Recent Articles
Employers prepare for surge in COBRA enrollees
Employers will have to scramble to comply with federal legislation providing a federal subsidy of COBRA health insurance premiums to laid-off employees. Employees who were laid off from Sept. 1, 2008, through Dec. 31, 2009, will be eligible for a 65% federal subsidy...
Study: 14,000 Losing Health Insurance a Day
According to a report released today by the liberal Center for American Progress and also the group Health Care for America Now, 14,000 Americans are losing health-care insurance every day during this economic crisis. Since the recession began, the report says, an...
COBRA Provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Congress has passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ("the Act"), and the Act has been signed by President Obama. This communication describes the provisions in the Act that affect COBRA continuation coverage and similar state continuation coverage....
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois explantion of benefits moving online
Effective May 15, 2009 for Local Market Accounts, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois members will automatically be set up to view and download their Explanation of Benefits (EOBs) online, through Blue Access® for Members, rather than receiving printed versions in the...
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois announces new preferred speciality pharmacy vendor
Triessent®* is the new specialty pharmacy program offered by Prime Therapeutics’, BCBSIL’s pharmacy benefit manager. Triessent is a partnership between Prime and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. To further develop our specialty pharmacy program services and help control...
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Releases Most Popular Plans for Groups with 2-150 Employees
The following are the most popular products and plan design elements chosen by employer groups with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. The most popular PPO plan design elements: $500 individual/$1500 family deductible (in-network) $1,000 individual/$2,000 family...
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Joins the Social Media Network
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) has added one of the largest online social media tools, Twitter, to its online presence. Like instant messaging to the masses, Twitter allows us to see what is being said about BCBSIL, send replies to anyone commenting...
Final Stimulus Package Includes Shorter COBRA Subsidy
The U.S. House and Senate will vote on a compromise $790 billion stimulus package that includes subsidies for 65% of the COBRA health insurance premiums paid by laid-off workers, under a hard-fought conference report unveiled late Feb. 12. The final version of the...
MetLife Introduces New Benefits Bundle for Small Business
MetLife, the largest U.S. life insurer and a leading provider of employee benefits, introduced the Benefits Bundle for Small Business, a combination of employer-paid coverage and employee-paid voluntary benefits designed to make it easier for small businesses to offer...
HumanaOne now offering top preventive care benefits
Humana is now offering first dollar Preventive Care on every HumanaOne plan they offer, which is currently one of the best in the individual health market. This includes: A $300 allowance for every member for a yearly physical unlimited coverage on mammograms An...