Congratulations, You Chose a Health Plan! Now What?
You have done your research and chosen a health insurance plan for 2018, congratulations! Most of your work is done, but there are a few things you still need to know and we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions:
WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY ID CARD?
ID cards are mailed in the first week of December and all members should have them before the end of the year. ID cards will arrive after we receive your payment. You can get ID cards online when you use Blue Connect. Virtual ID cards are just like your regular ID cards. You can use them at the doctor’s office or hospital if you don’t have a paper ID card.
Other ways you can get an ID card or additional cards:
- Our Blue Connect app lets you view plan information or print a card from your Android or iPhone
- Visit Blue Connect at bcbsnc.com
- Contact Customer Service at 1-888-206-4697
WHO’S COVERED BY MY PLAN?
All the people covered by your plan are listed on the ID card. Check the ID card to be sure it has all your dependents listed and their names are spelled correctly.
I WANT TO CHANGE MY PLAN, WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?
If the enrollment period is over, you can make changes to your plan only if you have a Qualifying Life Event. These are things like having a baby, getting married or divorced, moving to a different ZIP code, among others.
WHEN DO I NEED TO MAKE MY INITIAL PAYMENT?
Some customers must make a payment before they are enrolled in a plan:
- New customers to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC). Please note that if you’re an existing customer and submit a new application to the Health Insurance Marketplace, this creates a new Exchange ID. Anyone with a new Exchange ID is treated as a new customer and would have to make an initial payment.
- If you bought last year’s plan directly from Blue Cross NC and you buy next year’s plan through the Marketplace
- If you bought last year’s plan directly through the Marketplace and buy next year’s plan directly from Blue Cross NC
- If you buy through the Marketplace and choose a different product. One example would be moving from a Blue Value to a Blue Select plan.
- Discontinued plans: If you have to submit a new application, this requires an initial payment.
Did you buy your plan directly from us and not through the Marketplace? To make an initial payment, you will log in or register to create an account if you don’t have one.
If you bought your plan through the Marketplace and need to make an initial payment, you can call 888-802-2386. Payments can also be made on Blue Connect. You can also pay on www.bcbsnc.com/pay.
[box type=”info”] If you have an ACA (Marketplace) plan, mail payments to Blue Cross NC PO Box 1732 Durham, NC 27702[/box]
HOW AND WHEN DO I PAY MY MONTHLY BILL?
Payments are due on the first day of each month.
Pay by Phone – The direct number for Pay by Phone is 1-800-333-7009. You can use a check or a credit card. You must use a personal checking or savings account. Business accounts cannot be used except for dental plans.
Pay Online – You can pay via Blue Connect by using a credit card or from a bank account. Go to Account and then to Manage Billing and Payments.
You can make a one-time payment or set up automatic recurring payments. When you set up AutoPay, you will no longer receive paper invoices via regular mail. You can choose to have your invoices emailed to you.
You can also make online payments through your bank. If you choose this option, the bank sends a payment to us from your bank account. You are responsible for making sure the Blue Cross NC account number and payment address you give to the bank are correct. Sometimes benefit changes will change your account number.
Pay by Mail
Mail payments for individual health plans to:
Blue Cross NC
PO Box 580094
Charlotte, NC 28258-0094
Easy Pay Blue – Recurring Draft
If you want to set up auto draft without logging into Blue Connect, you can use the form on the back of the invoice or the Easy Pay Blue form. You will need to send in the payment for the current amount due in order for us to set up the draft. This form cannot be used for recurring credit card.
In-Person Payments – Lobby and Retail Stores
You can come to our lobby in Durham to make a payment. Our address is 1965 Ivy Creek Blvd,
Durham, NC 27707.
Only personal checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders are accepted in the lobby. Credit card and cash payments are not accepted.
You can also stop by one of our retail stores. Our retail representatives will walk you through how to make a payment online or how to pay by phone. We cannot accept cash payments in our retail stores. We will take a check or money order and mail it on your behalf.
HOW DO I ENROLL IN AUTO DRAFT?
Register on bcbsnc.com. You can set up auto-draft by following the steps:
- Select a Payment Frequency of AutoPay.
- Select Total Account Balance if one is due.
- Select a Payment Method: Bank Draft or Credit Card.
- Select a Billing Method: Email, or Don’t Send Me a Bill.
Note: If going paperless, you will need to read and agree to the Paperless Billing agreement.
- Select Continue to AutoPay Details.
OTHER THINGS TO NOTE:
Don’t forget to verify that your doctor is in-network before your appointment. If they are out-of-network, we recommend looking for an in-network doctor to avoid paying out-of-network fees.
You’re all set to start using your Blue Cross NC health insurance plan. Register your account on BlueConnect to see all the benefits your plan carries.
