Personally, I’m not crazy about winter and it’s mostly because I dislike being cold.  Even when there’s the slightest chill in the air, I struggle to stay active and highly prefer being snuggled up by the fire with a hot cup of tea and a good book.  Unfortunately, however, all that inactivity can leave me feeling lethargic.  Being active is an important part of living well and Blue Cross Blue Shield NC encourages preventive care all year long.  Below are a few ways to stay active this winter and keep yourself moving well into spring! (more…)

If you are like me, it probably seems like 2015 came and went in a flash!  Between the holidays and a new year, you may find yourself still not enrolled in health insurance.  If you missed the December 15th deadline for January 1st coverage and you also missed the January 15th deadline for February 1st coverage, you have yet another opportunity to enroll in health insurance for 2016! Open Enrollment will not officially end until January 31st and for the next 15 days, you can still submit an application and have coverage that will begin March 1st.  If you miss this deadline, however, you may be unable to enroll in a 2016 health insurance plan, which means not only will you be uninsured, you will likely incur a tax penalty.

Keep in mind that the 2016 tax penalty has increased to $695 per person or 2.5% of your annual individual income, whichever is greater.

The good news is you can still submit an application online in as little as ten minutes and if you are applying through the federal Marketplace, we are happy to assist you in submitting your application over the phone.  Give us a call at 888-765-5400.  We can assist you in choosing the plan that best suits your family’s needs and help you determine whether or not you qualify for a federal subsidy to help reduce the cost of your health plan.  Don’t let another year go by without obtaining health insurance for you and your family!

For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina insurance coverage, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our experienced and professional agents.

If you are still uninsured and trying to secure health coverage for 2016, your application must be submitted by midnight January 15th in order to qualify for a February 1st effective date (some exceptions apply).  Although Open Enrollment will not officially end until January 31st, 2016, you do not want to miss this important deadline!  In fact, if you fail to submit your application by January 15, 2016, in most cases you will not be eligible for health coverage to begin until March 1st and you will remain without health coverage throughout the month of February. (more…)

Are you one of the many Americans who qualify for a federal tax credit under the Affordable Care Act?  If so, you can now complete and submit your application in less than ten minutes!  If you attempted to apply for a subsidy in past years, you may have encountered long wait times, confusing online applications and the frustration of poor communication regarding your application, payment deadlines and policy information.  But that is no longer necessary.  Through a simple, straight-forward, and fast online application, you can now easily enroll in health insurance through the federal Marketplace. (more…)

Christmas is just around the corner and if you have kids like I do, you may be looking for a sweet, healthy and fun holiday treat.  These Santa strawberries are not only adorable, they are also delicious and kids of all ages are sure to enjoy them!  Easy to prepare, these whimsical Santa strawberries can be served as either an appetizer or dessert and though they will surely satisfy, they won’t weigh you down.  All you need to complete this recipe is 5 simple ingredients:  strawberries, mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and mini chocolate chips.  The total preparation time is only about 30 minutes.

Check out this simple recipe from Giada De Laurentiis. (more…)

Although the deadline for 2016 health coverage with an effective date of January 1st has already passed, Open Enrollment is not over yet!  In fact, this year’s Open Enrollment continues through January 31st, 2016 and you can still apply in as little as ten minutes.  If you have a Qualifying Life Event (QLE), you may still be able to get a January 1st effective date, but for most people, that effective date will no longer be available.  Here are the remaining important dates to keep in mind:

If you want your coverage to begin February 1st, you need to submit your application by midnight, January 15th.

If you want your coverage to begin March 1st, you need to submit your application by midnight January 31st.

The only thing that can change these effective dates is if you have a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) that makes you eligible for a Special Enrollment Period.  Qualifying Life Events include things like loss of minimum essential coverage through an employer or through Medicaid, a marriage, a move and more.  Check out the list of Qualifying Life Events, but keep in mind that your QLE must have occurred within the last 60 days in order for you to be eligible. (more…)

If you are still uninsured and trying to secure health coverage for 2016, your application must be submitted by midnight December 15th in order to qualify for a January 1st effective date (some exceptions apply).  Although Open Enrollment will not officially end until January 31st, 2016, you do not want to miss this important deadline!  In fact, if you fail to submit your application by December 15, 2015, in most cases you will not be eligible for health coverage to begin until February 1st and you will remain without health coverage throughout the month of January. (more…)

Open Enrollment 2016 is well underway and with all the changes in the health insurance industry, renewing your policy for 2016 can be more confusing than ever.  Updating or qualifying for a federal subsidy, changes in your local network or available plans, and deciding whether or not to keep your grandfathered plan or apply for an ACA plan can leave you feeling frustrated.  But that’s where we come in.  Having an agent can help ease the stress of renewing your insurance policy as we help guide you through the process of making any necessary changes.  We can discuss networks, benefits, deductibles, and out-of-pocket limits and help you decide which policy best suits the needs of you and your family for 2016. (more…)

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina understands that choosing a health insurance plan can be an overwhelming prospect, especially if you don’t fully understand the terminology.  For instance, what is the difference between an HMO and a PPO and how will that affect you when it comes to using your health plan?  Let’s break it down. (more…)

At 6:30 this morning when I took my dog outside for her morning ritual and it was still dark and I could see my breath in the frosty air, I realized that once again, winter is coming… and with winter comes flu season.  Every year, people suffer from flu symptoms that cause children to miss school, parents to miss work and everyone in the house to feel miserable.  More importantly, not only is the flu inconvenient, it can also be dangerous.  In fact, according to Dr. Larry Wu, Regional Medical Director for Blue Cross Blue Shield NC, “Last year, thousands were hospitalized and more than 100 North Carolinians died from complications with the flu, with the most severe issues affecting people who have not had the flu shot.”

Because Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is actively committed to promoting preventive care maintenance, they have in place a 2015 flu shot program to help members take advantage of the vaccine and stay healthy during this year’s flu season. (more…)

Blue Cross Blue Shield NC recently released an article explaining a little of the data that has been collected regarding what North Carolina’s ACA market looks like and how that is affecting health insurance premiums all over the state.  Because BCBSNC is the only company offering health plans on the Marketplace in all 100 counties of North Carolina, they have the largest share of ACA business in the state and perhaps the clearest picture of how the Affordable Care Act has affected the cost of health insurance across the board.

According to BCBSNC, new ACA customers in the state continue to use their health care benefits more than originally expected and for highly expensive medical services.  In fact, according to claims data for 2014 and the first half of 2015, BCBSNC explained two important trends:  First, there was no slowdown in any residual demand for medical services from new customers entering the health insurance marketplace after the induction of the ACA and second, there was a prevalence of more chronic health conditions needing medical treatment. (more…)

Autumn is in full swing and in our part of the state, we’ve had A LOT of rain.  We’ve had wet, dreary days that get me thinking about one thing – a good cup of coffee.  In fact, I’ve found myself more than once sitting in the Starbuck’s drive through waiting to be handed my $5 breve latte.  Although there’s a McDonalds right across the street where I know I could get a cheaper cup of coffee, I still wait for that Starbucks cup and I do it for one reason.  I know I’m going to get what I’ve paid for – good quality!

As the cost of health insurance is on the rise and both insurance companies and insurance consumers are feeling the pinch of the new ACA market, it’s important to keep a few things in mind.  Across the board, insurance companies are raising premiums in order to accommodate a different demographic.  Unfortunately these rate increases have been deemed necessary by the Board of Insurance in order for insurance companies in the state of North Carolina to stay viable and to continue providing health insurance to NC residents.  Many companies, including Blue Cross Blue Shield NC, lost millions of dollars last year alone on ACA business, which is an unsustainable business model year after year.  As premiums increase to help offset soaring costs, it is now more important than ever to really examine what your premium dollar gets you when it comes time to use your health plan. (more…)