Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Responds to Tornado Disaster

CHICAGO, Nov. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A severe and deadly autumn storm spawned more than 80 tornadoes in the Midwest on Sunday, November 17^th, with numerous funnel clouds touching down across Illinois and leaving in their wake, a path of destruction.  Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) extends its heartfelt thoughts and prayers to its neighbors and communities so tragically impacted by this natural disaster.  

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois announced today that it has dispatched $10,000 in financial support to the Salvation Army for immediate tornado disaster relief efforts to stricken Illinois communities.

BCBSIL is working to expedite member services, including early prescription refills and other time-sensitive needs, such as replacing lost member cards.  We at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois understand that our members living, working or traveling in Illinois communities impacted by yesterday's tornadoes and severe weather may require expedited services and support.

BCBSIL is prepared to help these members by:

• Explaining the options for accessing care
• Helping to locate a network provider, hospital or dialysis center
• Assisting with early refills of prescription medications
• Working to ensure transition of care or continuity of care needs are met
• Accessing your member identification information

We're here to assist in any way we can.  Please call our customer services at 800-541-2768 for support, or log into Blue Access for Members, at http://BCBSIL.com/login.html or access our mobile site, at: http://m.bcbsil.com/.  You can also call 800-810-BLUE (-2583) 24/7 if you need to quickly locate a care provider. 

BCBSIL is standing by to help members and those affected. 
Watch for ongoing updates on our website, www.bcbsil.com, and our Facebook page, at: https://www.facebook.com/bluecrossblueshieldofillinois

About Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL)
With 7.6 million members, BCBSIL, a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, is the largest health insurance company in Illinois. Begun in 1936 in Chicago, BCBSIL remains member owned rather than publicly traded, and is committed to promoting the health and wellness of its members and its communities, fostering greater access to care,  and working to lower the overall cost of care while improving the  health care quality and patient outcomes.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois