24-hour health advice

When does your child's slight fever become a serious fever? How can you tell the difference between a sprained ankle and a broken one? Should you be applying ice or heat?

Wouldn't it be nice to have a medical professional available at any time to offer help with questions like these?

Now you can, just by picking up the phone and calling the Blue Care Line toll free at 1-888-247-BLUE (2583).

With the Blue Care Line, you can speak with a registered nurse* at any time of the day, 7 days a week. Experienced professionals are always available to offer expert answers to your questions. Simply explain the situation, detail the symptoms, and our nurses will tell you whether you should see your doctor, go to the emergency room, or care for yourself or your loved one at home.

It's a simple call that could help save a life or just give you some much-needed peace of mind. And best of all, it's a free service to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts members. Why hesitate? The next time you have any questions about your family's health, call the Blue Care Line at 1-888-247-BLUE (2583).

Please remember, the Blue Care Line is for medical questions only. If you need answers to questions about your health care coverage, call the Member Service number on your Member ID card. Blue Care Line nurses cannot assist you with issues regarding claims, coverage, or referrals.

*Nurses are licensed in the state in which they are located.

self-care website

Tools and News, Customized For You

Tap into AHealthyMe.com anytime you're on the web, and enter a world aimed at helping you and your family live a healthy life. You'll find special features that can be customized to fit your life, plus the latest health news.

Log on and you can:

• Visit our Self-Care Centers to learn more about health and wellness topics such as asthma, allergies, smoking cessation, and weight control. These centers are full of practical advice, book reviews, quizzes, and the latest news.
• Use Cool Tools to find out your body fat percentage and calorie needs, track your child's immunizations, and more
• Take our simple quizzes to test how health-savvy you really are on topics ranging from your child's diet to alternative health remedies, women's health issues, and fitness.
• Explore our up-to-date drug database, which includes information on over 60,000 prescription and over-the-counter drugs
• Sign up for our free, weekly e-mail newsletter featuring the health news you care about
• Search for health topics you want to know about

online medical library

What's the best way to stay healthy? Education.

When it comes to taking care of yourself, education is the name of the game. That's why we've partnered with WebMD and their online university program to sponsor a series of online classes designed to help you make educated decisions about your health.

From stress and fitness to pregnancy and nutrition, you'll have a chance to brush up on the facts and learn some new tricks. It's better living through knowledge, and it'll help you take control of your health care.

We'll notify you of new classes as they become available, and will continue to archive transcripts of old classes for your convenience.

health care guidebook

When does an earache, sore throat, or upset stomach become a matter you should call or see your doctor about? Or when should you head straight for an emergency room?

Our DecisionCare™ Guide, available in English and Spanish, helps you find answers to questions about these and other common conditions—quickly. It's not intended as a substitute for expert medical advice, but it can help you make informed choices about your condition. The guide provides questions you can ask yourself about a symptom or situation. Based on your answers, you can review an easy-to-understand chart to reach the most appropriate recommendation for care. When self-care is recommended, the guide offers simple procedures you can follow at home to remedy the situation.

Of course, if you'd be more comfortable speaking directly to a registered nurse, you can call our Blue Care Line at 1-888-247-BLUE (2583), available 24 hours/7 days a week.

Call 1-800-262-BLUE for a free copy of our DecisionCare™ Guide. Please specify if you would like the guide in English or Spanish.

personal health program

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is proud to work with WebMD to bring you MyBlueHealth^SM. This comprehensive suite of lifestyle management tools and resources is offered in a secure, confidential online environment. MyBlueHealth^SM helps you learn about your health status, develop healthier habits, and better manage your care.

You'll get:

• A Personal Health Assessment
• A customized home page
• Healthy Lifestyle Programs designed to help you live a healthier life
• Access to a workshop that addresses the rising cost of health care

MyBlueHealth^SM is only available to members registered for our "Member Self Service" feature. Once you complete registration, you will be able to:

• Review benefits
• Review deductible/co-insurance
• Change your Primary Care Provider (PCP)
• Select Quality Care

You can also select Activate PIN to receive a personal identification number (PIN) in the mail to get access to the following features on Member Self Service:

• Review Claim information
• Use Pharmacy Benefits (ESI)
• Request an ID Card
• Update address/phone number
• View Blue Care Account balances

guidance for parents

Our LIVING HEALTHY Babies®' program gives you the resources you need to keep you and your baby healthy, before you conceive, during your pregnancy, and after your baby is born—right through that fascinating first year. Call 1-800-233-3344 to enroll and start receiving your pregnancy resources.

Planning for Parenthood:
If you're thinking about becoming pregnant, find out how you can give yourself and your baby a healthy head start.

For Parents-to-Be:
Now that you're pregnant, you'll want to learn all that you can about keeping yourself and your developing baby healthy.

For New Parents:
LIVING HEALTHY Babies is your essential guide to postnatal care. Get great books, colorful pop-up tip boxes, and more to help you and your baby enjoy good health.

Answers Anytime
Once you've enrolled in our LIVING HEALTHY Babies Program, whenever you have questions that just can’t wait, you can call one of our registered nurses, toll-free, 24 hours a day. They'll help you decide if you should go to a medical facility, or give you advice about caring for yourself or your baby at home. They'll even offer to call back later to see how you're doing. Call 1-800-233-3344, and get the peace of mind you need, anytime.

resources for children with disabilities

For children with special health care needs, understanding how and where to go for the right treatment can be a challenge. That's why we've partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to give you easy access to their resource for parents of children with special health care needs: Directions. This unique resource was created to help families and parents of children with special health care needs make the most of the many resources available. The resources in Directions can be used to help plan and coordinate health care and health services.

Within the Directions Resource Guide, you'll also find:

• Ways to organize your child's health information
• Information about caring for your child's special needs
• Helpful resources
• Tips from other parents of children with special health care needs

The best place to start is by reading the complete Directions Resource Guide online, where you can take advantage of all that the guide has to offer. You can also order a free copy of Directions in English or Spanish by mailing or faxing an order form to the Massachusetts Health Promotion Clearinghouse. If you have any questions about the Directions Resource Guide, please contact the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at 1-800-882-1435 (in Massachusetts only). Outside of Massachusetts, please call 1-617-624-5070 (TTY: 1-617-624-5992).

eldercare planning services

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts offers special discounts on a variety of eldercare management services through Seniorlink, a leading independent health care company devoted entirely to the health, comfort, and safety of aging adults and their families.

Seniorlink's eldercare specialists help seniors live safely and independently by providing services that include:

• Access to all free and premium content on the Seniorlink Online website, including planning worksheets and downloadable planning tools
• Access to the Seniorlink professional Care Advisors for the period specified by their subscription choice. A member can choose whether to interact via phone or email (many choose both)
• Discounts on additional eldercare goods and services
• Free trial on a Personal Emergency Response System