I was given wrong information from the BCBS customer representative, and now I'm out $500. I called to verify if a claim would be reimbursable to me, I was told it was 100%. Now after the fact, they tell me since I paid for it directly a $500 deductible applies, but had the doctor billed them directly, they would have paid it in full. Since I was given wrong info from their customer service rep, should they honor what the rep told me? I have appealed my claim and am still waiting to hear.

As these can be "he said, she said" situations you did the right thing by appealing. If necessary you could also write a polite letter to the CEO of the insurance company.