1. Establish a vendor connection. Some electronic transactions, such as EFT, may be set up directly with BCBSIL. For other EDI transactions, you will need to enlist the services of a third-party electronic business vendor. See the E-Commerce Connections menu below for more details.
2. Follow standards and guidelines. When conducting EDI transactions, health care providers, billing agents and clearinghouses must follow Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards. Visit our HIPAA Regulations and Implementation Guidelines page for more details.

How can you streamline your administrative processes? The answer is simple: Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transactions. See below for a list of multi-payer vendor portals that can help provide a secure electronic gateway between your office and BCBSIL for the exchange of real-time member/claim-related health care data.

Availity^®

To register with Availity or learn more about services available to BCBSIL providers, visit the Availity website,  or call Availity Client Services at 800-AVAILITY (282-4548).

NDAS Online (eCare^®)

Network Data Access Services (NDAS) Online is available to BCBSIL contracted providers through Passport/Nebo Systems.

• Learn more about products and services by visiting the Nebo Systems website.
• Enroll for NDAS Online/eCare. Sign Up Now!
• Already a registered user? Go to the eCare log in page.

RealMed^®

To register with RealMed or learn more about services available to BCBSIL providers, visit the RealMed website,  or call the RealMed Customer Service Center at 877-REALMED (732-5633)

Reminders:

• Prior to conducting Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transactions, you will need to confirm services are available and register with your selected vendor.
• In some cases there may be a fee for services. We encourage you to “shop around”!

Additional Resources

• To learn more about your electronic options at BCBSIL, visit our online Education and Reference Center for dates and times of upcoming Workshops and Webinars.
• If you have questions that cannot be answered by your clearinghouse or software vendor, you may contact our Electronic Commerce Center at 800-746-4614 for assistance.

E-Commerce Alerts provide notification of system enhancements, upgrades, new functionality, and any Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transaction issues that may affect claims processing, payment or remittance delivery. This includes system downtime alerts, edit/automatic error code implementation notices, and Warning ("W") / Rejection ("R") status changes.

Availity Webinars 

Alerts 

• Duplicate File ID Message (Nov. 28, 2012) – 11/30/12

• Tertiary Claim Rejections: Electronic Submitter Update – 10/22/12

• Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) Enrollment Process Change – 9/4/12

• Tertiary Claim Rejections – Electronic Submitter Alert – 8/17/12

• Crossover Issue for Medicare-Eligible Hallmark Members Over 65 – 8/6/12

• Interpreting the PLB Segment on the 835 ERA – 7/12/12

• ‘Duplicate Patient ID Number’ Error: Next Steps – 6/01/12

• Electronic Medicare Crossover Update: Medicare Assignment Not Accepted – 5/25/12

• NOTICE: Brief Delay in Claim File Reporting – 5/15/12

• ANSI v5010 Transition ‘Cut-over’ Dates Extended – 5/11/12

• ANSI v5010 837 Transaction Cutover Date Reset to May 19 – 5/03/12

• Duplicate Delivery of ANSI v5010A1 835 ERA Files – 4/26/12

• Production Date Missing on 835 ERA  – 4/20/12

• ANSI v5010 Transition: Final ‘Cut-over’ Dates – 4/20/12

• Electronic Claim Rejections on April 2, 2012 – 4/06/12

• 'Duplicate File ID’ Message (March 27, 2012) – 3/30/12

• Important v5010 Reminders for Electronic Claim Submitters – 3/15/12

• Initial Treatment Dates on ANSI v5010 – 3/6/12

• Rendering Provider Error on Ancillary Electronic Claims – 2/9/12

• Valid 9-digit ZIP Code Required – 2/9/12

• Duplicate File ID' Message – 2/9/12

• Resolved: Rural/Route in Billing Provider Address – 2/7/12

• Electronic Medicare Crossover Claim Payment Issue – 2/1/12

• New to ERA? Be prepared for ANSI v5010A1 – 12/22/11

• ANSI v5010A1 835 Alert: Duplicate Files Sent Dec. 21, 2011 – 12/22/11

• Electronic Claim Response Issue, Nov. 25 - Dec. 5, 2011– 12/8/11

• Anesthesiology Providers: Electronic Claim Alert – 11/4/11

• Rendering NPIs Must be on File with BCBSIL – 10/14/11

• NPI-only Electronic Claim Submission Edits – 10/14/11

• Electronic Claims Issue, Sept. 22 - 29, 2011 – 10/12/11

• Ready to receive ANSI v5010A1 835 test files? – 10/3/11

• Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) Errors – 8/9/11

• Electronic Claim Systems Issue – 4/8/11

• Changes to Billing Provider Address, Loop 2010AA – 3/28/11

• NPI-only Electronic Claim Submission Edits – 8/2010
• NPI Submission Edit Update – 5/2010
• Facility Outpatient Claim Submission Reminder – 5/2010
• Medicare Crossover Assignment Indicator Issue – 4/2010
• Free Electronic Health Record Via Availity^® CareProfile^® – 4/2010
• PCS/EPS Provider Identifier Issue – 4/21/10
• Resolved: Missing Information on 835 Transaction – 2/2010
• System Upgrade for Medicare Crossover – 1/2010
• Availity Training Schedule – 1/2010
• Paper-to-Electronic (PCS-to-EPS) Transition Alert – 1/2010

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) supports File Transfer Protocol (FTP) via an Internet connection using PGP encryption. FTP is an industry standard protocol that allows for the transmission of data between systems of varying types using an internet connection. If you do not have PGP encryption software, you may purchase it here.

If you are interested in transmitting or receiving files via internet FTP, you must first become a BCBSIL electronic partner. After you receive your BCBSIL assigned identification number, you will need to complete the FTP Activation Form. Please send your public key to HCSC FTP Membership.

The key that you send can not be the HCSC public key. You must send a public key created through the use of your PGP encryption software. This is the encryption key that BCBS will use to encrypt all the files loaded to your mailbox.

For additional information regarding FTP, please review our FTP Instructions.

What is the HCSC Public Key?

Before you can send BCBS any file via FTP, you will need to download the HCSC public key. You must encrypt all files that you send to BCBS via FTP with our HCSC public key. To download the HCSC Public Key, simply right click on the link below, select 'Save Target As…' and save it in a location you will remember.

HCSC Public Key (2 KB)

1. Contact your software vendor, billing service, clearinghouse if you have any questions about the services they provide.
2. Contact our E-Commerce Center at 800-746-4614 for additional assistance regarding EDI transaction issues.