Recent Articles
Health Care Fraud Patterns to be Aware of
Estimated at costing $54 billion annually, health care fraud increases health care costs for insurance companies, which get passed on to policyholders in higher premiums. Some recent patterns of health care fraud include: Billing for “free” screenings and services not...
Michelle’s Law Extends Coverage for Sick College Students Taking a Medical Leave
Michelle's Law (HR-2851) was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President on October 3, 2008 as Public Law No: 110-381. Michelle’s Law requires group and individual health plans to continue covering otherwise eligible dependent children taking a medical...
Health-care premiums may soar in 2009
Already struggling in a tough economy, many small employers are about to face another big hit: markedly higher increases in health-insurance premiums as they head into 2009. For many of these companies, the steeper increases couldn't come at a worse time, when the...
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...