The health effects of smoking are the circumstances, mechanisms, and factors of tobacco consumption on human health. Epidemiological research has been focused primarily on cigarette tobacco smoking, which has been studied more extensively than any other form of consumption, but all forms of tobacco use are dangerous.  Research has proven overwhelmingly that the regular use of tobacco can damage every part of the body.

Tobacco is the single greatest cause of preventable death globally. Tobacco use leads most commonly to diseases affecting the heart, liver and lungs, with smoking being a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (including emphysema and chronic bronchitis), and cancer (particularly lung cancer, cancers of the larynx and mouth, and pancreatic cancer). It also causes peripheral vascular disease and hypertension. The effects depend on the number of years that a person smokes and on how frequently the person smokes. Starting to smoke earlier in life and smoking cigarettes higher in tar increases the risk of these diseases. Cigarettes sold in underdeveloped countries tend to have higher tar content, and are less likely to be filtered, potentially increasing vulnerability to tobacco-related disease in these regions.

Also, environmental tobacco smoke, or secondhand smoke, has been shown to cause adverse health effects in people of all ages.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that tobacco caused 5.4 million deaths in 2004 and 100 million deaths over the course of the 20th century. Similarly, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes tobacco use as “the single most important preventable risk to human health in developed countries and an important cause of premature death worldwide.”

Quitting smoking may be difficult, especially for those individuals who have developed the habit of regular tobacco use.  Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina wants to encourage you to make the change.  A healthy lifestyle is the number one form of preventive care and one of the best things you can do for your body.

For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina health insurance coverage, the Marketplace and healthcare gov  to apply for your subsidy, 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.  Let us help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama care.

Do you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day?  If not, you should!  Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina endorses healthy living and one of the healthiest things you can do for your body is to keep it hydrated.

Drink more water. Most of us actually don’t drink enough water every day. Water is essential for our body to function.  Do you know that over 60% of our body is made up of water? Water is needed to carry out our bodily functions, remove waste and carry nutrients and oxygen around our body. Since we lose water every day through urine, bowel movements, perspiration and breathing, we need to replenish our water intake.

Bring a water bottle when you go out. That way, you can replenish your fluids whenever you want to. It saves you money as well and you don’t need to subject yourself to poor alternatives like soda, which increases your fluid outtake instead.

Furthermore, drinking more water alone actually aids in losing weight. A study done by healthcom carried out among overweight/obese people showed that water drinkers lose 4.5 more pounds than a control group. The researchers believe it’s because drinking more water helps fill your stomach, making you less hungry and less likely to overeat. I agree with that, and I have an added take that your body tries to retain whatever water it gets when you don’t take in enough water, leading to an increase in weight. On the other hand, when you regularly drink water, your body knows it’s going to get the supply of fluids it needs, so it doesn’t try to retain more water.

There is no real downside to drinking more water and the benefits to your body are clear.  As always, before starting any weight loss program, consult your doctor first and get his/her clearance for physical activity.  Find out if there are any issues that would affect you participating in a new nutrition and fitness program.

For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina health insurance coverage, the Marketplace and healthcare gov  to apply for your subsidy, 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.  Let us help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama care.

9 Mason Jar Salad Recipes for Healthy Lunch Ideas – That New Year’s resolution to eat healthier probably includes lots of salads, but by the end of January, lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes can get old. With layers of fruit, veggies, grains and proteins, salad-in-a-jar recipes are the perfect option for quick and easy packed lunches.  All you need is a jar, some basic knife skills and a few creative salad dressings for a clever and sophisticated salad you can actually look forward to.

Check out the Asian Noodle Salad, which is just one of 8 of these fun recipes.  For a tasty change from the plain old chopped lettuce salad, this recipe draws its inspiration from Asian cuisine. Soba noodles, also known as buckwheat noodles, are a great gluten-free option (though make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce and skip the crunchy rice noodle topping if gluten is a no-no in your diet). The homemade dressing uses peanut butter as an emulsifier, which allows the oil and vinegar to come together more harmoniously. That also means you won’t need to shake or mix it.

Promoting healthy eating, fitness and a healthy lifestyle is a main focus at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. Enjoy!  Before starting any weight loss program, always consult your doctor first and get his/her clearance for physical activity and find out if there are any issues that would affect you participating in a new nutrition and fitness program.

For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina health insurance coverage, the Marketplace and healthcare gov  to apply for your subsidy, 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.  Let us help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama care.

If you did not get health coverage previously under the Affordable Care Act, you can enroll in a plan for next year starting Nov. 15. And if you are already covered, you can change or renew your plan for next year. If you don’t sign up by Feb. 15, 2015, you will be without coverage until January 2016 unless you have a qualifying life event .

There are at least three key components to choosing an ACA plan that is right for you and your family: Benefits, premiums and the network of doctors and hospitals.

Benefits:

All ACA plans are required to cover “essential health benefits” as described in the law. And all individual plans must cover preventive health benefits entirely.

Beyond these requirements, consumers have choices when it comes to how much they pay out-of-pocket for covered services. Plans are broken into four categories — bronze, silver, gold and platinum. As these names suggest, bronze plans have the highest deductibles and co-payments, platinum the lowest.

When shopping for a plan, look for the “Summary of Benefits and Coverage” which describes what the plan covers. Also be sure to review each plan’s prescription drug formulary to see what drugs are covered. Or call the plans you’re considering and ask about any specific services you think you might use in the coming year.

Premiums

Health plans across the nation have been preparing customers for changes in rates from current plans for the new ACA enrollment period.  Generally speaking, the higher your out-of-pocket costs, the lower your premiums are. This tradeoff between rates and out-of-pocket costs is an important element to consider when shopping for coverage, CLICK HERE FOR YOUR NEW 2015 RATE.

Federal subsidies help consumers pay for coverage through the ACA. If your household income is between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, you do not have coverage through an employer, and you meet certain other requirements, you will be eligible for a federal subsidy to purchase a plan through the exchange.

Networks

Another important consideration for consumers is whether their current physicians and hospitals are in-network. Going outside the plan’s network typically results in higher charges — sometimes significantly higher. And some plans don not cover services provided outside their networks.

If you have had coverage before, or have a current plan, do not automatically assume your doctors will still be in-network for a new or renewed plan. It is best to check each time you go through an open enrollment period. All ACA plans are required to tell consumers which providers are in the plan’s networks. When shopping, look for the link to the provider directory.

For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina 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 experienced and professional agents.  Let us help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama care.

A reminder of those summer nights by the campfire.  A great dessert we found from “How Sweet It Is”  s’mores jar cakes have buttery graham crusts covered with fluffy double chocolate chip cake and pillowy marshmallow toppings that are so perfectly browned and bubbly you can taste the campfire and smell the midnight July breeze.

makes 4 16-ounce mason jar cakes

for crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs; 1/2 stick butter; pinch of salt; Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter and mix in graham crumbs and salt. Mix until moistened. Spray 4 mason jars with non-stick spray and press graham crust into jars. I began by adding a tablespoon to each, and repeating until graham crumbs were gone. They don’t need to look perfect. I pressed the crumbs down firmly with the flat bottom of a clean screwdriver.

for cake: 1 1/8 cups all purpose flour; 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder; 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3/4 cup brown sugar; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup milk; 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream; 1/2 cup butter, melted; 2 tablespoons sour cream

for topping: 1 bag of large marshmallows

In a bowl, whisk egg and sugar until smooth and no lumps remain. Add milk, cream, butter and vanilla, and mix until combined. Stir in sour cream. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture. Mix until batter is smooth. Using a 1/4 cup measure, add batter to mason jars one scoop at a time. You only want to fill them up about half way, and the batter should work evenly for 4 jars. Again – don’t worry if it is perfect. Place mason jars in a baking dish and add about 1 1/2 cups of water to the bottom. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cake is set.

Remove cake from the oven and press large marshmallows down on top, being careful not to burn yourself. There is no set number of marshmallows to use, I pressed down as many as I could, about 4-5 each. Heat the broiler on your oven and watching carefully, brown marshmallows for about 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Do not take your eyes off them! Serve immediately.

The annual enrollment period is closed for 2014.   But, you can still get a quote and apply if you have a Qualifying Life Event so you can enroll during our Special Enrollment Period.  Otherwise, you will not have the opportunity to apply until our Open Enrollment which starts 11/15/2014 for a 1/1/2015 effective date.  When completing the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina application, you will have the option to select which Qualifying Life Event may be applicable to you.  If you have extraordinary circumstances, you should talk with the Marketplace to determine if you can enroll without one of the Qualifying Life Events outlined below.  Please call our office 888-765-5400 to talk with one of our qualified representatives who can help guide you through the process of applying and assist you in determining if you could be subsidy eligible.

Special circumstances for enrolling outside of the open enrollment period include:

•Loss of minimum coverage (employer coverage, government plans, etc.)

•Adding a dependent through birth, adoption or marriage

•Gaining citizenship

•Enrollment/non-enrollment errors by the federal Marketplace or the US Department of Health and Human Services

•Qualified health plan violates the material provision of its contract with the individual

•Newly eligible for a subsidy or a change in the amount of subsidy you are eligible for

•Moving to a new state

•American Indian/Alaska Native status (may change once a month)

Transitional Plans Available for 2015 – Applies to Both Individual and Small Group Plans

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina will extend individual and small group transitional plans* for the 2015 year.

Background Information: On March 5, 2014, the White House provided additional guidance on the transition policy for individual and small group health plans that was originally announced on November 14, 2013. This guidance announced that carriers could once again extend this benefit for additional plan years. Extension of these “transitional plans” was not a requirement.  Carriers could elect to offer or discontinue the plans.BCBSNC has elected to allow individual and small group transitional members to continue to keep their plan for the 2015 plan year.

Key Points:

Annual rate changes that occur at the group renewal date, or on January 1 for individual policies, will apply to these transitional plans.

Individual policies: Members will lose transitional plan status if they move to another plan, or if they drop maternity coverage. Once transitional plan status is lost, members cannot switch back to their transitional plan.

Exceptions:  Some changes can be made without losing transitional plan status: Members on an individual policy may add maternity coverage without losing transitional status. Members may add dependents without losing transitional plan status. Members may remove dependents without losing transitional plan status.  Group policies: Groups will lose transitional plan status if they move to another plan. Once transitional plan status is lost, groups cannot switch back to their transitional plan.

Info provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina on 06/11/2014

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). It would be our pleasure to help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of Obama care. Call us for details.

Apply for your Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina coverage today if you have a Qualified Life Event that enables you to enroll during the Special Enrollment Period.  Below we have outlined some examples of these qualified life events.  To generate your quote and get started click here.  BCBSNC offers an array of health insurance plans that will fit any budget and are all ACA compliant.

Marriage, having a baby, adopting a child or placing a child for adoption or foster care, moving outside your insurer’s coverage area, gaining citizenship, leaving incarceration.
Gaining status as member of an Indian tribe. Members of federally recognized Indian tribes can sign up for or change plans once per month throughout the year.
For people already enrolled in Marketplace coverage: Having a change in income or household status that affects eligibility for premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions
 Losing other health coverage due to losing job-based coverage, divorce, the end of an individual policy plan year in 2014, COBRA expiration, aging off a parent’s plan, losing eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP, and similar circumstances. Important: Voluntarily ending coverage doesn’t qualify you for a special enrollment period. Neither does losing coverage that doesn’t qualify as minimum essential coverage.

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). It would be our pleasure to help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of Obama care. Call us for details.

Contact us today to discuss BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF NORTH CAROLINA plans.  You need to purchase your new health insurance policy before the Open Enrollment period ends on March 31, 2014. GET YOUR FREE RATE QUOTE AND APPLY TODAY.

We can guide you through all plans offered by BCBSNC, help you determine if you are eligible for a subsidy, guide you through the Marketplace to finalize your subsidy application.  Once the Marketplace process is finalized we will assist you with your enrollment/payment finalization through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.  Don’t wait, time is running out.

During the Open Enrollment period, you can buy qualified private health insurance through the government Marketplace. After the Open Enrollment period, you can only sign up for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIPS) through healthcare.gov. Unless, you qualify under Special Enrollment Period that require a change in your health insurance.  Some of these include getting married, moving, getting a new job that pays more, or losing your health insurance.

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). It would be our pleasure to help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of Obama care. Call us for details.

Blue Advantage features a provider network that covers all 100 counties in the state at an affordable price.

91% of doctors and 99% of hospitals in the state are covered

Coverage in North Carolina, the United States and worldwide

More pharmacy and prescription drug options

Flexibility in how much you pay for doctor visits and prescription drugs

Preventive care covered at 100%

Blue Advantage is ideal for those who want choices: choices in which provider to see and choices for how much to pay for doctor visits and prescription drugs.

Benefit Choices

Blue Advantage offers a variety benefit choices to give you options for how much you pay for medical expenses: copayments, and deductible and coinsurance plans.

Copayment plans are what most people think of as traditional plans. They offer a fixed copayment for things like primary care office visits and prescriptions. While you’ll know what you’re going to pay with copayment plans, they come at a higher premium. These plans are ideal for someone who wants predictable costs and doesn’t mind paying more in premiums. (more…)

Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment ends March 31. 2014.  You need to purchase your new health insurance policy before the Open Enrollment period ends, if you plan to purchase through the exchange, or face a penalty. GET YOUR FREE RATE QUOTE AND APPLY TODAY for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.

You will not have the opportunity to enroll again until  the next Open Enrollment starting November 2014 for coverage that starts January 1st, 2015. That means you cannot wait for a medical need to enroll.

Blue Advantage plans are available in all metallic levels: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. The levels differ by how much of your medical costs a plan will pay on average. They are based on approximate values for standard medical expenses.  If you qualify for a subsidy through the Marketplace, it could significantly decrease the amount of your monthly premium for your Blue Cross coverage.

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). It would be our pleasure to help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of Obama care. Call us for details.

 March 31st is the final day for open enrollment!

Ok, you have shopped around the Marketplace and looked over the BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF NORTH CAROLINA plans. Or maybe you have been waiting for the smoke to clear before logging on to healthcare.gov to shop for your health insurance coverage. But, now the clock is ticking, and important ACA deadlines are looming. You need to purchase your new health insurance policy before the Open Enrollment period ends on March 31, 2014, if you plan to purchase through the exchange, or face a penalty. GET YOUR FREE RATE QUOTE AND APPLY TODAY.

During the Open Enrollment period, you can buy qualified private health insurance through the government Marketplace. After the Open Enrollment period, you can only sign up for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIPS) through healthcare.gov. Unless, you qualify under Special Enrollment Period that require a change in your health insurance.  Some of these include getting married, moving, getting a new job that pays more, or losing your health insurance.

SO without qualifying for a Special Enrollment, the planned ACA deadlines for 2015 enrollment are much shorter than this year’s: November 15, 2014 through January 15, 2015. Buying health insurance after that date will be restricted to special circumstances unless you get coverage through your employer.

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). It would be our pleasure to help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of Obama care. Call us for details.