The Return of the Open Enrollment Period – New for 2019!

An older couple considers something carefully on their laptop computer.
For 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have brought back the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, or OEP. The Medicare Advantage OEP is not to be confused with the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), which runs from October 15 through December 7. The new OEP occurs from January 1 through March 31 of 2019....
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Getting Started with a New Health Plan

Family with their kids at the hospital
We’re glad to have you as an Independence Blue Cross member! We hope you’ll make the most of everything your health plan has to offer by finding the care you need, getting personalized support to reach your health goals, and saving money on healthy extras. Here’s how to get started with your health plan: 1. Register for the member website....
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What Is a Deductible, and How Does It Affect What You Pay?

A physician reviews a document with a man
Health insurance seems to speak its own language, so we’re here to translate a term you might hear when you’re shopping for a plan: deductibles. While it may not be the juiciest topic to read about, it’s important to understand deductibles since amounts can vary greatly from plan to plan. And those slight differences can have a major impact on your bottom line....
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Saving Money: One Prescription at a Time

Senior talking to pharmacist about generic prescription drugs
If you think about it, we’re surrounded by opportunities to save money. Our mail is filled with sales flyers and postcards; stores offer us loyalty cards, “insider” savings clubs, and discounts for buying in bulk; and the Sunday paper is loaded with coupons. But when it comes to saving money on prescriptions, the savings aren’t so easy to find — unless you know where to look....
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A View of Community Health Services from Health Center 4

Philadelphia, PA
As a boy growing up at 45th and Westminster in the heart of West Philadelphia, I often visited the Philadelphia Department of Public Health: Health Center 4. I remember simply referring to it as “the clinic.” It was where I received my immunizations, well check-ups, and got my summer camp waivers signed. I did all the things there that you would do at a “regular doctor.” It wasn’t until later in life that I realized my doctor’s office was actually the local free clinic....
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The Total Cost of Health Insurance: It’s More Than Just Your Premium

Confident African American mom talks with her daughter's pediatrician. Her elementary age daughter is sitting in a wheelchair.
Choosing a health insurance plan is an important decision. Like with any big purchase, you’ll probably compare how much you’ll pay and what you’ll get in return. But when you’re shopping for a health plan, there’s more to determining your total costs than just the premium, which is the payment you make to your health insurance company to keep your coverage active....
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Health Insurance Covers 100 Percent of Preventive Care….But What Is Preventive Care?

Caring male pediatrician talks with baby boy at free clinic
IBX is often out in the community meeting people at health clinics, community fairs, seminars, festivals, YMCAs, and many more places throughout the region. By now, many consumers know that health insurance plans are required by law to cover 100 percent of the costs for preventive care. However, a question we often hear is, “What is preventive care?” Preventive care is the care you receive to prevent illnesses or diseases....
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In-Network vs Out-of-Network: What Does It Mean?

A lot of things can happen to put you in the market for a new doctor. Maybe you’ve moved to a new town and need to find a pediatrician for your kids’ well-visits. Or your primary care physician (PCP) recommends you follow-up with a specialist. Or you’ve turned 50 and are due to get your first colonoscopy....
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Eligible for a Tax Credit or Subsidy to Help Pay for Health Insurance?

If you’re shopping for an individual or family health plan on the Marketplace, you don’t want to pay more than you have to. Did you know you may be eligible for a health care premium tax credit from the federal government to help pay your monthly premium or out-of-pocket costs?

What Is a Tax Credit/Health Insurance Subsidy?

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