Eating healthy around the holidays is never easy, but don’t forget that a healthy diet is one of the most important parts of preventive care, which is something Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina believes in wholeheartedly.  In combination with physical activity, having a good diet can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of chronic diseases, like heart attack and cancer.  Furthermore, eating healthy promotes wellness and an overall feeling of well-being.  With the stress and busyness of the holidays in full swing, it’s easy to forget the importance of taking care of yourself; however, the link between good nutrition and a healthy body is too important to ignore.

Not only is a good diet important in maximizing your physical health, it is also important in maintaining mental health.  According to the American Psychological Association, stress can cause your body to seek sugar as quick fuel for a surge of energy.  For this reason, many people eat sweets when they are under an unusual amount of stress.  Instead of stress eating, a good exercise regime is a positive alternative for helping to reduce stress.  Also, look for healthy alternatives to holiday desserts high in sugar content.  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.

Even during the holidays, you can maximize your  health through maintenance and prevention.   BCBSNC covers preventive care services at 100%, but you can do your part as well.  Maintaining a healthy diet is a huge part of becoming and staying healthy, even during the holidays.  Although this may not be the time to embark on a new diet plan, even small changes can go a long way.  Eating more fruits and vegetables, limiting your amount of sugar intake and staying hydrated are all simple, but effective ways to improve your daily diet.

This season, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina encourages you to make healthy eating a top priority and Jerrry Ballard and Associates wishes both you and yours happy, healthy holidays!

For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina health insurance coverage, the Marketplace and healthcare gov if you qualify for a 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.

Perhaps you’ve been noticing a few more pink t-shirts than normal.  Or maybe, your favorite NFL quarterback is sporting a pair of pink running shoes.  That’s because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is proud to support women’s health.  In fact, preventive care, including mammograms, is covered at 100% in every BCBSNC health plan available.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, preventive care is the key to successful treatment of breast cancer.  Early detection is the number one life saving measure and when breast cancer is detected in its early stages, the 5-year survival rate is 98%.  For this reason, every person should know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and be proactive in having any abnormalities screened by a healthcare professional.

Regular screening for breast cancer is imperative as your doctor can check for signs of breast cancer before you have any noticeable symptoms.  Mammograms can often show a lump in the breast before it can be felt.  Women 40 years old and older should have 1 mammogram every 1 or 2 years and women younger than 40 who have risk factors for breast cancer should ask their healthcare professional whether mammograms are advisable and how often they should get one. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina makes this easy and affordable by offering 100% preventive care coverage.

Because early detection is the key to successful treatment, it is important for every woman to have an early detection plan.  This plan should include performing monthly self breast exams, regularly visiting your doctor for scheduled clinical breast exams, and following your healthcare provider’s recommendation guidelines for mammograms, which depends on age and health history.  Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina supports women’s health and the fight against breast cancer.  Join the BCBSNC family and discover why when it comes to preventive care and early detection, Blue is the new pink!

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 Obamacare. Call us for details.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC offers several network options when selecting your health insurance plan to allow you the flexibility to choose the coverage that bests suits your needs.  It is important to understand these networks before making your final plan selection.

To gain access to the best and largest network of doctors and hospitals, go with a Blue Advantage plan.  Blue Advantage offers you a broad choice of doctors, specialists and hospitals with the largest network available that includes 91% of doctors and 99% hospitals.

Does having the option to save money by selecting a doctor from two tiers of in-network providers appeal to you? Blue Select plans offer you this opportunity. With Blue Select, BCBSNC has tiered benefits and providers to help you make the most of your health care spending. BCBSNC has evaluated doctors and specialist physician practices on their quality outcomes, cost efficiency, and accessibility and created two categories:

Tier 1 are providers who received top ratings, and you’ll receive a richer benefit when you choose these providers.

Tier 2 are providers who still meet the usual standards for being part of the network, and you’ll receive a less rich benefit when you choose these providers. By tiering the benefits and providers, you’ll save up to 6% on your monthly premium and have a clear way to save more money by choosing Tier 1 providers. You can see which tier your providers are in by visiting the Find a Doctor tool.

Is having a plan with a lower premium more important to you than having the largest network of doctors and hospitals available? If so, a Blue Value plan might work for you. Blue Value features a limited network of providers and some of the lowest costs of all the plans.  Blue Value can offer up to 9% savings, but has a limited network of doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies to lower costs. (Blue Value may not be available in all areas.)

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.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” – Benjamin Franklin

Preventive Care is  the single most effective way to maintain health and wellness and that is why Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is committed to providing customers with preventive health care options that are covered at 100% on every health plan available, including Blue Advantage, Blue Value and Blue Select, and Blue Local.

A leader in the industry for preventive care, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina was the first health insurer in the nation to cover physician office visits and diagnostic tests and to treat obesity as a primary condition.  They led the way in offering co-payment waivers for generic drugs, providing free nutritionist visits and rewarding North Carolina residents for routine physical activity.  Preventive Care includes all medical services related to the prevention of disease, provided by or upon the direction of a doctor or other provider and includes routine physical checkups, mammograms, colonoscopies and many other wellness exams, as expressed in the preventive care guidelines.  For a complete list of preventive care services click here.  Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina understands the power of prevention and they are pleased to provide customers with the coverage you need to stay well.

For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina insurance coverage, 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.

Kristen Baily has recently joined Jerry Ballard & Associates as a Customer Service & Sales Representative.  She is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a concentration in Human Resource Management. Kristen is joining our team with over 7 years of sales and customer service experience in the home building and real estate industry.

A native of Eastern North Carolina, Kristen enjoys living on the coast and boating with her family and friends in her spare time. She and her husband reside in Beaufort with their two dogs.

Kristen is thrilled to implement her experience in customer service and sales in the insurance world and she is looking forward to providing residents of North Carolina with the knowledge and guidance needed to select the Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC products that meet your health insurance needs and assist you in navigating through the Marketplace to determine subsidy eligibility.

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.

Getting your subsidy starts with a free rate quote.  When you generate your rate quote, you can estimate your subsidy and how it affects your premium.  To apply you simply press Get Started, in your quote, to begin your application.  Once you register, there will be a link you click on that will take you to the Marketplace to complete your subsidy and get the actual amount you qualify for.  You can enroll in your plan through the Marketplace and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina will send you a bill once healthcare.gov uploads your file to BCBSNC.

In addition to advance premium tax credits, the government also provides cost-sharing reductions (CSR) for those who qualify. Cost Sharing Reductions allows you to pay for a standard silver plan, but get richer benefits.  To be eligible for Cost Sharing Reductions your income must be between 100% and 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL).  CSR is only available on silver plans. These special CSR plans provide enhanced benefits that can mean your “silver” plan has the benefits of a plan with a higher metallic value.

Once at the Marketplace, you will need your Social Security number, employer and income information to register and complete your subsidy application.  You can apply online or you can call and complete your application by phone.   Then you will be automatically transferred back to BCBSNC to see your final subsidy and premium. Choose and buy your plan.  You can call our office 888-765-5400 to go over the plans, process and confirm deadline dates to enroll.

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 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.

• Bronze plans pay 60%
• Silver plans pay 70%
• Gold plans pay 80%
• Platinum plans pay 90%

All plans have a maximum out-of-pocket (OOP) limit of $6,350 for individuals. Some plans have an even lower OOP limit.  If you qualify for a subsidy, this can impact your total OOP.  Click Here to generate your quote and see if you qualify for a subsidy through the Marketplace.

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.

The colorful quarters of the plate – green for vegetables, red for fruits, orange for grains, and purple for protein – are aimed at nudging Americans away from meals dominated by meat and starch and towards meals made up mostly of plant-based foods. 

MyPlate promotes fruits and vegetables, which cover half the circle, with grains and proteins such as meet, fish and poultry a quarter each.  Dairy (e.g. a glass of milk or food, such as cheese or yogurt) rests to the side.  Desserts are – well – in the desert, nowhere to be found.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC offers discounts in premium to individuals in excellent health.   Practice fitness and good nutrition at an early age and reduce the risk of health problems, regardless of age.

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Many children are enamored with horses and long for riding lessons. Horseback riding can be a great pleasure providing terrific exercise for young riders (as well as the horses!). Often, children who learn to ride continue horseback riding into adulthood, helping to keep them fit and healthy.  Exposure to good fitness at an early age helps your children become fitness conscious through adulthood. 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC offers discounts in premium to individuals in excellent health.   Practice fitness and good nutrition at an early age and reduce the risk of health problems, regardless of age.

Recommendations for Safe, Fun Riding

While experts will stress that a child’s size, strength, ability to focus and take direction, and desire to learn horseback riding are the best indicators that they are ready to begin formal lessons, the typical age range for beginners is between 5-7 years old. Parents should make sure that their child wears proper attire, including long pants, sturdy shoes or boots, and most importantly, a well fitted safety helmet.  Children must be advised as to the importance of following all of the rules and asking questions if they have concerns or do not understand what is expected of them. Horse riding instructors who work with children are typically very patient and understanding, hoping to give children positive experiences in hopes that they will develop a lifelong appreciation of the sport.

Competitive Horseback Riding

Many stables that offer lessons hold occasional competitions, open to all riders, even beginners. Riders are normally categorised by age and ability, with inexperienced riders participating in walks and trots. More advanced riders may be offered the opportunity to showcase their skills in jumping and putting their horse through specified paces. If children choose to compete, parents and instructors should be sure that the emphasis remains on fun and sportsmanship, rather than only winning. Everyone likes to win, but kids should understand that the benefits of horseback riding go far beyond accumulating an assortment of ribbons and trophies. Horseback riding is great exercise, offers opportunities for fresh air fun, teaches responsibility and caring toward animals, and is enjoyed by people of all ages, making it an ideal family activity. 

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.

What does the Surgeon General have to say about regular physical activity? A lot. The list of ways it improves health is too long to list here, but it’s hard to name a health risk that exercise doesn’t mitigate in some way.

According to the nation’s chief medical officer, men and women of all ages can derive great benefits from 30 minutes a day of “moderate activity.” Walking falls squarely in that category. Even people who have been completely sedentary can start with 10-minute walks and build up gradually to the recommended 30 minutes a day.

Of course, anyone with a chronic health problem or an identified risk for one should talk with a doctor before starting any program of exercise. So should men over age 40 and women over age 50.

Walking might not seem like “real” exercise alongside intense activities like biking, running or swimming. But researchers have found that if people stick with it and make walking part of a regular routine, it leads to aerobic fitness and body fat reduction, whether it’s in long periods or multiple short ones. And reducing body fat means reducing your risk of heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure) and anxiety.

One study found that when given a choice, sedentary adults were comfortable walking about 11 miles a week. They were able to vary the intensity and length of their walking sessions to suit their daily schedules. So your workforce doesn’t have to be burdened by the “not enough time” excuse any longer. But be aware that in another study, walks of less than 10 continuous minutes didn’t provide the same health benefits. The necessary participation has a low minimum, but it does have one.

Even people who improve health for a living have something to learn. An eight-year study of thousands of female nurses found that brisk walking three or more hours per week lowered women’s risk for coronary heart disease.

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.

Our agency writes only for the best – Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, a name and company you can always count on and trust.  Whether you are looking for coverage for your newborn, teenager, spouse, parents or your company, you can find it all here.

You can select from Blue Advantage 100% plans with 0% co-insurance or Blue Options HSA high deductible plans coupled with a tax savings account.  Blue Advantage offers co-payments as low as $15.00 for your primary care physician and $30.00 for a specialist with 100%, 80/20 or 70/30 co-insurance.  If you are out of work or between jobs and need to lower your premiums, you can select from Plan B or Plan C, with higher office visit co-payments and co-insurance.   Want to reduce your premium more – look at our HSA Blue Options with deductibles as high as $10,000.00 for a family and $5,000.00 for an individual.

If you are looking for dental coverage, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina offers Dental Blue.   Select from any dentist, no waiting periods or deductible for preventive services. 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina has the largest network of doctors and hospitals in the State; they expand coverage to every State in the US and extend coverage to over 200 countries.  If you want to check and see if your doctor or hospital are in network, visit our site at www.nchealthplans.com and click on find doctor/hospital to begin your search. (more…)