How to Apply for an Independence Blue Cross Plan

Before you apply, it’s important that you have the right information handy to help you fill out the application completely. It usually takes no more than 30–45 minutes.

What Do I Need?

You will need the following information for you and each person you would like covered on the plan:

• birth date;
• Social Security number;
• height/weight;
• information on current and past health insurance plans (if applicable);
• medical history, such as: medical conditions you may have, treatment received, and dates of diagnosis, treatment and doctor visits;
• prescription drug information, such as: drug names, dosages, and dates initially prescribed and last taken;
• physician/treatment facility contact information.

What Are My Payment Options?

When you apply online at ibx4you.com, you have the option to pay monthly using electronic payments, or you can select the Bill Me option to pay by check at a later date.

Why Must I Provide My Medical History?

To keep rates more affordable, these plans are medically underwritten. This means we review your current health status and medical history to determine whether you qualify for coverage and to determine your final rate.

You must answer all questions honestly and completely — failure to disclose any health information may result in modification of your policy, refusal to pay claims, or termination back to the original effective date.

If you are eligible for coverage, certain medical conditions may be excluded or an additional premium could be required. People who have been diagnosed with certain conditions may be denied coverage:

• AIDS/HIV
• cancer
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• congestive heart failure
• Crohn’s disease
• diabetes
• cystic fibrosis
• emphysema

This list is not all-inclusive, as other conditions may apply. If you don’t qualify for one of our medically underwritten plans, learn about our guaranteed enrollment plans.

Important Notice
These are medically underwritten programs, so coverage is not guaranteed and some applications may not be approved based on medical conditions. As a medically underwritten product, acceptance and rates are based on your health status. There is no automatic transfer from any existing Keystone, Personal Choice, or other Independence Blue Cross Plan, into the individual medically underwritten plans.

These plans exclude coverage for preexisting conditions for the first 12 months of coverage except for applicants under 19 and dependent children under 19. Coverage for any preexisting condition, illness, or injury for which medical advice or treatment was recommended or received during the look back period is excluded for the first 12 months. Under our Keystone plans, we will look at any conditions that you received services or advice for in the 90 days preceding enrollment. For our Personal Choice plans, the look back period is 12 months prior to enrollment. There are two ways in which applicants may be able to waive or reduce the waiting period for a preexisting condition — through a Blue-to-Blue transfer or creditable coverage.

Applications take time to process, so you should maintain your current coverage until we notify you that your application has been approved.

Independence Blue Cross offers products directly, through its subsidiaries Keystone Health Plan East and QCC Insurance Company, and with Highmark Blue Shield – independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Serving the health insurance needs of Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania.