Advantages of Membership

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is the largest and most experienced health care insurance company in the state. We provide coverage to more than 7.9 million members. Why do so many Illinoisans choose us?

  • Largest Network — We have the largest PPO network in the state.    
  • Trusted Name  — With more than 80 years of experience, we are the most trusted name in the health care industry.
  • Member Services — Customer advocates provide unrivaled service.
  • Tools You Can Use  — Use our innovative web-based tools and apps to get the most from your health insurance plan.

Hear what our members have to say about the advantages of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois membership.

Largest Network

When you choose a health care insurance plan from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, you get more options to meet your needs. We have the largest PPO network in the state of Illinois, which gives you a wide choice of doctors, hospitals and health care professionals.

  • 93% of Illinois hospitals
  • 94% of Illinois primary care physicians
  • 88% of Illinois specialists
  • 94% of Illinois Non-MD/DOs
  • Available in all 102 counties

BlueCard® Program

National coverage is available when traveling or living outside home state in the U.S.

  • Easy claims and administration
  • Largest PPO network in the country
  • 96% of hospitals and 83% of physicians nationwide
  • Available in all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico

Learn more about the BlueCard® Program »

BlueCard Worldwide®

International coverage is available while traveling outside the U.S. in over 200 countries.

Learn more about BlueCard Worldwide® »

Trusted Name

We are the most recognizable and trusted name in the health care insurance industry. We've been around for more than 80 years. When you've been around that long, you get to see generations of families grow to live healthy and inspired lives.

Customer-Owned

Unlike some of the national, publicly-traded health insurance companies, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is customer-owned. This means our owners and customers are one and the same. Our long-term planning and investment strategies deliver more stability and consistency versus a quarterly report's bottom line. 

Member Services

We focus on your personal needs, not transactions. This sets us apart from other health care insurers. Our service staff is empowered to serve as your advocates. That’s why we call them Customer Advocates. They take responsibility for helping you navigate the health care insurance process and understand your benefits. They truly serve as your advocate.

Customer Advocates

  • Focus on call quality, not call volume
  • Go the extra mile to assist you
  • Provide guidance based on your personal situation
  • Help you understand and get the most from health and wellness programs and tools

Our dedication to our members is reflected in our member satisfaction ratings. Our satisfaction rate for phone inquiries is 92%, with 92% of inquiries being resolved in the first phone call. Our members are also significantly more likely to recommend their current health care insurance plan to others compared to members of competitor’s plans. 

Tools You Can Use

Blue Access for MembersSM (BAMSM)

Through Blue Access for Members (BAM) our secure member website, you can access health plan information, resources and tools. The information can vary, depending on your plan.

  • Review benefits, account balances, claims status and more.
  • Order a replacement ID card or print a temporary card.
  • View and print an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for a claim.
  • Go Digital and get access to your health documents like claims, plan benefits, explanation of benefits and more.
  • Search for and compare in-network doctors and hospitals using Provider Finder®.
  • Use the Cost Estimator tool to research, estimate and compare costs of services and treatments from doctors, hospitals and other facilities based on your plan coverage.

Blue Access MobileSM

Blue Access Mobile makes it easy for you to access your information while on the go. You can view coverage details, health and wellness information, check claim status and access member ID card information. You can also sign up to get text or email alerts and tips for:

  • Claims Information — Get alerts when a claim status changes.
  • Exercise and Fitness — Get weekly tips to help improve your workouts.
  • Prescription Drugs — Sign up for alerts to check blood sugar, take a medication or a multivitamin.
  • Diabetes Diet — Get weekly diet management tips to help stabilize insulin levels.
  • Heart Healthy Diet and Basic Care Management — Get weekly messages with heart healthy diet management and basic care tips.

Health and Wellness Resources

  • Provider Finder®  — Find doctors, hospitals and urgent care facilities. Register or log in to Blue Access for Members for a personalized search experience based on your health plan and network. Provider Finder is also available in the BCBSIL app for your smartphone. You can search using your phone's GPS and save information to your address book.
  • Connect Online Community —  Search articles and watch videos; ask questions and get answers. Topics include everything from improving your well-being to explaining health coverage.
  • LifeTimes Newsletter  —  Want to keep up with the latest news from Connect? Sign up for the LifeTimes newsletter to get new articles delivered to your inbox every month.

Valuable Member Programs

As a BCBSIL member, you have access to a range of programs that can help you get and stay healthy.

  • Health and wellbeing programs can help you manage your health conditions, get pregnancy support, talk to a nurse 24/7 and more.
  • Blue365® offers discounts on health-related products, health and fitness clubs, weight-loss programs and much more.

This is only a brief description of some of the plan benefits. Not all benefits are offered by all Plans mentioned above. For more complete details, including benefits, limitations and exclusions, please refer to your certificate of coverage.

Last Updated: Feb. 02, 2024