Open Enrollment Passes Midpoint, SC BlueCross Says Bring Your Documentation

COLUMBIA, SC – Halfway through Open Enrollment, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and BlueChoice^® HealthPlan remind individuals and families to have each person’s social security number and an estimate of their 2015 income when they shop for policies.

The Affordable Care Act requires that nearly everyone hold insurance or pay a penalty when they file their federal taxes. The penalty increases for 2015 to 2 percent of household income or $325 per adult and $162.50 per child, whichever is greater. The deadline to purchase a plan for 2015 is Feb. 15, but people are encouraged to enroll earlier if they want policies to go into effect sooner.

The income estimate is needed to assess if the applicants qualify for a federal subsidy to offset the cost.

“We’re reaching out to communities statewide and are seeing steady traffic in our stores, at our agent open houses, in our classes, and at our mobile sales units,” said BlueCross President Jim Deyling. “People are asking good questions, but sometimes they don’t have all their documentation. They need social security numbers for themselves and any dependents they want on their policies, and an estimate of their income for 2015.”

Sources for consumer information:

• SC BLUE stores in Columbia, Greenville and Mount Pleasant (www.SCBLUEretail center.com)
• Toll-free phone lines (877-313-2583 for BlueCross and 888-213-2460 for BlueChoice^®)
• Websites (www.HCReasyinfo.com for BlueCross and www.healthinsurancesc.com for BlueChoice)
• Agent open houses
• SC BLUE mobile retail centers touring the state
• Agents set up at Bi-Lo and Goodwill stores
• Liberty Tax franchises educating people and selling BlueCross health policies

Where consumers can get their questions answered in January:

Aiken

• SC BLUE RV Tour Stop, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Jan. 26-29, Bi-Lo, 1048 York Street NE

Anderson

• SC BLUE RV Tour Stop, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Jan. 12-15, 3812 Liberty Highway

Beaufort

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 2127 Boundary Street
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 860 Parris Island Gateway

Bluffton

• SC BLUE RV Tour Stop, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Jan. 5-8, Bi-Lo, 50 Burnt Church Road

Boiling Springs

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 3720 Boiling Springs Road

Cayce

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 2453 Charleston Highway
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 300 Knox Abbott Dr.

Charleston

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 3125 Bees Ferry Road
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 1200 Sam Rittenberg Boulevard
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 445 Meeting Street

Chester

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 1436 J.A. Cochran Bypass

Clemson

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 501 Old Greenville Highway

Columbia

• SC BLUE store (1260 Bower Parkway in Columbiana Station) closed Jan. 1
• Health Care Reform 101 class, 6:15 p.m.-7:15 p.m., Jan. 6, SC BLUE store
• Health Care Reform: Understanding Subsidies class, 6:15 p.m.-7:15 p.m., Jan. 8, SC BLUE store
• Health Care Reform 101 class, 6:15 p.m.-7:15 p.m., Jan. 20, SC BLUE store
• Health Care Reform: Understanding Subsidies class, 6:15 p.m.-7:15 p.m., Jan. 22, SC BLUE store
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Tuesdays, Goodwill, 111 Highland Center Drive
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Tuesdays, Goodwill, 2744 Decker Blvd
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 6021 St. Andrews Road
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 7830 Garner’s Ferry Road
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 4464 Devine St.
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 120 Forum Dr.

Easley

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Tuesdays, Goodwill, 811 Saco Lowell Road
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 1021 South Pendleton Street

Florence

• SC BLUE RV Tour Stop, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Jan. 28-31, Bi-Lo, 2640 West Palmetto Street

Fort Mill

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 1329 West Highway 160

Goose Creek

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 142 East St. James Avenue

Greenville

• SC BLUE store closed Jan. 1 (1025 Woodruff Road in Magnolia Park)
• Health Care Reform 101 class, 6:15-7:15 p.m., Jan. 6, SC BLUE store
• Health Care Reform: Understanding Subsidies class, 6:15 p.m.-7:15 p.m., Jan. 8, SC BLUE store
• Health Care Reform 101 class, 6:15-7:15 p.m., Jan. 20, SC BLUE store
• Health Care Reform: Understanding Subsidies class, 6:15 p.m.-7:15 p.m., Jan. 22, SC BLUE store
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Tuesdays, Goodwill, 3214-B Augusta Road
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 6 K-Mart Plaza
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 3619 Pelham Road
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 15 Farrs Bridge Road

Greenwood

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 712 Bypass 25 NE
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 3353 Highway 72

Greer

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 1365 West Wade Hampton Boulevard

Hanahan

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 1000 Tanner Ford Boulevard

Irmo

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Tuesdays, Goodwill, 7138 Broad River Road
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 200 Friarsgate Plaza

Ladson

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 9616 Highway 78

Mauldin

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 207 West Butler Road

Moncks Corner

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 110 South Highway 52

Mount Pleasant

• SC BLUE store closed Jan. 1 (1795 Highway 17 North in Towne Centre Place)
• Health Care Reform 101 class, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., Jan. 6, SC BLUE store
• Health Care Reform: Understanding Subsidies, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., Jan. 8, SC BLUE store
• Health Care Reform 101 class, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., Jan. 20, SC BLUE store
• Health Care Reform: Understanding Subsidies, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., Jan. 22, SC BLUE store
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 1909 U.S. Highway 17 North
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 774 South Shelmore Boulevard

Myrtle Beach

• SC BLUE RV Tour Stop, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Jan. 14-17, 10820 Kings Road
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 5020 Dick Pond Road
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 1241 38^th Avenue North

North Myrtle Beach

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 720 Main Street

Orangeburg

• SC BLUE RV Tour Stop, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Jan. 2-3, Bi-Lo, 1370 Chestnut NE

Spartanburg

• SC BLUE RV Tour Stop, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Jan. 21-24, 141 Dorman Centre Drive
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Tuesdays, Goodwill, 1300 Asheville Highway
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 2401 Reidville Road

Simpsonville

• SC BLUE RV Tour Stop, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Jan. 7-10, 3950 Grandview Drive

Summerville

• SC BLUE RV Tour Stop, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Jan. 20-23, 137 N. Main Street
• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 975 Bacons Bridge Road

Sumter

• SC BLUE RV Tour Stop, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Dec. 29-31, Doctors Care, 2475 Broad St.

Travelers Rest

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 148 Walnut Lane

Rock Hill

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 1401 East Main Street

West Columbia

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 2349 Augusta Road

York

• Agents, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Bi-Lo pharmacy, 1095 Filbert Highway

About BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina

Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., and operating in South Carolina for more than 65 years, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The only South Carolina-owned and operated health insurance carrier, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina comprises more than 20 companies involved in health insurance services, U.S. DoD health program and Medicare contracts, other insurance and employee benefits services, and a philanthropic foundation that funds programs to improve health care and access to health care for South Carolinians.

About BlueChoice HealthPlan of South Carolina

Also headquartered in Columbia, S.C., BlueChoice HealthPlan of South Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BlueChoice holds a “Commendable” accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for its commercial business, as well as an NCQA “New Health Plan Accreditation” for its Medicaid business. BlueChoice offers four categories of group health plans, as well as individual plans for adults and families, and a South Carolina Medicaid product.

Both companies hold an A+ rating from A.M. Best.