Advocate’s health group will soon stop accepting certain Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plans in Illinois.

According to Blue Cross Blue Shield, Advocate Physician Partners will not be part of the insurance giant’s HMO Illinois network starting July 1, 2025.

An Advocate Health Care spokesperson confirmed the news to NBC Chicago, saying “certain providers will no longer participate in the BCBS HMO Illinois plan,” though the health system will “continue to work closely with Blue Cross and remain in network for a range of other Blue plans.”

The change won’t impact hospitals, according to the spokesperson.

“We will always act in the best interest of our patients, and we are committed to ensuring that any patient undergoing treatment maintains access to high-quality coordinated care,” the spokesperson said.

Blue Cross said Advocate will remain in its Blue Advantage HMO network, which is a more affordable health care plan.

According to the company, the following groups are among the Advocate partners leaving the BCBS HMO network this summer:

• Advocate Christ Hospital Physician Partners
• Advocate Condell Physician Partners
• Advocate Good Samaritan Physician Partners
• Advocate Good Shepherd Physician Partners
• Advocate Illinois Masonic Physician Partners
• Advocate Lutheran General Physician Partners
• Advocate Medical Group
• Advocate Medical Group West
• Advocate Sherman Physician Partners
• Advocate South Suburban Physician Partners
• Advocate Trinity Physician Partners

According to the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund, some residents began receiving letters in February about the change.

WAUKEGAN, Ill. – The tragic death of Megan Bos has ignited both public outcry and political controversy in Lake County.

The discovery of her body has raised questions about law enforcement practices and the implications of the SAFE-T Act, particularly concerning the suspect’s release from custody.

What we know:

Megan Bos was reported missing on March 9 and was found dead on April 10 in a storage container at a Waukegan home.

On Thursday, her mother picked up the belongings discovered with her daughter in the storage container.

“There are no words to help me understand how a person can do this to another human being and walk out of court the next day like you got a traffic ticket,” said Jennifer Bos, Megan’s mother.

“Someone that hid their body in a garbage can for 51 days, after leaving it in the basement for two days, after not calling 911, breaking a phone. Is this a non-detainable offense? Should we not find out, wait for a toxicology report, anything? Especially with someone that is a citizen of a foreign country,” said State Rep. Tom Weber.

Weber represents the 64th District where the Bos family lives.

Megan was first reported missing in early March. Both Waukegan and Antioch police searched for her for weeks. They questioned Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, who eventually confessed that her body was in a container in his yard on Yeoman Street.

He told police Megan overdosed at his home in mid-February. He didn’t want to get in trouble, so he left her body in his basement for a few days and broke her phone before moving her to the container where she remained for seven weeks.

The 52-year-old—now charged with concealment of a death, abuse of a corpse, and obstructing justice—was released from custody pending trial.

What they’re saying:

Family and friends say those charges don’t go far enough.

“Most of the searches was within 200 feet of where she was the entire time. So here we are circling, you know, the surrounding businesses, every single light pole, every single tree, there was hundreds and hundreds of fliers. Her face was everywhere. The business next to where his residence was located, we were in multiple times. His door was knocked on multiple times, it’s gut-wrenching. It’s nauseating to think the whole entire time she was just there and he didn’t give a care in the world,” said Jennie Szalay, Megan’s friend.

What’s next:

Megan will be laid to rest on Saturday.

As the investigation continues, authorities are awaiting toxicology results to determine the cause of death definitively.

For years, it was a verifiable fact that the Balkans was a region located in Southeastern Europe. Recently, though, there has been some confusion, as the area has seen a notable migration of its populace to a certain central Illinois city.

Champaign could now aptly be dubbed “The Little Balkans,” but even that would be counterintuitive given that it likely holds the world record for the town with the tallest average height among its Balkan population.

On Tuesday, 6-foot-3 Serbian point guard Mihailo Petrovic announced his commitment to the Illini and his intention to join seven-foot twin brothers Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic (Croatia) and 6-foot-8 David Mirkovic (Montenegro) in what may be the NCAA’s first-ever Balkans alliance.

Petrovic is a current pro who has been a difference-maker in Europe’s Adriatic League, averaging 14.3 points and 7.3 assists to insert himself in the MVP discussion.

With his experience (Petrovic is 22) and skill set, he appears well-positioned to step into the point guard role left behind by fellow international-born guard Kasparas Jakucionis, who is off to the NBA.

Naturally, with Illinois landing a premier talent (and yet another overseas prospect), social media has caught ablaze. Here are a few of the best reactions:

Illinois Coach Brad Underwood Seeking Experience in Transfer Portal

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Cal Transfer Andrej Stojakovic Set to Visit Illinois Campus on Tuesday