SMALL BUSINESSES, BIG RISKS
There’s a direct correlation between an employer’s size and the likelihood that the firm will provide health benefits to its employees. The smaller the company, the less likely it is to provide coverage – a reality that impacts all demographics.

That’s a particular problem for North Carolina, because small businesses are increasingly the engine behind the state’s economy: 98 percent of businesses in North Carolina are small businesses,* and more than half of them don’t offer health insurance.** It’s hard for small businesses to qualify for rates as low as those available for large firms, particularly if some of their workforce is in poor health.
About half of the uninsured in North Carolina (55.3 percent) work for a small firm or belong to a family where someone works for a small firm (fewer than 25 employees).***

For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our qualified agents.  Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health.  Call us for details.

United States Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/profiles/06nc.pdf
Fifty-nine percent of North Carolina businesses don’t offer health benefits. Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts. 2002.
“North Carolina’s Uninsured.” North Carolina Medical Journal. May/June 2006.BCBSNC, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, Small Businesses and Health Insurance, Health Benefits

          1. Take care of yourself: Don’t let a nagging problem get worse and end up in the emergency room. Your family doctor or other primary care provider is your best resource for non-emergency medical needs.

          2. Stay in network: Visiting in-network health care providers saves you out-of-pocket costs. Check out the online provider directory at www.bcbsnc.com/memberservices to see which doctors participate in our network and what deductible and coinsurance amounts may apply to your visit.

          3. Save money with generic drugs: Did you know that some generic drugs can cost 80 percent less than their name brand counterpart? Make a habit of asking your pharmacist if a generic option is available.

          4. Free and discounted customer benefits: Improve your health and save money by enrolling in Member Health PartnershipsSM1. These programs offer special tools and savings to help you lose weight, manage stress, quit tobacco and manage a host of other conditions. (more…)

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH INSURANCE:

Residents of North Carolina have a variety of health insurance plans they can research and qualify for.  The most important question is, what is the best and most affordable plan for you and your family?  Our agency has written for some of the top companies in North Carolina throughout our career.  We have recently become exclusive agents for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, a company providing healthcare coverage for residents of North Carolina.  You may ask, why exclusive for BCBSNC?  It really revolves around customer service and products offered for health insurance coverage in North Carolina.  As an agency doing business for 34 years in North Carolina, we take tremendous pride in offering the best health insurance plans on the market with a company that we have 100% confidence in how they treat our clients as well as the products they offer.  There are so many health insurance plans in North Carolina that are being offered today, it is our job to determine what will work best for our clients and provide the best NC health coverage and affordability that is offered on the market today.   So, lets talk about North Carolina health insurance plans and highlight what we think is the best product on the market and provide the best health coverage for you and your family. (more…)

24-hour Health Information Line

Your child has a fever. What are your options? Your doctor has recommended surgery. Do you know what to expect? With Health Line Blue, the answers are just a phone call or click away.

It’s like having your own personal nurse
BCBSNC’s specially trained Health Line Blue nurses can answer your medical questions, offer support and send you free educational videotapes and brochures on many health topics. They can also help you partner with your doctor to make informed decisions and assist you in navigating the health care system.

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Blue Points

Earn prizes for taking an active role in your health.
Physical activity can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions. That’s why we created Blue PointsSM, our physical activity and wellness incentive program available exclusively for BCBSNC members.

Just 30 minutes a day of physical activity or participation in wellness activities earns points toward prizes like electronics, sports equipment, clothing and more!* Collect points and select prizes from our four Blue Points prize levels (B, L, U, and E). Special prizes are available for children ages 6 – 12 through Blue Points for KidsSM.

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BlueCard®

Health care coverage around the world
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina members are covered outside of North Carolina and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide through BlueCard. And there’s nothing extra to sign up for — the BlueCard program is an automatic benefit of BCBSNC membership.

With BlueCard, members can easily find participating doctors and hospitals for care outside of North Carolina using these online provider search tools:

Inside United States (outside North Carolina): BlueCard Doctor and Hospital Finder Outside United States: BlueCard Worldwide®  Members can also obtain a list of participating providers by calling the BlueCard phone number on the back of their BCBSNC ID cards.

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Small Businesses are a Big Priority

Ninety percent of North Carolina businesses are small businesses, making them the engine of North Carolina’s economy and one of our fastest-growing market segments.* In 2007, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina provided group coverage to 28,095 small business owners in the state.** The number of small business customers insured with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has increased by 48.45 percent since 2002.*** We provide coverage where small businesses need it – in small towns and cities all across the state.

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 A generic drug is identical, or bioequivalent, to a brand name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use. Certain inactive ingredients that give the generic product its shape, color or flavor may be different than the brand product. Health professionals and consumers can be assured that FDA approved generic drugs have met the same rigid standards as the innovator drug. Although generic drugs are chemically identical to their branded counterparts, they are typically sold at substantial discounts from the branded price.

Depending upon your benefit design, you may substantially lower your out-of-pocket expense by using a generic drug instead of the branded drug. For example, if you have a $10 generic copay (tier 1) and $35 non-preferred brand copay (tier 3), you can save $25 on every prescription just by choosing generics. For drugs you take each month, that’s a savings of $300 over an entire year. If your prescription drug benefit is based on coinsurance, generic drugs will save you money because they cost less than their branded counterparts.(In some cases, employer groups carve out the prescription drug benefit and contract with a vendor separately, please refer to your Member Guide to confirm that your pharmacy benefits are offered through

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North Carolina business owners might be looking for ways to trim costs, but the state’s largest health insurer says wellness programs shouldn’t be on the chopping block.
A study to be released today by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina showed that companies willing to make small investments in wellness initiatives such as paid time off for doctor’s visits and health screenings in the workplace see long-term returns.

“The things that employees value the most aren’t always the things that cost a lot of money, and in fact, it can be just the opposite,” said Don Bradley, chief medical officer for Blue Cross. “You don’t have to build a gym, but just give the opportunity to get outside and do some exercise.” (more…)

Once you enroll in a BCBSNC policy, they will provide a comprehensive Member Guide, which will be mailed to your home. The Member Guide includes detailed information about your specific benefits and covered services.

Additionally, BCBSNC provides valuable information and services on this Web site. You can either surf the site for the information you need or log on to My Member Services to access and change your member information instantly.

With My Member Services, you can accomplish the following:

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What Does Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Do In A Day’s Work?

Number of claims processed: 137,971

Value of claims handled: $30,872,548

Customers served: 3,598,696

Number of customer service calls: 36,813

Number of BCBSNC employees: 4,497

Daily tax obligation: $573,586

Payments to vendors: $1,434,200

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Save at least $250 or 25% off hearing aids

With Audio Blue, BCBSNC members can save at least $250 or 25% off hearing aids when they present their BCBSNC ID card at a participating provider location for a hearing consultation. The audiologist at the provider location can give recommendations on what types of hearing aids will best fit your lifestyle and budget. Choose from traditional behind-the-ear models to state-of-the-art digital models that fit completely in the ear canal.

The Audio Blue discount includes:

25% off hearing aid manufacturer’s suggested retail price or $250 off usual and customary fees, whichever provides greater savings
Hearing aid fittings
Follow-up visits for a year
One-year warranties for service, loss or damage
Free hearing aid cleanings and checks
One-year supply of batteries

Audio Blue is a program sponsered by BCBSNC.  The content of this post was reprinted from Blue Cross & Blue Sheild of North Carolina.

For more information on North Carolina health insurance, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our professional authorized agents.  Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC).  You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health, call all our office for details.