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Blogs: 5 Things to Know About a PPO

BCBSIL Connect Team

When it comes to health insurance, understanding all your options can be confusing. There are a lot of choices. It may be hard to know which health plan is best for you and your budget. Many Americans get health insurance through their employers. Oth...
- August 19, 2023
Blogs: Meet your Endocrinologist: Going to the "Diabetes Doctor"

BCBSIL Connect Team

You just learned you have diabetes. Your primary care physician (PCP) wants you to track your blood sugar, start a workout program and come back for a follow-up visit. It’s a lot to take in. As part of your treatment plan, your PCP may refer y...
- August 19, 2023
Blogs: Understanding Sickle Cell Disease and Living Well

BCBSIL Connect Team

Our family history and DNA play a large role in our health and well-being. Genetic changes and traits carried by parents often appear in their children —even when the parents don’t have any symptoms of a genetic condit...
- August 18, 2023
Blogs: Fulfilling the Wishes of Loved Ones at the End of Life

BCBSIL Connect Team

Talking about the end of a life with friends and family members is often a hard conversation. Many of us don’t think we need to think over important final decisions when health is good. For a young, healthy person, these talks a...
- August 17, 2023
Blogs: Eat, Move, Sleep: Physical Well-being

BCBSIL Connect Team

For more than 30 years, physical activity was the main focus of worksite health promotion. Step challenges and on-site yoga went hand-in-hand with weight-loss initiatives. Together, they made up “wellness at work.” With the move...
- August 16, 2023
Blogs: How to $ave Money

BCBSIL Connect Team

There are many ways you can help keep your health care costs down. Try these tips to find $avings on doctor visits, prescription medications, fitness trackers and more. We have resources to help you make the best decision for you. Our Provider F...
- August 15, 2023
Blogs: Wash the Rind to Leave Bacteria Behind

BCBSIL Connect Team

The peak of summer brings ripe, tasty melons, like cantaloupe and watermelon, from the farm to your table. Watermelons are not only refreshing, they’re also a great source of the antioxidant lycopene. What’s so special about lycopene? Lyc...
- August 15, 2023
Blogs: How to Make the Most of a Date with Your Doctor

BCBSIL Connect Team

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 ...
- August 14, 2023
Blogs: Back Pain Is Such a Pain

BCBSIL Connect Team

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 ...
- August 13, 2023
Blogs: From Headache to Heartache: NSAIDs Pose Heart Dangers

BCBSIL Connect Team

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...
- August 12, 2023

How Does a Drug Become a Generic: Facts vs. Myths

BCBSIL Connect Team October 28, 2024

Taking a generic drug is not like buying a store-brand soap. With soap, you might notice a difference. It may smell different. You may need to use more than the brand-name product. That is not true with generic drugs. When companies make a bran...
- 18037 Views
Follow 4 Simple Steps to Put Your Family on a Healthy Path

BCBSIL Connect Team October 24, 2024

It’s never too early to teach kids about healthy habits. Setting good habits when they’re young puts them on the path toward a healthier life. Many children are not off to a good start. About 1 in 5 American children are obese, says the C...
- 11737 Views
More than Muscle: How Men Can Exercise Their Way to Better Health

BCBSIL Connect Team October 24, 2024

Men face some serious health risks. Heart disease and cancer account for nearly 40 percent of deaths among American men. Unintentional injuries like falls are also a common cause of death for men. Lung disease and stroke account for another 10 percen...
- 27449 Views
Consejos tenebrosamente buenos para tener un Halloween saludable y seguro

EquipoConnect October 23, 2024

Por lo general, las palabras “saludable” y “Halloween” no van juntas, por razones obvias. Halloween es la única época del año en que los niños se sienten libres de comer tantas golosinas como puedan...
- 378 Views
Bienestar social: ¿el ajetreo conduce a la soledad?

EquipoConnect October 23, 2024

A los estadounidenses les encanta estar ocupados. Por desgracia, hacer malabares para mantener el trabajo, la familia y las tareas domésticas implica que la persona promedio “trabaja” 60 horas o más por semana. No es de...
- 3584 Views
Social Well-Being: Is Your Busyness Leading to Loneliness?

BCBSIL Connect Team October 23, 2024

Americans love to be busy. Unfortunately, juggling our jobs, families and home chores means the average person “works” 60 or more hours each week. No wonder people just want to plop down on the sofa and binge watch their favorite TV show ...
- 5019 Views
What Can Your Heart Rate Tell You About Your Health?

BCBSIL Connect Team October 21, 2024

Your heart rate is always changing. It’s up when you’re walking. Down when you’re sitting still. But what can it tell you about your overall health? Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute. Your heart rate...
- 6416 Views
How Do I Buy an Individual Health Insurance Plan?

BCBSIL Connect Team October 21, 2024

There are two times when you can buy health insurance — during open enrollment and special enrollment. Open enrollment starts on Nov. 1 each year. Any other sign-up time falls under special enrollment . To buy health insurance during speci...
- 18136 Views
Living With Diabetes? Find Big Eats on a Small Grocery Budget

BCBSIL Connect Team October 21, 2024

Food choices are so important when diabetes is part of your day-to-day life. Here’s something to keep in mind: The best healthy meal plan for those living with diabetes isn’t very different from one for people without diabetes. Our bodies...
- 7193 Views
Postpartum Health

BCBSIL Connect Team October 19, 2024

The days and weeks after giving birth are often a happy time. They're also a period of adjustment and healing for mothers. While you bond with your baby, make time for a post-delivery checkup with your provider. Your doctor plays an important role...
- 2893 Views
How to Get the Most Out of Your Medicare Advantage Plan

BCBSIL Connect Team October 18, 2024

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...
- 11682 Views
Diabetes and the Risk for Kidney Disease

BCBSIL Connect Team October 18, 2024

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...
- 3362 Views
Don't Let the Seasonal Flu Get You

BCBSIL Connect Team October 16, 2024

Getting a flu shot can help you stay healthy. Flu season usually starts in October and peaks between December and February. As many have learned, it can linger through the spring. If you didn't get a flu shot before the start of the season, ask your...
- 3531 Views
Behavioral Health: Peeling Back the Onion

BCBSIL Connect Team October 15, 2024

It is an understatement to say humans are complex creatures. So many factors affect who we are. Genetics, upbringing, our environment, family dynamics, friendships, love and work relationships — and, yes, even our behaviors. They’re all t...
- 20047 Views
Ten un plan para controlar el asma

EquipoConnect October 8, 2024

Si tienes asma, puedes ayudar a controlarla. Colabora con el médico para crear un plan para combatir el asma . Asegúrate de estar haciendo todo lo posible para controlar este padecimiento. Si tienes medicamentos, tómalos co...
- 2597 Views

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