• Make Your Health a Priority with Preventive Care

    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...
  • End Your Energy Slump

    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...
  • Winterize Your Exercise, Indoors and Out

    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...
  • Managing Diabetes? You Have a Partner Who Can Help

    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...
  • Keep Your Member ID Card Close

    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...
  • Who Makes Decisions About My Health Care?

    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....
  • What Is Diabetes?

    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...
  • 5 Ways to Beat Holiday Stress

    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...
  • Why Is It Important To Donate Platelets?

    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...
  • Donating Blood: Common Myths Debunked

    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...
  • What’s My Member ID Number?

    What’s My Member ID Number?

    Your member ID number is a unique number that shows you are a covered member of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. It lets you access your health plan benefits when you need care. Your member ID number links you to information in our systems...
    • 104487 Views
  • Will I be able to pick my own doctors and hospitals?

    Will I be able to pick my own doctors and hospitals?

    Yes. You can choose your primary care provider or your child's pediatrician from your health insurance plan's network of doctors. If you visit a doctor who is not in your network, you may have to pay more for your care. In some cases, you may have...
    • 5863 Views
  • Are immunizations covered under the Affordable Care Act?

    Are immunizations covered under the Affordable Care Act?

    Yes. Most immunizations are on the list of medical care considered a preventive service. Under ACA, most preventive care is covered and will be paid in full by your premium when you see a provider that is in-network . You won't have to pay a copay...
    • 6627 Views
  • When can I sign up?

    When can I sign up?

    Open Enrollment for coverage in 2025 is November 1 - January 15, 2025. If you want your plan to start on January 1, you have until the 18th of December to enroll. Learn more about getting ready for open enrollment. Originally published 12/18...
    • 9447 Views
  • How do I enroll in a health insurance plan?

    How do I enroll in a health insurance plan?

    There are many ways to buy a health insurance plan. You can get one from: The Health Insurance Marketplace The Marketplace is a federal government website that helps people find health insurance. You can compare prices, benefits, out-of-pocket...
    • 7111 Views
  • How does the Marketplace work?

    How does the Marketplace work?

    The Health Insurance Marketplace ® (sometimes called the Exchange) helps people who don’t have health care coverage: through their job, through a government program like Medicare or Medicaid, or due to a life event like a job loss or cut...
    • 7501 Views
  • Go Mobile With the BCBSIL App

    Go Mobile With the BCBSIL App

    Keep your coverage information in the palm of your hand. Where did I put my health insurance card? What’s my deductible? Is that doctor in my network? These questions and many others can be answered on the go with the BCBSIL App. With the BCBSIL...
    • 88584 Views
  • New Baby or Adopting a Child

    New Baby or Adopting a Child

    I don't have insurance, but I’m having a baby/adopting a child. What do I do? Having a baby or adopting a child is a qualifying life event. That means you can sign up for insurance during a special enrollment period . You have 60 days from the...
    • 23426 Views
  • Loss of Medicaid Coverage

    Loss of Medicaid Coverage

    Q. What is Medicaid? A. Medicaid is a government program that provides health coverage to qualified low-income individuals. This includes pregnant women, families and children, the elderly and people with disabilities. In some states, the program...
    • 22575 Views
  • Job Loss

    Job Loss

    What if lose coverage because I was fired, laid off or quit my job? Option 1: Get an individual plan. If you lost your insurance benefits from an employer, you can buy your own health plan right away. Find a plan on the Health Insurance Marketplace...
    • 36712 Views
  • 26 Years Old

    26 Years Old

    Q. What health insurance for young adults can I have until the age of 26? A. If your parent’s health insurance covers young adults, then you can be added to, or stay on, their plan until you turn 26. Q. What if I’m married or don’t live with my...
    • 29976 Views
  • Find a Doctor or Hospital

    Find a Doctor or Hospital

    Picking the right doctor for your needs is important. There’s a lot to think about when deciding where to get health care – cost, network, location and more. Your health plan gives you access to many kinds of providers. Before you go for care, make...
    • 69354 Views

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