Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois

At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL), we have health plan options to meet the needs of you and your family.

When you’re looking for a new plan, you may come across different options like Individual and Family, Group, Dental and Vision, Medicare and Medicaid. If you’d like additional coverage, like dental or vision coverage, check out the plan details before enrolling.

Individual and Family Health Insurance

When you think of health insurance, this is likely the first type of health insurance that comes to mind. Individual and Family plans are plans you enroll in on your own during the Open Enrollment Period or with a qualifying event during the Special Enrollment Period. These plans cover a wide range of services and:

• Last a year or longer
• Can usually be renewed
• Meet the essential requirements set by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). ACA requirements include:
  • Emergency services, hospitalization, and preventive care
  • Maternity, newborn and pediatric care
  • Mental health care and substance abuse treatment
  • Lab services, prescription drugs, and disease management
  • Rehabilitative services and devices

If you enroll in Individual health insurance and family coverage, you may be able to get help paying for it with a premium tax credit, also known as a subsidy. Learn more about getting financial help to lower your monthly bill.

Group Health Insurance Plan

If you get your health plan through your job, this is called a group health insurance plan. It's also known as group coverage or a group plan.

Dental and Vision

Dental insurance plans help cover dental costs or vision costs for you and your family. These types of plans:

• Can cover a wide range of dental and vision services, including routine care like annual visits.
• Can be bought as part of your Individual and Family health plan or as stand-alone plans.

Please note that dental coverage is required for children 18 or younger under the Affordable Care Act.

Medicare

Medicare is for people 65 or older, or people under 65 with certain disabilities or illnesses.

You can add to your Original Medicare Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical) to help strengthen your health insurance safety net:

• Part C – Medicare Advantage Plans can be seen as all-in-one coverage, some with built-in prescription drug coverage
• Part D – Prescription drug coverage that pays for approved drugs not covered by Original Medicare Part A and B
• Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans – May help pay for health care costs not covered by Original Medicare