Recent Articles
How Obama Can Fix Health Care
HEALTH care drained the federal budget of more than $1 trillion this year. That includes direct health care programs like Medicare, plus insurance for federal employees and the cost of excluding employer health-care contributions from workers’ taxable incomes. If...
Blue Extras Discount Program now available to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois PDP members
All Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) members will have access to the Blue Extras program effective January 1, 2009. Blue Extras is a value-added benefits program that offers discounts on health and wellness products and...
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois replacing Walgreens as pharmacy mail-order vendor for Medicare Prescription Drug Plan pharmacy mail-order vendor
Effective January 1, 2009, Prime Therapeutics will become the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) pharmacy mail-order vendor for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois plans, replacing Walgreens. Existing members who use the mail order program are being notified via...
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Dental PPO Provider Network Grows, New ID Cards Issued
Health Care Service Corporation, which operates through its Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, is proud to announce a 26 percent growth increase in its Dental PPO Network, which is administered by the Dental Network of...
Blue Cross Blue Shield of IL Expanding BlueEdge HSA Deductible Options
To capitalize on heightened consumer interest in higher deductible plans, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is introducing a new deductible option to the BlueEdge Individual HSA (health savings account) plan. Along with the current deductible offerings of $1150,...
New PPO Network Providers for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Individual Plans
Individual members with policies associated with physician networks were issued riders as part of the November 2008 annual member mailing notifying them of the inclusion of Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Home Infusion Therapy (HIT), Advanced Practice Nurses (APN),...
NorthShore University Health System Acquires Rush North Shore Hospital
Effective January 1, 2009, NorthShore University HealthSystem (formerly ENH), has acquired Rush North Shore Hospital in Skokie, Illinois. Rush North Shore Hospital, which will be renamed Skokie Hospital, will remain a participating hospital in our PPO, BlueChoice...
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Daschle has his own health plan
By choosing former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to head his healthcare reform effort, President-elect Barack Obama got more than an old congressional hand with a policy book on his resume. Obama has also picked up a hardheaded political strategy for his push to...
New Debit Card Regulation Deadline Extended for Flexible Spending Accounts
On January 1, 2008, the IRS introduced new regulations for debit cards specifically used to reimburse eligible healthcare expenses for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). The Internal Revenue Service mandated that Flexible Spending Account (FSA) debit cards may not be...
Most Voters Say Leave My Health Insurance Alone
Health care reform is near the top of the list for incoming President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats, but a majority of U.S. voters (58%) oppose any kind of government-controlled health plan if it means they have to change their own insurance coverage....