What rates are you currently quoting?

We are currently quoting rate increases for our HSA product averaging slightly over 3 percent and employer group rate increases that are averaging in the mid teens (effective for the first quarter of 2010). Our rates are approved by the North Carolina Department of Insurance. The rates of specific employer groups can vary because of a number of factors that affect the potential medical costs of those groups. The factors include the health circumstances of employees, age and gender of the workforce, benefit levels chosen and the medical costs of the counties in which the employees live.

What about individual rates?

We are currently quoting individual premium increases averaging 12.24 percent (for the first quarter of 2010). Our average rate increase for the HSA product is slightly over 3 percent. Our rates are approved by the N.C. Department of Insurance. Rates for individuals can vary because of a number of factors that affect the potential medical costs of those groups. The factors include the age and gender of the workforce, benefit levels chosen and the medical costs of the counties in which the employees live.

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Why are medical costs up?

BCBSNC is seeing recent increases in medical costs for several reasons.  We waived copays on generic drugs from January through June 2009 in an effort to encourage our customers to use generics where appropriate to reduce medical costs. Other factors include: H1N1 and the seasonal flu, as well as impacts from COBRA and the aging of groups (where layoffs are newer employees.) (Note: This finding is similar to recent announcements by our competitors.) The use of generic prescriptions went up nearly 2 percentage points from December 2008 to December 2009 to 68 percent.

We believe the copay waiver is an investment in improving health by making it possible for people to keep taking their medicine even in a down economy if costs are lower. The 2009 generic copay waiver program applied to nearly 1 million BCBSNC customers and eliminated customer copays for covered generic drugs.

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Employees 4,617-Customers 3.7 million (including nearly 900,000 served on behalf of other Blue Plans) -Customer calls annually 4.4 million -Customer claims (volume in 2009) nearly 47.2 million – Customer claims paid in 2009 over $11.3 billion (insured and self funded Consolidated net income $107.3 million

Key Points about Financial Results:

• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a stable company that provides a valuable service to more than 3.7 million customers. We know North Carolinians depend on us.

• BCBSNC had a net income ratio of 2.1 percent for 2009. This profit of 2.1 cents for each dollar of revenue was down from 3.6 percent in 2008, and below the company’s target range of 3.5 to 4.5 percent. The company’s profitability was affected by many factors including the investment made in improving the health of our customers by waiving generic drug copayments for the first 6 months of 2009, higher medical costs due to more medical visits, prescription drugs and use of medical care due to H1N1 and seasonal flu (for example) and slower membership growth.

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The federal health care reform legislation, known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed by the President on March 23, 2010, and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act approved by Congress, signed by the President today, will expand the availability of health care coverage to millions of Americans. While some of the measures will be implemented this year, many do not take effect until 2014 and some extend out to 2020.

Below is information we have received which is a high-level overview of the timeline.  It is important to note that many of these reforms and their effective dates are subject to the rules and regulations process both at the state and federal levels – which could alter the intended timing of implementation.  Also, keep in mind, anything is subject to change.

2010

New Programs:
* Temporary retiree reinsurance program is established
* National risk pool is created, small business tax credit is established
* $250 rebate for Medicare members who reach the ”doughnut hole”

Insurance Reforms:
* Prohibits lifetime benefit limits – based on dollar amounts
* Allows restricted annual limits on the dollar value of certain benefits
* Coverage rescissions/cancellations are prohibited (except for fraud or intentional misrepresentation)
* Cost-sharing obligations for preventive services are prohibited
* Dependent coverage up to age 26 is mandated
* Internal and external appeal processes must be established
* Pre-existing condition exclusions for dependent children (under 19 years of age) are prohibited
* New health plan disclosure and transparency requirements are created

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Chances are your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina prescription drug benefit is provided through Medco, Inc. If so, you may want to take advantage of the services offered by Medco’s mail order pharmacy (Medco By Mail). Note: not all members have access to Medco’s Medco By Mail. One way to check is to look for “Paid BNCDRUG” listed on your ID card next to “Rx Service:”.

You can use Medco’s Medco By Mail two ways:
Call at 1-800-711-0926
Visit the Web site:Medco.com

Phone and Online:
Order refills, Renew prescriptions Check order status , Check mail order account status, Request mail order forms and envelopes, View prescription claims history (local and mail order)Prescription drug pricing and coverage information, Find a participating pharmacy (NC and nationwide), View summary of prescription drug benefit, Find health and wellness articles Drug information

Registration and Login for Medco.comTM
To access the above features online at Medco.com, you will first need to register and login using a login and password that you choose. The registration process will ask you for your member ID which can be found on your Blue Cross and Blue Shield ID card (enter the last 9 digits beginning with the W). Medco.com offers the following services:

Mail order transactions
Order refills. Renew prescriptions. Check your order status. Check your account status. Now you can do all these things online through Medco.com. It’s a simple way to conduct all your mail order business with Medco’s Medco By Mail.

View your prescription claims history

Need an easy way to keep track of all your prescriptions for tax purposes? Whatever your reason, now you can view your prescription claims history online. You’ll be able to review them through both your local retail pharmacies or Medco’s Medco By Mail.

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Ruptured Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL), Ruptured Cruciate, Ruptured Ligament

 Ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), Torn ACL, Torn ligament.

Affected Animals: Commonly, dogs and humans; less commonly, cats. Obese animals are at greater risk for suffering this injury. In addition, certain breeds of dogs are more susceptible than others to developing a ruptured cruciate ligament. Most commonly, these breeds include the rottweiler and cocker spaniel. The Labrador retriever, German shepherd, mastiff, golden retriever, miniature and toy poodle, Lhasa apso, and bichon frise are likely to suffer from the problem as well.

Overview:
A normal dog’s knee joint works like a hinge, keeping the animal’s leg stable as it bends. When the knee has a ruptured cruciate ligament, the “hinge” becomes loose and no longer functions as effectively. This looseness prevents the knee from maintaining stability of motion. As a result, the dog suffers pain, inflammation, and eventually develops arthritis. This is a very common orthopedic disease in dogs.
When a knee injury occurs suddenly — as it usually does among humans who suffer from injuries to the cruciate ligament due to a skiing, football, or other sports-related accident — the ligament will tear rapidly. But usually with dogs, the tearing is partial and occurs gradually, resulting in low-level lameness that may improve initially over time. However, progressive injuries can be quite damaging; because of the trauma to the ligament, the knee joint becomes inflamed, leading to arthritis, which only grows worse with continued weight bearing.

Trochlea of Femur – Tibia; Fibula – Cranial Cruciate Ligament – Caudal Cruciate Ligament- Lateral Meniscus – Medial Meniscus

In more severe chronic cases, the “shock absorbers” of the knee — quarter-moon shaped sections of cartilage called the medial and lateral menisci — tear or become crushed because of exposure to abnormal stress that occurs when the knee is loose. Animals with this condition often are severely lame and may not be able to put any weight on the affected leg.

Both surgical and non-surgical methods for treatment are available. Generally, dogs have a good chance of recovering normal, or almost normal, movement after surgery, but the arthritis that has occurred already will not be reversible. Additionally, dogs that have ruptured the cruciate ligament on one side are more likely to tear the ligament in the other knee.

Obesity is a major risk factor for this injury and certain breeds of dogs are more likely than others to rupture their ligaments. (more…)

Mission Statement:

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a leading health services company.  We deliver quality products, information, and services to help our customers improve their health and well-being.

History and Facts:

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.7 million members, including approximately 900,000 served on behalf of other Blue Plans. The company offers its members discounts and information on a wide variety of health-related services at no additional cost. BCBSNC also offers dental and disability insurance products. For 75 years, the company has served its customers by offering access to quality health care at a competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health.

*The content of this post is provided by BCBSNC.

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.

When it comes to torture, we could all learn a thing or two from kids. Who knows better than they how to extract most anything they want within minutes of applying the technique? I’m talking about whining, of course — that grating mewling that causes us to do anything (anything!) just to make it go away. But you can break the habit. And the rewards of victory can be rich for both of you.
Toddlers
Why they do it: Early talkers whine like babies cry. Some experts say that whining tends to peak in a child’s development when she’s feeling out of control and overwhelmed — emotions that pretty much sum up toddlerhood. She lacks the vocabulary to articulate her frustrations, and that whimpering is the natural default noise.
Certain triggers, such as hunger and fatigue, can also cause breakdowns (true for kids of all ages), so keep that in mind the next time you take your toddler grocery shopping close to naptime.
How to stop it: Patience becomes the first rule when confronted with these early bouts of whining. When her son, Matthew, who’s almost 3, melts down because he can’t wait ten more minutes for dinner, Rae Sullivan of Durham, North Carolina, gives him a little extra attention, like five minutes of lap or snuggle (more…)

Pharmacists in North Carolina have been granted temporary authority to administer seasonal and H1N1 flu shots to patients 14 years of age and older beginning October 9, 2009.

The Pharmacy and Medical Boards passed an emergency amendment to the pharmacist vaccination rule authorizing pharmacists to administer seasonal and H1N1 influenza vaccines to patients age 14 and up. This authorization is expected to extend through July 2010.

Eligible members ages 14 and older may go to an in-network pharmacist or CVS MinuteClinic to receive a seasonal flu shot, as well as an H1N1 vaccine – when it becomes available.

To find in-network pharmacists, visit the Doctors, Rx and Hospitals section on our site, and search for “Pharmacist (Flu & Other Limited Injections)” under Specialty. To find a participating CVS MinuteClinic, search for “Convenience Care Center” under Specialty.

The above information is taken from a News Release from BCBSNC October 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.

H1N1 Prevention, Symptoms and Treatment

Flu season is likely to start earlier and be more widespread this year. The 2009 H1N1influenza virus that triggered the April 2009 outbreak and caused only mild illness will likely be the major strain. Standard strains of the flu will also be circulating, and there is a chance that the flu (seasonal and 2009 H1N1) could cause more severe illness.

Flu symptoms include fever or chills and cough or sore throat. Symptoms may alsoinclude runny nose, body aches, headache, tiredness, diarrhea, or vomiting. It is hard to tell if someone who is sick has the 2009 H1N1 flu or seasonal flu.

Prevention will play a very key role this year. Prevention includes protecting yourself

and NOT spreading the disease to others. Here’s what you should do:

Prevent:

· A cough or sneeze may be the first symptom of illness. Therefore, every

time you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue and throw

used tissues in the trash.

· If you develop flu symptoms, make arrangements to go home as soon as

possible.

· Stay home until at least 24 hours after you no longer have fever (100

degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (chills, feel very

warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). Checking for absence of a

fever should be determined without the use of ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

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Cold Versus the Swine Flu

Fever: Fever is rare with a cold. Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.
Coughing: A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.
A nonproductive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).
Aches:Slight body a chest and pains can be part of a cold. Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.
Stuffy Nose Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week. Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.

Chills: Chills are uncommon with a cold. 60% of people who have the flu experience chills.

Tiredness: Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold. Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.

Sneezing: Sneezing is commonly present with a cold. Sneezing is not common with the flu.

Sudden Symptoms: Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days. The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.

Headache: A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold. A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.

Sore Throat:  Sore throat is commonly present with a cold. Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu..

Chest Discomfort: Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold. Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

The above information is for general information only.  Always consult a doctor and seek medical attention if you are ill.

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.

Chapel Hill (September 22, 2009) – Defying expectations in this time of economic stress, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) has been named among the 2009 Working Mother 100 Best Companies for its unwavering dedication to family-friendly benefits.

BCBSNC and the other winning companies lead the way in pioneering programs that support families with 100 percent offering flextime, on-site lactation and telecommuting; and 98 percent offering job-sharing and wellness programs-numbers that dwarf those seen nationwide. In addition, financial programs available to the 100 Best employees are on the rise, a much needed boost for families in today’s economy. These include tuition reimbursement, retirement planning and pre-tax FSAs for childcare.

Bob Greczyn, BCBSNC president and CEO said, “This is a great honor for our company to be recognized for third year in a row as one of the 100 best companies in the nation for working mothers. This ranking recognizes our strong commitment to attract and retain high quality employees by offering benefits that count. It shows that we’re listening to and responding to the needs of North Carolina’s working mothers and working families.”

By contrast, national numbers are significantly lower with just 25 percent of companies offering on-site lactation (vs. 100 percent of the 100 Best), 11 percent with stress reduction programs (vs. 96 percent of the 100 Best), 35 percent offering health insurance for part-timers (vs. 99 percent of the 100 Best) and 16 percent offering job-sharing (vs. 98 percent of the 100 Best).

“The Working Mother 100 Best Companies stand head and shoulders above the rest,” said Carol Evans, CEO, Working Mother Media. “For example, in the last year, we saw the number of companies nationwide offering flexible work arrangements diminish five percentage points, while the 100 Best Companies stayed steady at 100 percent. The 100 Best provide leadership where and when we need it most, furnishing a framework of support for working families during good times and bad. If all companies adopted these best practices, more families could weather the economic storm.”

Profiles of the 100 Best Companies, as well as national comparisons, are in the October issue of Working Mother and at workingmother.com ( http://www.workingmother.com/ ).

“Moms are increasingly becoming the sole breadwinners in many households as men lose their jobs at a higher rate than women,” said Suzanne Riss, Editor in Chief, Working Mother magazine. “Now more than ever, our readers and all working mothers need the support of their employers. By offering benefits like paid maternity leave, the ability to work from home and wellness programs, as well as programs that enhance financial well-being, our 100 Best are helping to reduce stress in the busy lives of working moms. These companies epitomize family-friendly support at its best.”

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