Frequently Asked Questions

How can I learn more about my benefits?

Log in to Blue Access for Members^SM 24/7 to access your benefits information or call Customer Service at the number listed on your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) member ID card.

Are my medical records kept private? 

Yes. We are committed to protecting your medical records, and have strict rules to make sure our staff and anyone who needs to see your records keep all your member information confidential. Your medical records or claims details may have to be reviewed. If so, precautions are taken to keep your information safe. In many cases your identity, such as name and address, will not be included in the information provided during the review.

Learn more:

• HIPAA: What more do you need to know?
  
• Standard Authorization Form, your password to privacy
   

When will I get my member ID cards, and how many will I get?

You should get your member ID cards in the mail soon after your application is approved. Individual and family PPO members will receive no more than 2 member ID cards. Please note that all member ID cards will carry only the subscriber name but can be used by all dependents enrolled under the policy. HMO Individual and family plans will get a card for each member enrolled.

You can print a temporary ID card and request additional cards through your Blue Access for Members (BAM)^SM  account. You will need your member identification number and group number to log in to Blue Access for Members (BAM).

Learn more:

• Digital Member ID Cards Explained
• Physical Member ID Cards Explained
   

I received my member ID cards but they only have my name on them and not my spouse's. Can I get another ID card with their name on it?

Your member ID cards will only have the primary subscriber's name on them, but they can be used by all the dependents (in this case your spouse) enrolled under your policy.

Learn more:

Member ID Cards Explained

How do I get a replacement  ID card?

Don’t worry if your ID card is lost or misplaced.  We know this happens, so we’re ready to help.  Find out more about your card and how to replace it.

Learn more:

• Member ID Cards Explained
• How to use Blue Access for Members (BAM)
  
  

How do I Use My Digital Member ID Card?

Your trusty smartphone now safely stores your health information. Your mobile phone/device can:
Find insurance benefits

• Use favorite payment methods
• View your digital ID member card

Learn more:

Digital Member ID Cards Explained

Where do I find my plan’s mobile app?

Download the BCBSIL mobile app in the iTunes App Store  for your iPhone; or use Google Play.  for Android users. Or text* BCBSILAPP to 33633. To learn more, watch this Health Care One-to-One video.

Learn more:

Go Digital with the BCBS Mobile App

How do I change my personal information?

Moving? Expecting a new arrival? When your life changes, let us help.  Find out more about making a seamless transition.

How do I change my communication messages?

Blue Access Members can tweak how you receive communications from Blue Cross and Blue Shield. To make changes, go to your communication preferences page.

How do I update my communications preferences?

When will I get benefit coverage information and the contract on the plan I selected?

Within days of your application being accepted, you will receive a welcome letter from BCBSIL that includes your member identification number and group number. This information can be used by providers and pharmacies to verify your coverage until you get your member ID card. Your ID card will be sent separately soon after.

Your policy information is available through your Blue Access for Members (BAM) account once your plan is in effect.

When I try to register for Blue Access for Members^SM, I get a message telling me it's not available. When will it be available for me to register?

You may have received this error message during your registration for a number of reasons. Many times, the information you entered may not have matched the data in our system. Please remember to have your group and member ID numbers handy when you register. Both numbers can be found on your welcome letter and your member ID card.  Register Now

What communications are available in Spanish?

Members can receive Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements in Spanish. Choose your language preference for your communications with us. We also have the following tools available for our Spanish-speaking members:

• Spanish language website — Browse health plans, get information on member services and tips for using your health insurance.
• Provider Finder in Spanish — Locate medical professionals who speak Spanish in your area.
• BCBSIL App — Access your secured health plan information easily on your mobile device. The App will open in Spanish if the device language is set to Spanish.
• Facebook Latino  — Follow us on Facebook en español for content and posts in Spanish.

Learn more:

Understanding Spanish Resources

How do I choose the best health care coverage for my needs?

All our health plans will cover your essential health benefits and services. That said, you’ll want to find the one best suited to you and your family’s needs. Learn more about your choices and how to make your best decision.

Learn more:

• Choosing Coverage 
• Comparision Shopping 
   

What should I ask when choosing a plan?

Getting the best answers starts with asking the right questions. You’ll want to know what you need to know before making your decisions.  Find out more about how to go about seeking the best plan for you.

Learn more:

What should I ask when seeking a plan?

How should I go about finding a doctor?

Don’t wait until you are sick to find a personal doctor. You’ll want the practice best suited to you and your family’s needs.  Get started with some expert advice.

Learn more:

• Get a Primary Care Physician (PCP)
• Compare Health Care Costs with Provider Finder
  
  

How do I find out if a doctor is in my network?

Search for an in-network doctor under your plan on Provider Finder(R). Also:

• Log in to Blue Access for Members^SM and choose your primary doctor.

Learn more:

How can I check if a doctor is in-network? 

Where do I go when I need care?

Be prepared. Learn your options before you find yourself in need of medical care, You may not know when you’ll need care but you’ll know where to go when the need arises. Find out more about the different resources available.

Learn more: 

• Where to go for care 
• Check the price of care before you go
• Where do you go when an emergency isn't really an emergency?

How does open enrollment work?

Taking advantage of open enrollment requires planning in advance.  We can help you make your list, check it twice and be ready when the time comes to act.  Learn more about how this works.

Learn more: 

Preparing for open enrollment

I missed the open enrollment deadline. Can I still buy health coverage?

In most cases, you can only sign up for a health insurance plan during the open enrollment period. If you missed open enrollment, you may be able to enroll during the special enrollment period. To be eligible, you must have had a qualifying "life event" within the past 60 days. Learn more about special enrollment.

I have additional questions about my Health Care Benefits 

Learn more:

Understanding health care and costs (Video)

I bought my health plan on the Health Insurance Marketplace. How can I make changes to that account or profile?

This Contact Guide has the phone numbers and instructions you’ll need. Find the change you’d like to make, then learn where to get started.

I received a letter from Equian saying they have partnered with BCBSIL to investigate my medical claim. Should I respond to the letter?

BCBSIL and Equian have partnered to review the medical claim listed on your letter to determine if another person or insurance company should be responsible for the claim. The claim we are investigating may be for treatment you received from an injury experienced at work or from an auto accident.

The information could help to get back money that should be paid by someone else, like another insurance carrier. This is one of several tools used by BCBSIL to help control rising costs of health care. Call the number on the letter to answer the claim question.

Learn more:

• What to do when a claim is not approved
• Common reasons claims are denied

What are my options to pay my premium?

Here are convenient ways you can pay your bill.

BCBSIL drafted my bank account twice. When will I get my money back?

We sincerely apologize for our error in drafting your bank account twice for your premium payment. This occurs when we have two active policies for you in our system, which pulled your records twice when the automated drafts were processed. Call our billing office at 1-800-792-8595 to report this so we can correct the error in our system, if we haven't already, so this will not happen again. We will mail a refund check for the overpayment amount within 5 days of correcting the error. If you don't see it soon, please give us a call. In addition, if you had overdraft fees as a result of the double billing, please call our billing office so we can refund these charges as well. 

I applied for a plan on the Health Marketplace and also applied for a plan directly with BCBSIL, so now I'm getting a bill for both. How do I cancel one?

We cannot process a cancellation request for a Marketplace plan. If you want to cancel your Marketplace plan, you can call the Marketplace at 1-800-318-2596. If you want to cancel our off-Marketplace plan, we can process that cancellation for you. Call Customer Service at 1-800-538-8833. You can also log in to your Blue Access for Members account and send us a secure email message.

A policy will also automatically be cancelled for nonpayment if you don't pay the premium. This may be your best option. You would simply pay the premium for the plan you want to keep and not pay the premium for the plan you want to cancel.

Log in to your Blue Access for Members account from a desktop or mobile browser for more information about benefits, claim status and more.

What is an HMO? How is it different from other health care plans?

A Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) is a type of health plan that gives you access to certain doctors and hospitals that have contracted with the HMO, often called a provider network or just network.

Learn more:

• How HMO insurance works
• What is an HMO?

What types of doctors can be a Primary Care Physician (PCP)?

The following doctors can be selected as a PCP:

• Family medicine doctor
• OB/GYN
• Pediatrician
• Internal medicine doctor

How do I select a PCP?

Use Provider Finder® online directory to find a PCP in the HMO network who best fits your needs. Be sure the doctor you select is accepting new patients. It's easy to use the Provider Finder by registering for Blue Access for Members (BAM)

Learn more:

• Get a Primary Care Provider (PCP)
• How to change your PCP
• Using Blue access for members (BAM)

What happens if I don't select a PCP?

You must have a primary care physician assigned. If you don't select your own, we will assign one to you.

Do I need a referral to see a specialist?

Yes. However, if the specialist is not in your plan's network, in most cases, you may have to pay for services that are considered out-of-network.

Learn more:  

How the HMO referral process works

Can I continue to see my current doctor when I join the HMO plan?

Yes, if your current doctor is a part of the HMO’s network. If your doctor is not in the network, you will need to select a new primary care provider (PCP). To make sure a provider is in the HMO network, search Provider Finder  

Do I have coverage if I am traveling?

In an emergency, go directly to the nearest hospital. For non-emergencies, some HMO plans allow you to get health care services from a BCBS-affiliated doctor or hospital when you are traveling outside of Illinois.  

If you or a covered family member will be temporarily living outside Illinois for 90 days or more, you may be eligible for guest membership in a Blue Cross and Blue Shield-affiliated HMO. Your current BCBSIL member ID card contains helpful information for accessing health care at home or away.

Learn more: 

• Protect your health while you travel
• Safe happy travels
• Coverage while traveling
• Information about blue card insurance when you travel
• Travel medical and expatriate plans

What if I'm already in treatment when I enroll and my provider isn't in the network?

We'll work with you to provide coverage for the most appropriate care for your medical situation, especially if you are pregnant or receiving treatment for a serious illness. You may still be able to see your current provider for a brief time. Call us at the customer service number listed on your BCBSIL member ID card for more information. 

Does my plan cover prescriptions?

Your BCBSIL HMO benefits also cover prescription drugs. Not all drugs are covered. You can visit our website to view the list of prescriptions your plan covers. This list is called a preferred drug list. To look for your medicines, you will need to know:

• The medicine's exact name
• The dose you take
• How many pills your doctor often prescribes for you

While costs can vary depending on your benefit plan, you usually pay less for generic drugs and more for brand name drugs.

Learn more: 

• Tips to save at the pharmacy
• Is your pharmacy in-network?

Can I save money using preferred pharmacies?

If your plan offers a preferred pharmacy, save money by filling prescriptions at these places. Subscribers pay less for a 90-day supply of covered medicines in the store or by home delivery. 

• Go to MyPrime.com  to find a preferred drugstore.
  
• To filter your Pharmacy Search results, type in your city, state, or zip codes to find in-network pharmacies.
  
• You may also search without logging in.
  

Learn more:

• Preferred pharmacy updates

Problems Logging In?

If you’re having trouble getting online access to your account using Blue Access for Members^SM, these Frequently Asked Questions may help you troubleshoot.

What should I do if I get a login error that says my password is not recognized?

First, click the eyeball icon after typing in your password to make sure you’ve entered it correctly.

If you still get an error message, this is a quick and easy way to reset your password:

1. Click Forgot Password.
2. Enter your username. (See below if you get a username error.)
3. Choose whether you want a one-time verification code sent by email or text message. (The code will be sent to the email or mobile phone number tied to your account.)
4. Click Send Code.
5. Enter the 6-digit verification code you receive and follow the directions to reset your password.
6. When choosing a new password, keep in mind these rules…

Password must have:

• 8-40 characters
• An uppercase letter and a lowercase letter
• A number
• A special character, like ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) [ { }

Password can't have:

• More than two sequential or repeating characters, like 123, ABC, CBA, 111 or AAA
• Abbreviations for months or days, like Jan, Feb, Mon, or Tue
• Restricted terms, like Appl, Asdf, Basic, Cadam, Demo, Focus, Game, Net, New, Pas, Ros, Sign, Sys, Tso, Valid, Vtam, Log
• Your first or last name, or username
• The same exact characters as any of your last 24 passwords

Once your password has been reset, try again to log in to Blue Access for Members.

I keep asking for the code to reset my password, but I don’t see it in my email or text messages. What can be causing this?

• Wait a few minutes when you request a code.
• If getting it by email, check your spam folder.
• If you are still not getting the verification code, it may be that the email address or mobile number tied to your account was not entered correctly when you signed up for your account.
• You may be using a different email than you used when you set up your account.
• If you have changed your mobile number recently, it may not have been updated in your account records.

You can call the customer service number listed on the back of your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) member ID card to make sure the right email and mobile number is linked to your account or to change your contact preferences. Or you can use our online form to update your preferences using your member ID number.

What should I do if I get an error message when I enter my username?

If you are unsure that your username is correct or don’t remember it, you can get your username using these easy steps:

1. Click on Forgot Username.
2. You’ll be prompted to enter the email linked to your account so we can send you the right username. The email address must be linked to your account. If not, you will get an error message and won’t be able to continue.
3. The email will come from BCBSIL_noreply@bcbsil.com and provide the username listed for your account. If you don’t see an email after a few minutes, check your spam folder.
4. Use the exact username provided in the email to log in to your account.

What if I forget my username?

You can use the same steps above to have your username sent to you.

Why am I being asked to get a one-time passcode?

Because your account includes private health and financial information, we pledge to keep your account information safe. This passcode is a security feature we’ve added to protect your account from hackers, malicious actors and cyber threats. It is an extra step, and that can be annoying. But you will have the option to check a box when entering the one-time verification code that will allow you to skip the verification steps on that device for 30 days.

I already registered with the Shopping Cart. Why aren't my username and password working when I try to log in to Blue Access for Members?

Our “Shop Plans and Prices” site is a tool used to pick a plan and enroll. For security reasons, it isn't part of our member accounts system. That means you’ll need to sign up for Blue Access for Members at mybam.bcbsil.com, as well – even if you use the same username and password.

The link I saved and use to access my Blue Access for Members account is not working. What should I do?

We've updated Blue Access for Members to give you a better experience, so the website address you saved may have changed. To access the new Blue Access for Members website, go to mybam.bcbsil.com and click Sign Up or Log In within the Member Login window on the top right of the webpage. You can save the new Blue Access for Members link, but don’t forget to delete the old one.

How do I create an account as a legal guardian?

Go to mybam.bcbsil.com and click Sign Up or Log In and follow these simple steps:

1. Enter information about the policyholder (the person you are guardian of): first and last name, date of birth and the BCBSIL member ID number listed on their member ID card or on their welcome letter.
2. Check the legal guardian checkbox.
3. Enter your information as legal guardian.
4. Click Continue.
5. Enter an email address, username and password.
6. Click Create Account.
7. When you get an email from BCBSIL_noreply@bcbsil.com, click the link to verify your account and complete your legal guardian account setup.

Still Need Help Logging In?

For technical questions about the Blue Access for Members^SM website:

Internet Help Desk
1-888-706-0583

TTY, dial 711

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

How do I submit a claim?

Usually, your health care provider will submit a claim on your behalf. If your health care provider does not submit the claim for you, you can follow some easy steps to file yourself.  Find out how to do this.

Learn more: 

• What is a health insurance claim?
• How do I view my claims?
   

How do I appeal a claim that is not approved?

You always have the right to appeal a denied claim.  And you’re entitled to know why your claim was turned down.  Learn more about how this works. 
 

Why has my claim been denied?

This can be frustrating.  But learning why this happened is the first step to giving yourself another chance to file your claim.  Learn more about this process. 

What is an Explanation of Benefits (EOB)? 

When you go to your doctor and pay your copay – you’ll get an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) after your claim is done. An EOB shows expenses from your health care provider and how the claim was processed. Charges vary according to what your plan covers and what services you receive. 

Learn more: 

What is an EOB?
 

What is Coordination of Benefits? 

If you’re covered by two health plans, your doctor may file a claim with both. Insurance companies decide which plan covers what costs. This is called Coordination of Benefits. 

For more details, call the customer service number on your member ID card. 

Learn more: 

What is coordination of benefits?

What is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois doing to make their web services available for the disabled?

We build and test our webpages and apps so they work with assistive tools used by the disabled.   We follow the standards set by the global Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1).  We also meet US law, Section 508 Accessibility Standards.   

What help do you give if I cannot read or understand your website? 

To get language or communication help (hearing or sight) free of charge, please call us at 1-855-710-6984. 

Please go to our Accessibility Statement Page for more information on our accessibility efforts.