NCHealthPlans.com Health News » BCBSNC

Our classic health insurance plan

• Features low copayments for doctor visits and prescription drugs
• A wide range of deductibles for medical and prescription drugs
• You get the most comprehensive coverage we offer
• You pay more in monthly premiums, but you pay less when going to the doctor
• Preventive care is covered at 100%

The information in this article is from bcbsnc.com, product benefits.

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 professional 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.

As if we needed another reason to get out onto the water, the fact remains that whether you are looking for it or not, kayaking is a form of exercise, not to mention the beautiful settings that surround you.  Kayaking gives us a balanced approach to our cardiovascular system and our upper body strength.

These health benefits are often a side effect of simply doing what you love most.  During kayaking the low impact movements may improve joint health in some people.  The extra calories burned through kayaking may also lead to natural weight loss, which in turn can help aching joints.  Kayaking also is a great way to relax and reduce stress.  It is a great sport to help with physical and emotional healing.

Kayaking is a great way to promote a healthy lifestyle for your family too!  Kids of all ages love can enjoy kayaking.  Safety is the main goal when involving children in this sport.  Life preservers are a non-negotiable.  Children should ride with an adult several times before venturing on their own and must be supervised by an adult at all times.  Keep in mind when children are learning to kayak it is best to start in calm shallow water until they get the hang of the movement.   Half an hour to an hour is just right for all first trips regardless of age. You may also want to make certain that children are familiar with the water, experienced in swimming, physical strength, and coordination level.  So enjoy kayaking !  Get your family on the water and begin a healthy life!

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 to 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.

In a press release today issued by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina,  a rate request was filed with the North Carolina Department of Insurance (DOI) for a rate increase of ZERO PERCENT for Blue Options HSA and Blue Saver. The requested rate increase for Blue Advantage is 6.35 percent.  According to the press release  Blue Advantage and Blue Options HSA currently serve more than 347,000 customers under the age of 65. 

The ZERO PERCENT base rate increase for the Blue Options HSA and Blue Saver products underscores that when customers have a greater financial stake in the decisions they make, they become more savvy health care consumers. The growth they are seeing in these products shows that consumers are comfortable taking a more active role in managing their health care expenses. (more…)

You may have seen the sport out on the beach.  While many people find paddle boarding fun, many also see the health benefits with this popular sport.   If you are an avid water lover, and ready for a good challenge, then stand up paddle boarding might be the perfect combination for your summer activity.  Also, more activity promotes good health so having fun with your summer activities can improve overall health and fitness. 

According to exercise experts, this sport is a full body workout.  Paddle boarding strengthens your core, improves balance, and best of all burns calories.   When you paddle you rotate using your abs.  You may also develop muscles on the core areas (hips, trunk and buttocks). You can contact most local surf shops to find paddle board lessons which are being taught up and down the East Coast.   Our agency owner worked closely with AB Surf Shop on Atlantic Beach to purchase an awesome board for a Christmas gift and we were very happy with our purchase.

Paddle boarding does take a little practice.  The hands-on experience is challenging.  Although regular practice will guarantee success, most people usually are able to stand within 10 minutes.  Paddle boarding is an active sport for any athletic ability and any size person. 

Paddle boarding is a fast growing water sport.  Remember it is important to stay active and healthy.  Not only do you get health benefits from your healthy lifestyle, but you can save money when purchasing private health insurance and get discounts in your premium due to excellent health. 

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 to 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.

 Beginning July 1, 2011, BCBSNC will cover the sleeve gastrectomy procedure for qualified members who meet the criteria outlined in our medical policy titled “Surgery for Morbid Obesity.” You can search the medical policy on bcbsnc.com. What is a sleeve gastrectomy? A sleeve gastrectomy is an alternative approach to a standard gastrectomy that can be performed on its own or in combination with other procedures. In this procedure, a portion of the stomach is removed, leaving a stomach remnant shaped like a tube or sleeve.

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Beginning July 18, 2011, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is making changes to the way that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) members view and access information about their Health Savings Account (HSA) online.

If plan participants are enrolled in a Blue Options HSASM account and their fund administrator is ACS/BNY Mellon, subscribers in that plan will notice the following changes:

Beginning July 18th, subscribers who log into BCBSNC’s Member Services (www.mybcbsnc.com) will notice that the “My HSA Account” link is being replaced with a “Manage My HSA” link. This link will direct subscribers to www.hsamember.com, a site hosted by ACS/BNY Mellon, the HSA fund administrator.

Subscribers who are accessing www.hsamember.com for the first time will need to complete the e-registration process with ACS/BNY Mellon. Then, to access their HSA account information at any time, they simply log into their new hsamember.com account. (This account and log-in process is separate from their BCBSNC Member Services account.)

With www.hsamember.com, BCBSNC members will have more of their HSA information at their fingertips than ever before, and the site is easy and convenient to use.

“My HSA Account” pages will no longer be available on bcbsnc.com. Members will be able to access similar information, and more, from the www.hsamember.com website and from www.bcbsnc.com.

This information was published by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina on July 5, 2011.

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 professional 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.

GREAT COVERAGE STARTS HERE:  For most all non-grandfathered plans offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina now offer 100% coverage for all preventive services….no more co-payments or deductibles.  Some of these benefits include adult annual exams, urinalysis, blood test, screen test, immunizations, well-baby care, well- child care, mammograms, colonoscopies, polyp removal and obesity evaluation and management.

Also being offered are our new lower costs plans by BCBSNC ,  Saver 1, 2 & 3 plans offering high deductibles as well as limited office visit co-payments, limited prescription coverage and plans offering no co-payments with deductibles as high as $10,000.00 and $20,000.00.    Of course, Blue Options HSA and Blue Advantage plans are among the most popular plans being sold today.  Now you have the ability to select from a broad array of plans that will work best with your budget.

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 professional 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.

Keeping kids’ teeth healthy requires more than just daily brushing. During a routine well-child exam, you may be surprised to find the doctor examining your child’s teeth and asking you about your water supply. That’s because fluoride, a substance that’s found naturally in water, plays an important role in healthy tooth development and cavity prevention. 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina offers Dental Blue insurance coverage that pays 100% of preventive care , routine oral exams and cleanng.   Dental Blue also includes coverage for basic and major services as well.

Even tiny tots need regular checkups, just like mom and dad. The American Dental Association recommends kids start getting checkups at about age 1, or when their first tooth appears.

Yet even before then it’s important to care for your child’s teeth and gums. Though they’ll eventually lose them, baby teeth help a child speak and chew well, and also create a path for the permanent teeth that follow

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.

Ken Ubertini  joined our agency in January 2011 and will specialize in employee benefits-group health, life, disability and dental. Ken worked for various Blue Cross Blue Shield organizations on the east coast and was employed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina for the past 14 years as GROUP PRODUCER MANAGER.  

To help you attract and retain the highest quality employees, you need the best benefit plan available on the market today.  With so many options available, finding a plan that meets your company’s budget and special interests is difficult and time consuming.   With Ken’s extensive knowledge and 25 years experience and training you will not find a more competent individual in the group health insurance market.  At your disposal, with only a phone call, Ken will be available to help you develop, customize solutions that will continually meet your needs and go beyond your expectations .   If you would like Ken to provide a quote for your company, click here and complete the census and Ken will get in touch with you promptly and provide the best quotes for your business.    Ken’s outside interests include being  the best possible father to two teenage daughters,  bicycling and reading.

Ken resides in Wilmington, N.C. and his outside interests include being  the best possible father to two teenage daughters,  bicycling and reading.   We welcome Ken to our organization as he will play an integral part in the development of the group business in North Carolina.

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.

Chapel Hill, N.C. – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) today announced the launch of HealthNAVSM1, a new mobile application designed to help on-the-go customers access information and manage their personal health care. The free app is now available for download by customers with an Apple® iPhone®, iPad™ and iPod touch®. 

The 1.0 version of the mobile app features four functions, including: 

• An urgent care finder that helps customers locate in-network urgent care centers, as a more efficient and affordable alternative to emergency rooms. 
• A prescription drug finder that allows customers to compare average drug costs, and find cheaper alternatives while they are discussing options with their doctor, or in preparation for a visit. 
• Customer service access that provides customers one-click access to call a customer service representative when they need answers quickly. 
• Health notes that let users store notes about personal and family health in one place, and includes suggested questions to ask your doctor during a visit. 

To download the app, simply visit the iTunes® store, search for BCBSNC and click download, or click on any of our mobile ads, which link directly to the description page in the iTunes store.

The above information is from a post by BCBSNC in 2010 and located at bcbsnc.com.

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.

School, homework, soccer practice, ballet, board meetings, meal planning, social events - the list goes on and on. The end of summer often means the beginning of a hectic fall, and now is the perfect time to ensure that healthy eating stays on top of your priority list.

A healthy lifestyle for the entire family can be easier than it seems – even for the busiest household. With a little planning, both parents and kids will find themselves prepared for those last-minute meals and snack attacks that may otherwise place them in front of the vending machine, or in the drive-thru line.  As parents are back to work, and kids are back to school, it is even more important than ever to be armed with functional foods that will keep you fueled and feeling satisfied.  Planning ahead for snacks and meals that are both nutritious and delicious is the key to success. Preparing nutritious snacks and meals on a tight schedule is all about being creative, so finding the right go-to foods the whole family will enjoy is important.   Here are a few tips that you may find useful during these hectic times, especially with the holidays just around the corner.

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Blue Options HSA links a high-deductible health plan to a health savings account (HSA), which can be used to pay for qualified medical expenses tax-free.  Monthly premiums are as much as 50% lower than traditional health plans. The HSA is portable and any unused balance rolls over at the end of the year.Lower premiums—save as much as 50% off Blue Advantage .  Choose your own doctor from the largest provider network in the state.  Preventive care services covered at 100%

(1) An HSA is automatically included with your health plan if you select Mellon as your fund administrator

(2)  Mellon HSA includes a convenient debit card at no charge

(3)  HSA contributions and withdrawals are tax-fre

(4)  Annual contribution limit for 2010 is $3,050 for individual plans and $6,150 for family plans

(5)  Out-of-pocket maximum protects you from high-dollar medical costs

(6)  Secure access to health plan information online

(7)  Optional maternity coverage available.

*The content of this post is provided by BCBSNC.

For more information about 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.

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