Recent Articles
Several Practice Associations leaving Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois HMO networks
The following Independent Practice Associations will no longer participate in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois HMO Illinois and Blue Advantage HMO networks, effective Dec. 31, 2009: Ravenswood Medical (062) and satellite: Ravenswood Medical Group at Cicero...
Order of St. Francis Healthcare System joins Aetna Northern IL network
Aetna has announced that the Order of Saint Francis (OSF) Healthcare System will be joining the Aetna Northern IL network effective September 1, 2009. The OSF Healthcare System will be available to members enrolled in the following Aetna Advantage products: Aetna...
New Illinois State Continuation Law effective June 18, 2009
All Illinois group health insurance plans that are renewed or amended after June 18, 2009 are subject to the new Illinois state law governing state coverage continuation. The new law: Extends the length of state continuation coverage from 9 months to 12 months. This...
State of Illinois Changes Illinois Health Insurance Continuation Rule
Illinois law states continuation of health insurance coverage is only available to an employee or member who has been continuously insured under the group policy (and for similar benefits under any group policy which it replaced) during the entire 3 months period...
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Expands BlueCare Dental Network
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) has acquired DenteMax by Dental Network of America (DNoA), a wholly owned dental subsidiary of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), which operates Blue Cross Plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. As a...
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Individual Plans – Open Enrollment for Young Adult Dependent Coverage
For existing Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois individual plan members who were members prior to June 1, 2009, the open enrollment window to enroll dependents under age 26 (and eligible military veterans under age 30) will take place from January 1, 2010 through...
Payroll Tax Reporting for COBRA Subsidy Offset
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allows a credit against employment taxes for providing COBRA premium assistance to assistance-eligible individuals. As deadlines approach for employers to file their quarterly payroll taxes, groups may be asking about...
St. John’s Hospital Remaining in Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Medicare Select Network
In May 2009, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois informed their Springfield Medicare Select members that St. John's Hospital had elected to discontinue its status as a Medicare Select contracting network hospital effective June 17, 2009. BCBSIL has announced that...
House Committees Release Draft Tri-Committee Health Reform Bill
As we head into July, the federal debate has become more defined as four of the five Congressional committees with jurisdiction over health reform have released draft health reform bills. On June 19th , the Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means...
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) has removed the following Illinois residential requirement: “50% or more of the enrolled employees must reside in IL or the bordering states
Blue Cross® and Blue Shield®of Illinois (BCBSIL) has removed the following Illinois residential requirement: "50% or more of the enrolled employees must reside in IL or the bordering states. The restriction still applies to group with 2-50 employees. BCBSIL is very...