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  • How Prior Authorization Helps

    Blogs: How Prior Authorization Helps

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team
    Prior Authorization helps make sure prescription medicines are being used safely, as intended and at the best cost. Only a handful of drugs need prior authorization, also called pre-approval. Those are often the ones that cost the most or the ones th...
    • November 16, 2023
  • In-Home Diabetes Care: Make the Most of Your Medication

    Blogs: In-Home Diabetes Care: Make the Most of Your Medication

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team
    Medication, diet and exercise play a big role in managing of your diabetes. So does working closely with your doctor and diabetes team. In fact, the number one thing you can do to manage your disease is talk openly and honestly with your care provide...
    • November 14, 2023
  • Lifestyle Changes and Diabetes

    Blogs: Lifestyle Changes and Diabetes

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team
    There’s a safe way to get a handle on your diabetes: Create an exercise and diet plan. With exercise, you can help your blood sugar stay in your target range. By making better food choices, you help manage your blood sugar levels and lower your...
    • November 13, 2023
  • How to Make New Year’s Resolutions You Can Keep

    Blogs: How to Make New Year’s Resolutions You Can Keep

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team
    The start of a new year seems like the right time to set resolutions. We may even make lists of things we’d like to change. Our lists often include “eat healthy” and “exercise more.” Sometimes it's hard to follow t...
    • November 13, 2023
  • Mocktails Make for Safe Merriment

    Blogs: Mocktails Make for Safe Merriment

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team
    ‘Tis the season to spread holiday cheer. That often means getting together with friends and family. Good food, refreshing drinks and time with your favorite people are all ingredients for a wonderful time, right? Just make sure you don’t ...
    • November 8, 2023
  • What Is the Premium Tax Credit for Health Insurance?

    Blogs: What Is the Premium Tax Credit for Health Insurance?

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team
    A premium tax credit is a form of financial assistance. It helps with the cost of buying health insurance. Before you enroll in a new plan, check to see if you qualify for a tax credit. Who is Eligible? Premium tax credits are for individuals and fam...
    • November 7, 2023
  • How to Sign Up for Health Insurance

    Blogs: How to Sign Up for Health Insurance

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team
    Do you need health coverage, but don’t know where to start? Visit bcbsil.com to view and compare all our Family and Individual health plans, including the plans we offer on the Health Insurance Marketplace. In most cases, you can only sign up f...
    • November 7, 2023
  • Your Prescription Wasn’t Covered. Here’s What You and Your Doctor Can Do

    Blogs: Your Prescription Wasn’t Covered. Here’s What You and Your Doctor Can Do

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team
    You need a new drug and find your prescription isn’t covered. Or you’ve taken a drug in the past and find it’s no longer covered. Find out why meds may not be covered, and what you can do next. Health plans cover a wide range of med...
    • November 6, 2023
  • 10 Tips to Stay Fit During the Holidays

    Blogs: 10 Tips to Stay Fit During the Holidays

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team
    There's more than a month between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. It’s a busy time of year, but you don’t have to let your health fall by the wayside. Yes, it's a time filled with holiday meals, office parties and possibly even tra...
    • October 29, 2023
  • Are You Dehydrated?

    Blogs: Are You Dehydrated?

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team
    Your body doesn’t work well when it’s low on fluids. When it loses more water than it takes in, you may have dehydration, which can lead to some serious health problems. You might not know when you’re dehydrated. But it could be beh...
    • October 26, 2023
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  • Diabetes Risks Increase with Certain Prescription Drugs for Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

    Diabetes Risks Increase with Certain Prescription Drugs for Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team March 22, 2023
    Many factors can raise a person’s risk for diabetes. Family history, age, weight diet and lack of physical activity are the most common. Some prescription medicines used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can boost the risk, too. It may...
    • 3090 Views
  • BCBSIL Medicare underwriting

    BCBSIL Medicare underwriting

    JLjoins
    JLjoins March 21, 2023
    Does BCBSIL Medicare require medical underwriting if you go from Plan F to Plan G?
    • 910 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-08/catch-colon-cancer.jpg

    Detecta el cáncer de colon a tiempo con un examen preventivo

    EquipoConnect
    EquipoConnect March 17, 2023
    ¿Estás evitando hacerte un examen de detección del cáncer de colon porque crees que es doloroso o innecesario? Tienes que saber que el cáncer colorrectal es el cuarto tipo de cáncer más común en...
    • 5198 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-02/10_2D00_ways_2D00_alcohol.jpg

    10 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Body

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team March 10, 2023
    Even small amounts of alcohol can have a big effect on your body. From the very first sip, alcohol enters your bloodstream and quickly travels through your body. Based on your age, gender and health, it may stay there for two hours or longer. During...
    • 71431 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-08/10_2D00_ways_2D00_alcohol.jpg

    10 formas en que el alcohol afecta tu cuerpo

    EquipoConnect
    EquipoConnect March 10, 2023
    Incluso pequeñas cantidades de alcohol pueden tener un gran impacto en tu cuerpo. Desde el primer trago, el alcohol entra en el torrente sanguíneo y viaja rápidamente a través de tu cuerpo. De acuerdo a tu edad, sexo y sa...
    • 4231 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-02/safely_2D00_manage_2D00_pain.jpg

    You Have Options for Safely Managing Your Pain

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team March 10, 2023
    There are many ways to treat pain so that you can enjoy a better quality of life. Learning your options can help keep you safe while still allowing you to do what matters to you. Start by talking to your doctor about ways to manage your pain th....
    • 15143 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-02/benefits-of-strength-training.jpg

    Boost Your Health with Strength Training

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team March 1, 2023
    New research says strength training may help people live longer. While that likelihood requires more study, there is solid proof that building your muscles can help your body and overall health. We already know that muscle-strengthening effort is...
    • 16424 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-17/1665.2047630_5F00_January-Facebook_5F00_Jan-26_5F00_.jpg

    Lowering the Risk of Opioid Misuse

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team February 20, 2023
    The opioid crisis was declared a national “public health emergency” back in 2017. Since the alarm was sounded, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says opioid addiction, overdose and deaths are still on the rise in the U...
    • 5440 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-08/foodpreparation.jpg

    ¡La prediabetes se puede revertir! Evita la diabetes reduciendo tu consumo de azúcar

    EquipoConnect
    EquipoConnect February 17, 2023
    ¿Deseas escuchar buenas noticias sobre la diabetes? Para muchos de nosotros, la enfermedad se puede retardar o incluso prevenir haciendo algunos cambios simples a nuestro estilo de vida.
    • 6452 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-02/5758.prediabetes.jpg

    Prediabetes Can Be Reversed

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team February 17, 2023
    Want to hear some good news about diabetes? For many of us, the disease can be delayed or even prevented with a few simple lifestyle changes. This is important because diabetes affects more than 37 million people in the U.S. That’s about one o.....
    • 11824 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-08/sleep-and-exercise.jpg

    ¿No duermes bien? Realizar actividad física diariamente de la manera correcta puede ayudarte

    EquipoConnect
    EquipoConnect February 1, 2023
    Si dormir no te resulta fácil, es probable que ya hayas seguido algunos consejos que pensabas que podrían ser útiles. Pero si este no ha sido el caso, puede haber otra opción: realizar más actividad física to...
    • 2019 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-02/8831.AdultBeveragesTooMany.jpg

    How Serious is Cirrhosis?

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team January 27, 2023
    Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) works closely with Loyola University School of Medicine to support research about cirrhosis of the liver. By doing so, we help doctors anticipate and treat the growing number of cases they now see....
    • 9064 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-02/2046633_5F00_diabetes-fb-campaign_5F00_nov-2xx_5F00_storyteller_5F00_r1_5F00_IL.jpg

    Pregnancy with Gestational Diabetes

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team January 25, 2023
    Angela R. had her first child when she was 21. Fifteen years later, she learned she was expecting her second at the age of 36. While her first pregnancy went smoothly, a complication rose its head 25 weeks into her second. Gestational diabetes. &ldqu...
    • 7536 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-02/4305141.jpg

    What Does Your Thyroid Do?

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team January 20, 2023
    Everyone is born with a thyroid. It’s the “butterfly-shaped” gland in the lower front part of your neck. It sits right below the Adam’s Apple. The thyroid gland makes two hormones – T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxin...
    • 4681 Views
  • https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-00-02/WinterSkinHealth.jpg

    Fall and Wintertime Skin Care: How to Prevent and Treat Dry Skin

    BCBSIL Connect Team
    BCBSIL Connect Team January 17, 2023
    The leaves are falling, the holidays are just around the corner. So is something else. Itchy skin. Yep, as the seasons change, so does your skin. The skin routine you use in the summer may not work so well in the fall and winter when humidity dr...
    • 6727 Views
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