Blue Advantage health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is our most popular individual health plan in NC.  This is a traditional PPO plan with doctor office co-payments as low as $15 for your primary care physician and as low as $30 for a specialist.  BCBSNC allows you to build your own plan, selecting deductibles ranging from $250.00 up to $5000.00 with co-insurance starting at 50% up to 100%.  Blue Advantage Plans also allow an add on option of Dental Blue and/or maternity coverage as well.   (more…)

The following information is from a recent publication on Mastectomy Benefits from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

As required by the Womens’ Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998, your health insurance policy provides beneftis for mastectomy-related services, including all stages of reconstruction and surgery to achieve symmetry between the bresats, prostheses and complication resulting from a mastectomy , including lymphedema.  This coverage is subject to the same deductibles, copayments, coinsurance or limitations as applied to other medical and surgical benefits provided under your policy.  If you have questions, please check your Member Guide or call the Customer Service number on your ID card for more information.

The information above is brought to you from BCBSNC, A Guide to a Healthier You, 2009.

For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina and how to utilize My Member Services, 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.

Health insurance companies use historical data and analysis to predict the medical expenses for any given group of individuals (usually a company’s employees). The premiums they charge are based on the amount of claims they’ve paid in the past and what they expect future claims to cost. When insurers pay out more in claims than they receive in premiums and when future services are predicted to cost more, premiums go up.

As consumers, we are demanding more medical services than ever before. And the cost of these services is going up. These increased costs are passed on to employers in the form of increased premiums. Insurance companies work with employers to adjust services offered, as well as co-payments and deductibles, to minimize the impact of rising costs.

Take time to understand your health plan — it can help save healthcare dollars for you and for all Americans. For example, many health plans offer a reduced co-pay if you choose FDA-approved generic prescription drugs, so you pay less. Because the average total cost of a generic drug is three times less than the brand name, it helps keep costs down in your health plan.

Understanding the basics of how health insurance works and how to make the most of your own health plan can help keep healthcare affordable for everyone.

The content of this post is from BlueCross BlueShield Association’s article “Coverage Basics: How Health Insurance Works”

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.

According to a recent article from The New Times, napping may improve your memory.  In a world where everyone seems to be sleep deprived, we certainly can benefit from a little extra sleep once in a while.  Not only do we feel better, but maybe we can improve our memory as well!

 ”Take a nap.  Interrupting sleep seriously disrupts memory-making, compelling new research suggests.  But on the flip side, taking a nap may boost a sophisticated kind of memory that helps us see the big picture and get creative.  Over time, a chronic lack of sleep can erode the body in ways that leave us more vulnerable to heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses.  But perhaps more common than insomnia is fragmented sleep- the easy awakening that comes with aging, or worse, the sleep apnea that afflicts millions, whop quit breathing for 30 seconds or so over and over throughout the night.  Indeed, (more…)

Colon and colorectal health

Colorectal cancer (also known as colon cancer) is cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum. Colon cancer usually starts through the development of polyps, a type of foreign growth. Some of these polyps can develop into cancer. Colon cancer is the second-leading cancer that kills in the U.S. It is estimated that simple screening could help reduce or avoid over one-third of the deaths that currently result from this cancer. 

Prevention is possible. Detection is key. And screening is the way, especially for those age fifty or above.

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No one knows what tomorrow will bring, however term life insurance can provide you the peace of mind that those left behind will be able to take care of themselves financially without your presence.

Why buy Term Life Insurance coverage? 

Term Life Insurance can provide you with large dollar amounts of death benefit at an affordable price. These policies are designed to give you protection for a guaranteed number of years with a guaranteed level premium. Many people buy term life insurance to cover mortgages, college tuition, replacement of income and any other financial obligations that have a set amount of time that they may be financially responsible. (more…)

With the rate of diabetes diagnosis on the rise, everyone should know the signs and symptoms of this disease.  Early detection can be key to managing this disease and leading a healthy life.  You may be a picture of health and not realize you could be a candidate for diabetes.

Excessive thirst and increased urination

Flu-like feeling

Weight loss or gain

Blurred vision

Slow-healing sores or frequent infections

Tingling hands and feet

Red, swollen, tender gums

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.

What is a Health Savings Account? (HSA).  You could be at the age you start thinking more seriously about any tax advantages available to you so let us explore the HSA benefits and if they work for you.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (Publication 969, 2007):  A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-exempt trust or custodial account that you set up with a qualified HSA trustee to pay or reimburse certain medical expenses you incur.  You must be an eligible individual to qualify for an HSA. A qualified HSA trustee can be a bank, an insurance company, or anyone already approved by the IRS to be a trustee of individual retirement arrangements (IRAs). 

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Making the decision to get in shape does not have to be an individual one.  Why not include the entire family?  In our over-scheduled lives, it is difficult for even the most organized families to find family time let alone time to exercise.  There are many exercise activities that can be enjoyed by the entire family and require very little equipment, time or preparation. 

• Riding bicycles, raking fall leaves, turning a walk around the neighborhood into a scavenger hunt, organizing relay races in the front yard, jumping rope and counting to 100 (great practice for little ones learning to count as well)…
• Adjust your homework, dinner and “family fitness” time so that children are more active afterschool and before dinner.
• Limit Television, Computer and Video Game time to 2 hours per day for everyone! (except for working parents during work hour)
• Divide household chores that involve physical exertion between the entire family.  Even a toddler can be given chores to do.
• Buy exercise and fitness gifts for special occasions such as soccer balls, baseball bats, jump ropes, roller skates and bicycles.
• Children love to listen to music- have a dance party for 15 minutes in the kitchen while cleaning up from dinner.
• Fitness can go far beyond the gym and expensive exercise equipment.  Get moving with the entire family and spend quality time too!

The health benefits to moving go far beyond your waistline.  Healthy habits can affect your pocketbook and your nc health insurance rates.  Some applicants for Blue Advantage with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina can qualify for a 15% discount based on healthy lifestyles … even more incentive to get moving!

Once enrolled with BCBSNC, Members can enjoy Blue Points and earn prizes and rewards for their continued healthy lifestyle.

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 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.

Be active.
Physical activity and lifestyle changes can greatly reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions. That’s why we created Blue Points, our physical activity and wellness incentive program available exclusively for members. Our Blue Points program gives you an easy way to track your physical activities and participation in wellness activities – and rewards you with great prizes!

Earn points.
Just 30 minutes a day of physical activity or participation in wellness activities earns you prizes like electronics, sports equipment, clothing and more!*

Work in the yard, play golf, walk the dog. Just keep moving with Blue Points. You can also earn points for participating in specific Online Healthy Living Programs and completing wellness activities like understanding your healthy cholesterol and Body Mass Index (BMI) levels.

Get free prizes.
All you have to do is record your activities in your Blue Points Activity Log. At least 30 minutes or more of physical activity a day or participation in a specific wellness activity earns you 10 points for that day.* Earn 250 points and select a prize from the first Blue Points prize level. There are four levels in all – B, L, U and E – each with great prize options. And, there are also special prizes for kids ages 6 - 12 through Blue Points for Kids.

Want to learn more?
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.

Want to support the community?
When you earn enough points to win a Blue Points prize, you’ll have the opportunity to donate it to a local community group.