The parent company of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is extending the payment due date for health insurance plans that took effect on the first of the year to Jan. 30, the company said in a statement today.

Chicago-based Health Care Service Corp., which also operates Blues plans in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Montana, is making the change for plans bought on or off the state and federal health insurance exchanges established by President Barack Obama’s health reform law.

Consumers who wanted their health coverage to start on Jan. 1, had until midnight Dec. 24 to indicate they intended to buy it, but America’s Heath Insurance Plans, an association that represents the insurance industry, agreed to allow them to pay for their first-month premium by Jan. 10.

The majority of customers who met the Dec. 24 date have paid their premiums, a Health Care Service spokeswoman said. “We really received a high volume of enrollees” near the deadline, and the extension is aimed at providing more time for new members to understand their plans and payments, she added.

Coverage from Jan. 1 will take effect only if enrollees have paid the first-month premium.

Ways to Submit Payment

• By debit or credit card – Members can call the credit card processing line at 866-654-8569. They will need their member identification number and group number. Both are included on the member’s welcome letter and member ID card.
• At a MoneyGram® location – If you have your member number and a copy of your bill with your “receive code”, you can also pay at any of the MoneyGram locations near you.
• Check by phone – Call Customer Service at 866-520-2507 or our temporary Bill Payment Unit at 800-792-8595 to pay by check. The Bill Payment line is open and available Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT. This line is only available for payment-related issues and is a temporary line to give people an opportunity to pay their bill without calling our Customer Service number. Any calls related to non-payment questions will be redirected to the Customer Service area.
• Automatic recurring payments – Call Customer Service at 866-520-2507.