 2023

Read the fine print the next time you pick up a bottle of ibuprofen or naproxen. You’ll see a warning about the risk for potentially deadly heart attacks and strokes. These drugs are known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories or NSAIDs. The U.S.....
- 4287 Views
Mindful Eating with Diabetes

BCBSIL Connect Team August 11, 2023

Learning to be more mindful can help us calmly think through situations. For people with diabetes , the values of mindfulness may even help them practice better self-care. What is mindfulness? It is being tuned in to your thoughts, feelings and body...
- 39915 Views
Buying Health Insurance: It’s a Good Idea

BCBSIL Connect Team August 9, 2023

You may think, "I never go to the doctor, so I don’t need health insurance." Think again. Health Insurance protects your physical and financial wellbeing. Let’s see what might happen if you have to take your kid to the ER, but don’t...
- 10384 Views
Stay Active and Healthy with Workout to Go

BCBSIL Connect Team August 4, 2023

Do you want to start exercising? Are you looking for a new workout routine? We’ve got just the tools to make it simple. The NIH National Institute on Aging has a handy Workout to Go booklet that you can download. You'll find e...
- 8862 Views
Do You Know How to Outsmart Viruses?

BCBSIL Connect Team August 1, 2023

Your chances of catching a viral illness are higher at certain times of year: Back to school. When temperatures drop and people spend more time indoors. Before the fall and winter holidays. At the start of the new year. Now’s the time to find t....
- 20747 Views
How Does Stress Affect Your Body?

BCBSIL Connect Team August 1, 2023

If you’re feeling stressed, join the party. The reasons behind that stressed-out feeling differ for each person. Some talk about it, others don’t. But there’s one thing people have in common: When you’re stressed, you’l...
- 24847 Views
¿Cómo el estrés afecta el cuerpo?

EquipoConnect August 1, 2023

Si te sientes estresado, no eres el único. Los motivos que provocan estrés varían por persona. Mientras que algunas personas hablan abiertamente de este tema, otros, no. Sin embargo, todos tenemos algo en común: cuando es...
- 3828 Views
Proper Oral Care for You and Your Baby

BCBSIL Connect Team July 31, 2023

Pregnancy and welcoming a newborn baby are two of the most exciting times in a woman’s life. Along with all the plans and preparations you’re making now, don’t forget to keep up with good dental care. Good prenatal care includ...
- 4786 Views
Avoiding Vision Loss from Diabetes

BCBSIL Connect Team July 25, 2023

For older adults with diabetes , vision loss can be a serious worry. Left untreated, diabetes can lead to blurry vision, even to blindness. Fortunately, with timely treatment, careful control of blood sugar and regular follow-ups, the risk for vision...
- 16080 Views
Medicare and Planning for Your Family

BCBSIL Connect Team July 24, 2023

Do you plan on clocking out when you turn 65? Sailing to exotic shores? Launching your own business or just kicking back in an easy chair? It’s time to think about your Medicare options. And if you have others covered by your plan, you&rs...
- 2280 Views
Survey Says: We Want to Hear from You

BCBSIL Connect Team July 17, 2023

As a Medicare Advantage member, we may ask you to participate in the Health Outcomes Survey (HOS). Your survey answers help us better understand and address your health needs. Participants must be enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan or a Prescripti...
- 5962 Views
Hypertension: The Silent Killer

BCBSIL Connect Team July 11, 2023

If hypertension were a character in a spy novel, its name would be “the silent killer.” It would live quietly among us, moving unseen as it destroys us from within. If it went unnoticed for too long, it could even bring death. This dange...
- 12576 Views
Help Keep Your Teen’s Teeth Healthy

BCBSIL Connect Team July 6, 2023

It seems to happen in the blink of an eye. Your sweet little kiddo is suddenly straddling the divide between childhood and adulthood. Teens throw a whole set of unique challenges every parent’s way. Some are even related to their dental health.....
- 3606 Views

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