Online Terms & Conditions
Be sure to read the Terms & Conditions in its entirety, as its covers the legal terms applicable to accessing and using Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (“Horizon BCBSNJ,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) mobile applications (“Apps”), websites and online services (collectively, the “Services”). As a condition to accessing and using any of the Services you agree to accept the terms and conditions below as well as the privacy practices described in our Online Privacy Statement. The information and content (collectively, "Content") on our Services is information and educational only.
The Content cannot, and is not intended to, replace the relationship that you have with your health care professionals. The Content should not be considered and is not intended as medical advice. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you should not rely on any information provided by the Services and should seek appropriate emergency medical assistance, such as calling "911." You should always talk to your health care professionals for diagnosis and treatment, including information regarding which drugs or treatment may be appropriate for you. None of the Content represents or warrants that any particular drug or treatment is safe, appropriate or effective for you, or that any particular health care provider is appropriate for you. Health information changes quickly. Therefore, you should always confirm information with your health care professionals.
The Content should not be considered financial advice, legal advice or tax advice. Moreover, your use of Services does not in any way create a physician-patient relationship, any sort of confidential, fiduciary, or professional relationship, or any other special relationship that would give rise to any duties on our part. We do not recommend or endorse any specific tests, procedures, treatments or opinions, or other information that may appear on the Services or through other products and services. If you rely on any Content, you do so solely at your own risk. Unless stated otherwise, the Services are owned and operated by Horizon Healthcare Services, Inc. d/b/a Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, “Horizon BCBSNJ”).
Limitation of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty
NEITHER HORIZON BCBSNJ NOR ITS EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, SUCCESSORS, AND/OR ASSIGNS MAKE ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ASSUME ANY LEGAL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, ADEQUACY, QUALITY, COMPLETENESS, OR TIMELINESS OF THE SERVICES OR CONTENT. FURTHER, HORIZON BCBSNJ SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES TO THE USER, OR A THIRD PARTY ARISING FROM THE USE OR RELIANCE UPON THE SERVICES OR CONTENT, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY LOST PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, OR LOST DATA, EVEN IF HORIZON BCBSNJ HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, AND REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF THE ACTION.
Horizon BCBSNJ does not warrant or guarantee that any files or applications available for download are free of cookies, viruses, worms, “Trojan horses,” or other harmful or destructive elements. Please note that downloaded information may be subsequently updated by Horizon BCBSNJ and it is the responsibility of users to ensure that the information they have downloaded is the most up-to-date information made available by Horizon BCBSNJ.
Horizon BCBSNJ has no liability for any actions taken as a result of or in connection with use of the Services. In providing Content, Horizon BCBSNJ does not assume any liability as a result of the use or misuse of the Content. By your use of this Content, you recognize and agree to hold Horizon BCBSNJ harmless from any liability arising from your use of the Services or the Content.
Use of Services
Descriptions of Horizon BCBSNJ products or services do not constitute an offer to sell or promote products. Content is made available as a convenience and may not contain all the relevant terms, conditions, limitations or exclusions for a product or service. Anyone interested in a particular product or service should contact a Horizon BCBSNJ representative.
The Content is not intended to replace or modify the terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions contained within health benefit plans issued or administered by Horizon BCBSNJ. In the event of a conflict between the Content and your plan documents, your plan documents shall control.
Restrictions on Use of Services
You agree:
•not to use our Services or Content in any way not explicitly permitted by these Terms or the Content of the Services;
•not to copy, modify or create derivative works, or harvest data or materials from the Services or Content, except you may print a reasonable number of copies for your personal use, provided that you reproduce all proprietary copyright and trademark notices;
•not to remove, alter, bypass, avoid, interfere with, or circumvent any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights or notices marked on the Services;
•not to misrepresent your identity or provide us with any false information in any information-collection portion of our Services, such as a registration, enrollment, or application page;
•not to take any action intended to interfere with the Services;
•not to access or attempt to access any portion of our Services to which you have not been explicitly granted access;
•not to share any password assigned to or created by you with any third parties or use any password granted to or created by a third-party;
•not to engage in viral messaging, SPAMMING, SPIMMING, or sending of unsolicited advertisements, solicitations or bulk communications, or distribute chain mail or harmful computer code, viruses, or malware;
•not to use the Services for commercial purposes or in any manner that would compete with any product or service of Horizon BCBSNJ;
•not to use the Services in any way that could, in our sole judgment, interfere with any other party's use or enjoyment of the Services, or in a manner that could overburden, impair, damage or disable our networks or servers, or expose us or our licensors, users, customers or suppliers to any claims or liability whatsoever;
•not to use manual or automated software, devices, scripts, robots, backdoors or other means or processes to access, "scrape," "crawl" or "spider" any web pages or other services contained in the Services. If you are blocked from the Services (including by blocking your IP address), you agree not to implement any measures to circumvent such blocking (e.g. by masking your IP address or using a proxy IP address)
•not to directly or indirectly authorize anyone else to take actions prohibited in this section
•not to introduce viruses or any other computer code, files, or programs that interrupt, destroy, or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment;
•not to attempt to decipher, decompile, disassemble or reverse engineer any of the software used to provide the Services; and/or
•to comply with all applicable laws and regulations while using our Services or the Content.
We will not intentionally collect any personal information from children under the age of 13 through this website without receiving parental consent. If you think that we have collected personal information from a child under the age of 13 through this website, please contact us.
You agree that we may take any measures we deem appropriate, in our sole discretion, to prevent the violation of, and to enforce, these Terms & Conditions. You agree that we may take any actions permitted or required by law (including the suspension or termination of your account or your access to the Services) if we believe, in our sole discretion, that you are engaging in activities that (i) violate these provisions (or other terms in these Terms & Conditions), (ii) could expose us or our third party partners to liability, or (iii) could harm our business reputation.
You agree to use the Services at your own risk.
Electronic Communications
By registering for access to our Online Member Portal or the Horizon Blue app, you agree to receive all health plan information, determinations, communications, documents and legal notices electronically instead of by paper. At this time, only medical Explanation of Benefits (EOBs) statements are sent electronically. You can choose to be notified by email or text at each time a new document is available.
You may switch back to receiving all communications, including EOBs by paper through regular mail by logging on the Online Member Portal and selecting “Profile & Settings” on the top right hand corner of the Member Portal and unchecking the Go Paperless box. Also, if you wish to receive a single communication in paper format, you can either print the communication from the member website/app or contact Member Services through the online Chat or Email Us tools or call the number on the back of your member ID card. There is no fee for receiving paper communications. Information/communications posted to the website/app are deleted after 18 months. You may also contact the customer service phone number on the back of your Member ID card and request to receive paper communications instead of electronic communications.
For more information about when Horizon BCBSNJ will send you an email or text message, read our Online Privacy Statement and SMS Texting Terms and Conditions.
To get connected to your information on the member website, you will need a laptop, computer or mobile device with Internet access and either the latest version of Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer (IE). The Horizon Blue app is compatible with IOS 10 and Android 5.0 and above.
Payment Service Offerings
A payment service may be available to some members of one or more of the Services. The payment service is powered by one or more third party vendors. The payment service allows you to make premium payments or make payments to certain health care providers based on our calculation of your patient responsibility. If you make use of the payment service, you are responsible for determining the amount that you owe, which may be less than the patient responsibility shown through our Services. This may be due to other payments you may have already made directly with the provider, or other factors that may reduce your outstanding balance with your health care provider. You may be able to make payments using a variety of your existing financial accounts, such as credit card accounts and checking accounts. If you are able to use an account that is regulated by section 213(d) of the IRS code, such as a health saving account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA), you are responsible for ensuring the eligibility of the expense under section 213(d). Not all 213(d) accounts are eligible to be used through the payment service.
By using the payment service to make a payment, you authorize our payment service vendor to process payment transactions initiated by you through the payment service using your financial accounts that you designate. You agree that you are fully responsible for any such transactions and agree to only use financial accounts where you are an authorized user on the financial account. You authorize our payment service vendor(s) to make any debits, withdrawals, charges or transfers from your financial account in the amount you ask for, including any surcharges or fees that may apply. In the event that there is an issue with our payment service vendor delivering your funds to us or a provider, our vendor(s) will work to resolve the issue on your behalf in a timely manner. In certain cases, you can request a refund of a specific payment. Contact the Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey customer service center to answer any additional questions.
In no event will we or our payment service vendor(s) be liable to any party for any direct, indirect, special or other consequential damages arising out of any use of the payment service. When using the payment service, your entered payment method information will be protected by us and our payment service vendor(s). Our payment service vendor(s) follows major payment card Industry (PCI) data security standards.
Modification of Services
Horizon BCBSNJ may modify or discontinue, either temporarily or permanently, any of the Services, with or without notice. You agree that Horizon BCBSNJ is not liable to you for any modification or discontinuance of the Services.
User Obligations
Content submission - Use your own best judgment before posting content to the Services, or sending personal or confidential data to Horizon BCBSNJ through the Internet. Please contact us for any questions that you may have in this regard.
Account credentials and verification - You may be required to establish unique account or authentication credentials, such as username and password, in order to use certain Services, like the Horizon BCBSNJ member portal. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of such credentials. Do not share your username or password with others.
In some cases, Horizon BCBSNJ may use a third party to verify your identity when you use the Services. You authorize your wireless operator to disclose your mobile number, name, address, email, network status, customer type, customer role, billing type, mobile device identifiers (IMSI and IMEI) and other subscriber details, if available, to Horizon BCBSNJ and service providers for the duration of the business relationship, solely for identity verification and fraud avoidance. See our Online Privacy Statement below for how we treat your data.
Linking - As a convenience, we may include links to other sites that we do not own, control or influence. We refer to external websites that we think might be useful to you, but we are not liable for their content or privacy practices. Information contained in those websites is not endorsed by Horizon BCBSNJ.
Horizon BCBSNJ may partner with other businesses to provide users access to online tools, information or services that are owned and operated by that business partner (Partner Services). Use of the Partner Services is subject to the terms and conditions of the partner. Horizon BCBSNJ disclaims all liability for such use.
Copyright and trademark - All service-marked, trademarked and registered items are the sole and exclusive property of Horizon BCBSNJ unless otherwise noted. All rights are reserved. They may not be downloaded, distributed, transmitted, reproduced, reprinted, or used, in whole or in part, in any manner except (i) for personal use, or (ii) with the written consent of Horizon BCBSNJ or the copyright holder.
For purposes of any information contained within the Services, or any offer or business arising from the use of the Services, the laws of the State of New Jersey shall apply.
Terms and Conditions for Mobile Applications - These terms apply when you download and use Horizon BCBSNJ mobile Apps on your mobile device. You agree to abide by any applicable terms provided by your wireless carrier and your operating system software provider. You are solely responsible for any costs related to use of the App, including data charges or other fees charged by your wireless carrier.
When you download our App, you may choose to opt-in to location sharing when available for additional application capabilities. If you opt-in to sharing your location information, we may use various technologies to collect your information as described in this policy to provide you with location-based services and content, including for marketing purposes. You can turn off location services for Apps in the Settings on your device. For additional information on personal information Horizon BCBSNJ collects about you, including geolocation, and your rights pertaining to such information personal information, please consult the Online Privacy Statement.
If you enable Apple Touch ID for Horizon BCBSNJ Apps, remember that anyone with a fingerprint stored on your device will have access to the information contained within the Apps, including your health information.
Apple-Specific Terms and Conditions - In addition to your agreement with the foregoing terms, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, you acknowledge and agree to the following provisions with respect to your use of any Application that is compatible with the iOS operating system of Apple Inc. ("Apple"). Apple is not a party to these Terms and does not own and is not responsible for the Application. Apple is not providing any warranty for the Application, except if applicable, to refund the purchase price for it. Apple is not responsible for maintenance or other support services for the Application and shall not be responsible for any other claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs or expenses with respect to the Application, including, without limitation, any third-party product liability claims, claims that the Application fails to conform to any applicable legal or regulatory requirement, claims arising under consumer protection or similar legislation, and claims with respect to intellectual property infringement. Any inquiries or complaints relating to the use of the Application, including those pertaining to intellectual property rights, must be directed to Horizon BCBSNJ. The license you have been granted herein is limited to a non-transferable license to use the Application on an Apple-branded product that runs Apple's iOS operating system and is owned or controlled by you, or as otherwise permitted by the Usage Rules set forth in Apple's App StoreSM Terms of Service. In addition, you agree to comply with the terms of any third-party agreement that is applicable to you when using the App, such as your wireless data service agreement. You acknowledge and agree that Apple and Apple's subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement and that, upon your acceptance of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Apple will have the right (and will be deemed to have accepted the right) to enforce this Agreement against you as a third-party beneficiary thereof. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, Horizon BCBSNJ’s right to enter into, rescind or terminate any variation, waiver or settlement under these Terms is not subject to the consent of any third party.
You agree not to use the App when located in a country that is subject to a U.S. Government embargo, or that has been designated by the U.S. Government as a “terrorist supporting” country. You warrant that you are not listed on any U.S. Government list of prohibited or restricted parties.
In-App Services - Through our Apps, we may offer services that are provided and administered by third parties (3rd Party Services). Your use of the 3rd Party Services will be subject to the terms of use and privacy policies and practices of the third party.
DMCA Copyright Infringement Notification
If you are a copyright owner or an agent for such an owner and believe that any content on the Horizon BCBSNJ Services violates your rights, you may submit notice in writing under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") (see 17 U.S.C.512(c)(3). To do so, you must provide our Copyright Agent with the following:
- A physical or electronic signature of a person permitted to act on behalf of the copyright owner;
- Identification of the material that you believe has been improperly copied, published or displayed. If you believe there is more than one instance of such improper use of materials at our online site, include a list;
- Identification, by location or link, of the material or activity that you believe infringed on your copyright and that is to be removed, or access to which is to be disabled;
- Information that enables Horizon BCBSNJ to contact you, such as an address, telephone number and email address;
- A statement that you believe in good faith that use of the material in the manner complained of is not allowed by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
- A statement that the information in your notice is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that you are given power to act on behalf of the copyright owner of the material that is allegedly infringed.
Our designated Copyright Agent to receive notifications of claimed infringement is:
Legal Affairs
Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey
Three Penn Plaza East, PP-16C
Newark, New Jersey 07105-2200
Email: abuse@horizonblue.com
If you fail to meet all of the requirements, your DMCA notice may not be valid. Please also note that under Section 512(f) of the DMCA, any person who knowingly reports falsely that material or activity is infringing may be held legally responsible.
Privacy Practices
Our Online Privacy Statement is part of these Terms & Conditions. It explains how we collect and use data you give us. Horizon BCBSNJ may change or update both documents from time to time without notice, so please check back to keep informed.
In some cases, the information we collect about you is subject to the requirements of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA"). In those circumstances, Horizon BCBSNJ's Notice of Privacy Practices (NOPP) and not the Online Privacy Statement will apply. If you have questions about which policy applies in a certain situation, please contact us.
Updates and Changes
We may revise, modify or amend these Terms & Conditions at any time. Any such revision, modification or amendment shall be effective immediately upon either posting it to www.horizonblue.com or otherwise notifying you.
Last Updated: December 5, 2019
