Patient eligibility and benefits should be verified prior to every scheduled appointment. Eligibility and benefit quotes include membership verification, coverage status and other important information, such as applicable copayment, coinsurance and deductible amounts. It’s strongly recommended that providers ask to see the member’s ID card for current information and photo ID in order to guard against medical identity theft. When services may not be covered, members should be notified that they may be billed directly.
Checking Online
Providers are strongly encouraged to use the Availity®Essentialsor their preferred vendor for eligibility and benefit verifications. With Availity’s Eligibility and Benefits Inquiry, users can access printable results that include up to date benefit information.
- Patient/Subscriber information
- Group Number
- Group Name
- Plan/Product
- Current Effective Dates
- Copayment*
- Deductible (original and remaining amounts)
- Out-of-pocket (original and remaining amounts)
- Coinsurance
- Limitations/Maximums*
- Preauthorization indicators and contacts
For some patients, your web transactions may instruct you to call BCBSIL Provider Customer Service to obtain benefit details. Our staff remains available to assist with these benefit inquiries as needed.
* These benefit categories will only appear if applicable to the services being rendered.
Email our Provider Education Consultants for assistance with Availity’s Eligibility and Benefits Inquiry. Be sure to include your name, direct contact information, tax ID or billing NPI.
Checking via Telephone
For most BCBSIL members, if you cannot submit your eligibility and benefit inquiries online, this information can also be easily obtained through our Interactive Voice Response automated phone system at 800-972-8088, available Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., CT, and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., CT. For additional details, refer to the Eligibility and Benefit IVR Caller Guide
For government programs member information, the provider customer service and eligibility verification phone numbers are as follows:
- Blue Cross Community Health PlansSM (BCCHP) – 877-860-2837
- Blue Cross Community MMAI (Medicare-Medicaid Plan)SM – 877-723-7702
- Blue Cross Medicare AdvantageSM – 877-774-8592
For out-of-state Blue Cross and Blue Shield members, call the BlueCard® Eligibility Line at 800-676-BLUE (2583) for eligibility and benefit verifications. Learn more about BlueCard
For Federal Employee Program® (FEP) members, eligibility and benefits can be obtained by calling 800-972-8382.
Verification of eligibility and/or benefit information is not a guarantee of payment. Benefits will be determined once a claim is received and will be based upon, among other things, the member’s eligibility, any claims received during the interim period and the terms of the member’s certificate of coverage applicable on the date services were rendered.
Availity is a trademark of Availity, LLC, a separate company that operates a health information network to provide electronic information exchange services to medical professionals. Availity provides administrative services to BCBSIL. BCBSIL makes no endorsem*nt, representations or warranties regarding third party vendors and the products and services they offer.
