Tag Archive for ‘BCBSNC’ at NC Healthcare Coverage Blog

Tag Archive for 'BCBSNC'

BCBSNC launches new program to fight the rise of childhood obesity and diabetes

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on June 22, 2010

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) have recently introduced the national commencement of the Good Health Club Physician Toolkit to fight obesity and diabetes. This toolkit, which was initially created and tested in five states including North Carolina, will become accessible to pediatricians in North Carolina and communities throughout the U.S. The toolkit was designed with materials that were used with great results by BCBSNC and augmented in consultation with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The toolkit is obtainable in both English and Spanish and is composed of tip sheets, physician reference materials, wall posters, tracking sheets and brochures with educational information.

The Good Health Club Physician Toolkit presents messages from the “Good Health Club, ” which is a group of friendly animal characters that motivates children to:

* Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day

* Curb screen time to 2 hours or less each day

* Exercise at least 1 hour each day

* Eliminate sweetened drinks

Dr. Don Bradley, senior vice president and chief medical officer at BCBSNC, and Dr. Edie Bernosky, Chapel Hill pediatrician, are both pleased and optimistic about the new program.

In the last 20 years, type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-onset diabetes) has been reported among U.S. children and adolescents with increasing incidence, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One in three U.S. children born in 2000 could get diabetes during their lifetime and the pervasiveness of obesity in children aged 6 to 11 has more than doubled in the past 20 years, rising from 6.5 percent in 1980 to an astounding 17 percent in 2006.

Since 1999, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has developed an assortment of programs in our community that focus on healthy lifestyles. The lifestyle modification program, called Health Lifestyle Choices, gave customers the support and instruments they needed to reach and maintain a healthy weight. In 2005, BCBSNC converted into one of the very first insurers to label obesity as a medical condition and cover nutritionist visits. Since 2007, they have augmented model tool-kits to assist families in getting routine exercise and taking control of managing their health and well-being.

To take a look at the Good Health Club Physician Toolkit and to get more information about what the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are accomplishing in their communities to fight childhood obesity and diabetes, please visit www.bcbs.com/goodhealthclub.

BCBSNC says stick it to the flu

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Jana

on October 10, 2009

in BCBSNC and Health and Wellness

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Want to knock out your chances of getting the flu? Well, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) wants you to stick it to the flu by getting your flu shot. It is presenting this message through its Stick it to the Flu Campaign which will run through March.

As part of the campaign, BCBSNC will cover the cost of the seasonal flu vaccine for customers with preventive health benefits. A co-payment, deductible or coinsurance may be charged to some customers, depending on their specific benefits. BCBSNC is also suggesting that customers get the separate H1N1so vaccine, and the out-of-pocket costs will be waived for eligible customers.

Dr. Don Bradley, senior vice president and chief medical officer for BCBSNC, says that the flu shot is the best way to keep from getting the seasonal flu and transferring it to others. He says “We are making it easy for our customers to get their seasonal and H1N1 flu shots by simply visiting their primary care doctor, worksite clinic or participating pharmacist in the BCBSNC network.”

As with insured customers, BCBSNC issues health plans for companies and organizations that are self-insured (The employer pays BCBSNC to administer the plan). Employees of such self-insured companies can check with their supervisors or HR Department to determine how the seasonal and H1N1 vaccine will be paid.

BCBSNC, using guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, has decided to cover the H1N1 vaccine. The Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has predicted extensive outbreaks this fall and winter.

When the H1N1 vaccine is available, BCBSNC customers have the option to go to their physician, in-network pharmacist or CVS Minute Clinic to get a H1N1 vaccine that will be covered. They advise customers to contact their provider to make sure that the vaccine is available.

It is strongly recommended that people get both vaccines to be completely protected against the seasonal and swine flu. These can be administered on the same day. The 2009 H1N1 vaccine does not replace the seasonal flu vaccine. You must get each vaccine for the best protection.

The CDC says that those who are the first to get the H1N1 vaccine are pregnant women, people who live with or provide care for infants less than 6 months of age, heath care and emergency medical services workers, children and young adults ages 6 months to 24 years and adults ages 25 to 65 years with medical conditions that have put them at a higher risk for flu-related complications.

More than 100 million doses of the seasonal flu vaccine will be available this flu season, according to the CDC estimations. The U.S. government plans to have 6 to 7 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine in October and 250 million doses by the end of the year. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reports that between 1000 to 2000 people die of seasonal influenza and pneumonia in North Carolina each year. The CDC estimates that more than 200,000 people are hospitalized with the seasonal flu every year and that there are 36,000 deaths from it yearly.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a leader in advanced health care products, services and information to more than 3.7 million customers, which includes 900,000 served on behalf of other Blue Plans. The company has served its customers for 76 years by offering health insurance at a reasonable and competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs and events that support good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. You can access BCBSNC online at www.bcbsnc.com.

BCBSNC changes for Blue Medicare Supplement makes Explanation of Benefits less confusing for members

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Jana

on April 23, 2009

in BCBSNC

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Since January 1, 2009, Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBSNC) has altered the arrangement of its Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for Blue Medicare Supplement products, to reveal what the provider charged and what Medicare allows. This information is found in the column, “Amount Provider May Bill You”. In the past, even though this amount was a precise statement of the difference between the two charges, many beneficiaries were perplexed about the correct amount that they were responsible for. Because of this confusion, BCBSNC has redesigned the EOB presentation for Blue Medicare Supplement Products in order to make it easier for members to understand what they actually owe.

Last year, there was perhaps too much detail about the amount that was not owed by the members on the EOB in the section of the EOB titled “Paid by Medicare or applied to deductible.

The contractual difference between what the provider charged and what Medicare allows is shown this year in the ‘Explanation of Amount Provider May Bill You’ section. Any amount that the member is responsible for under their current plan is also shown. Now, to make things clearer for the member, the ‘Explanation of Amount May Bill You’ section now states, “This amount represents remaining expenses after Medicare and BCBSNC Plan determination.”

So what do members need to do? Well, the member should compare their EOB with our EOB to see how much they are financially liable for. They can do this by looking at their EOB that is sent to them once every quarter from Medicare.

The advantages in paying BCBSNC with automatic bank draft transactions

Published

Jana

on April 15, 2009

in BCBSNC

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When you are going through the procedures for purchasing health insurance, and you have finished the quoting part with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, they will help you make the best selection for you and your family. After this, you will need to supply BCBSNC with the initial premium payment. If a credit card is used, it will be charged at the time that coverage is accepted. Even though your insurance policy’s effective date is thirty days from your acceptance, your credit card will be charged instantly.

Your credit card will be used for the first payment only. All succeeding payments will be billed to you monthly. Actually, BCBSNC will let you pay with the credit card monthly, but the credit card portion of the premium statement must be filled out each month. With monthly billing, most members will pay with a check because it tends to be easier.

Arranging to have your account automatically debited, is most likely the easiest method to ensure that your health insurance payment is taken care of every month. All you have to do is to give them your name as it is printed on your check and the routing and account numbers. It really is better for everyone involved, mainly because you don’t have to remember to write a check each month. It would be terrible to have your insurance lapse, simply because you were too busy or on vacation. It is less costly and more green for the environment for BCBSNC to debit your account than to deal with a paper check and send you a paper bill.

If you have to cancel your insurance, you don’t need to worry about BCBSNC forgetting to stop your automatic debit. Unlike some businesses that carelessly forget to stop automatic debit once a customer ceases business, BCBSNC is extremely conscientious when it comes to stopping automatic debits on time. The North Carolina Department of Insurance regulates all North Carolina insurance companies, so as long as you follow the right steps to end an automatic debit, there shouldn’t be any problems. All you have to do is to give BCBSNC a letter asking for cancellation of your policy on a certain date, the policy number, the names of persons covered on the policy and your signature.

Blue Advantage BCBSNC bank draft transactions are processed on the 5th of the month in which a policy is effective. On-going drafts take place on the 5th for bills at the first of the month and 12th and 15th of the month for mid month bills.

The Blue Options HSA(SM) product will always be processed at the 1st of the month bill cycle, no matter when an individual chooses their effective date. With this product, the usual rule for drafts is that they happen on the 2nd day of the month that a policy is effective. The draft will occur right away if it is effective after the second of the month.

For those with the Blue Options HSA(SM) plan with an effective date on the 15th, they could draft right away for only 15 days of the premium, then succeed with an additional full month draft on the next 5th of the month. Here is an example: Effective date is 3/15, enrollment is 3/23 and an immediate draft takes place for 15 days. On 4/5, there is a draft for the full month. Also, a 45 – day draft will happen in this example if enrollment doesn’t occur until 4/1 of after.

To sum up everything mentioned, it is easiest and safest to have BCBSNC automatically debit your checking account each month. But if you still prefer to be billed monthly, use your credit card for the first payment.

BCBSNC increases the use of electronic prescribing by more than 50 percent

Published

Jana

on March 26, 2009

in BCBSNC

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The use of ePrescribe, a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina statewide electronic prescribing strategy, is becoming more prevalent with physicians and pharmacies. So what does this mean for more North Carolinians? They will have the advantage of heightened prescription precision and safety.

The number of doctors that used electronic prescriptions in the last quarter has doubled to more than 2000, according to the most recent ePrescribe findings. Also, more than 87 percent of N.C. pharmacies have adopted the electronic prescribing in order to better suit their customer’s prescription needs.

Dr. Ron Smith, BCBSNC vice president of Employer Health and Corporate Pharmacy, says that there is an expanding use of electronic prescribing for both N.C. physicians and pharmacies. This allows physicians instant access to a patient’s medical and drug history so they can avoid any possible drug interactions. They can also view the patient’s health plan with the ePrescribe system so they can discuss the different costs of drug choices, as well as the consideration of generic drugs before a prescription is written, which can save the patient $30 or more per prescription.

BCBSNC was the earliest insurer in North Carolina to diligently endorse the use of electronic prescribing. There have been more than 7.8 million electronic prescriptions issued, since BCBSNC began the ePrescribe program in 2006.

The ePrescribe program was started by BCBSNC with a partnership with Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) and North Carolina Medicaid to boost prescription accuracy and increase patient safety. BCBSNC continues to encourage electronic prescribing for all N.C. providers and to work with CCNC to help support the program.

An electronic prescribing solution is being made available by BCBSNC on their web site to assist every licensed provider in its network to begin electronic prescribing. There is no downloading and new hardware requirement on the web site. The BCBSNC web portal is safe and can be accessed easily by most computers, handheld devices or cell phones.

BCBSNC will offer free generic medicines with new Generic Waiver Program

Published

Jana

on December 1, 2008

in BCBSNC

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is once again helping members out with their prescription drug costs with a new generic copayment waiver program. This new version is a more revised and condensed edition of the generic copayment waiver programs that they have used in previous years. The new program’s purpose is to motivate some members to shift to less expensive medicines. It is also a way to raise medication use during a troubled economy, for patients taking drugs for chronic conditions. They want to reduce surging drug costs.

The company is concerned about the fall of prescription use during the last few months. This reveals that many people are not getting the prescriptions that they need to maintain their health.

Blue Cross will pay, but the costs are counteracted because the amount that it pays in all for drugs decreases. The cost for an average brand-name drug currently cost $130 for a month’s supply. The average generic medicine is only around $19.

Once brand-name drugs lose patent protection, federal regulations permit generic versions of medicines. This causes pharmaceutical companies behind the original drugs to suffer, while offering cheaper substitutes for consumers.

Blue Cross fosters generics to prescribing physicians. Drugstore chains such as Walmart, Target are now offering inexpensive generic co-pays. Increasing the amount of generics that are available is a huge priority according to regulators.

The most current data from the N.C. Institute of Medicine shows that the amount of money spent of prescription drugs in N.C. has almost increased 50 percent faster than combined health costs from 1991 to 2004. Mark Holmes, vice president of the institute, says that programs like Blue Cross are effective at getting people to buy the generic version of the drug, which saves the consumer and the insurer money for a treatment that is just as effective.

There are a few restrictions to the Blue Cross program. It is not accessible to groups in which the insurer only provides the coverage. This includes state and federal workers. Also members with drug deductibles must satisfy that stipulation first. Blue Cross currently has about 3.7 million members.

Under this new Generic Waiver Program, copayments and coinsurance for all generic prescriptions filled or refilled between January 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009 will be waived by BCBS of NC. Underwritten (fully insured) groups and individual members will be eligible for this program. Also, self funded or ASO groups may partake in the program. The ASO clients will be furnished with more detail as needed.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has innovative and helpful website

Published

Jana

on October 22, 2008

in BCBSNC and Health Insurance

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield is an efficient, responsive and technologically innovative and advanced health insurance company. Their website, bcbsnc.com, reveals this as you will be able to access anything you need that relates to health care. Some of the things you can find on this website include coverage plan information for individuals and groups, a provider directory, hospitals, doctors, research centers, rates, legislative news and links to more health related sites.

This Blue Cross and Blue Shield website, bsbcnc.com, also helps people find information on their full range of managed care programs for individuals, families, employer groups and seniors.

Also, by logging in, members can manage their accounts, make payments, request a visit with a doctor, fill or print forms, or even take a look at their bills or get a copy of previous bills.

Because this site offers such varied and educational links, it is not only useful for Blue Cross and Blue Shield members, but for anyone who is interested in health related issues.

BCBSNC creates Workplace Wellness program

Published

Jana

on September 29, 2008

in BCBSNC and Health and Wellness

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Some people may ask “why do we need a workplace wellness program?”. First of all, a workplace wellness program can provide major benefits for everyone involved, one of which is the lowering of costs for employers and employees. There is also the possibility for better health for everyone, which increases productivity and morale.

Companies that already have workplace wellness programs in place have achieved a 25 to 30 percent reduction in medical and absenteeism costs.

Employees with preventable health conditions such as high blood pressure or obesity, cost employers an incredible 228 percent more than healthier associates.

With these statistics in mind, BCBSNC has created a new website called BCBSNC Workplace Wellness. This site helps companies come up with their own workplace wellness plan to get and keep employees healthy. It offers advice and resources to enhance the health of their employees. The program shows companies how to start a wellness program with some easy steps that are based on suggestions from Fit Together, which is a partnership between the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund and BCBSNC.

Once inspired to form a wellness program, a company must plan and create. This includes providing employees with incentives to eat right and get active, determining specific needs and expectations and making a distinct company commitment. Then to develop and maintain the program, evaluation of the company’s program is necessary and all available help should be used to keep the company’s program in peak condition.

All companies should look into this program in order to lower their costs and improve the health of everyone involved in their company.

Another website,Â wellsteps.com, is also a useful resource for companies interested in creating wellness programs in the workplace.

BCBSNC to is issue new ID cards in October

Published

Jana

on September 23, 2008

in BCBSNC

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In October, BCBSNC will start to facilitate a new two-sided member ID card. Once it is implemented, BSBSNC subscribers will get the newly designed ID card as they register, add family members to their policy, or ask for extra ID cards.Â

BCBSNC subscribers will most likely acquire a new ID card when their employer group or individual policy renews, starting with November effective dates.

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