BCBS IL Market Segment 51+

Determine Market Segment Determine Market Segment by averaging the total number of employees including full time, part time, seasonal and union in the year prior to the effective date. If the group has any affiliate or subsidiary companies that are required to be aggregated by the IRS, then all employees, seasonal and union from all aggregated companies will need to be added together. A middle market group can have less than 51 employees enrolled. 1.1.19 -12.15.19 effective dates will use the average number of employees in 2018. If the average in 2018 is 50 or less, than they would stay in the small group market for all of 2019. If the average number of employees is over 51 in 2019, then they would be the middle market in 2020. Major Differences between Small Group and Middle Market The middle market: is underwritten using the GRX database while the small group market is not has different plan options (non ACA) than the small group market. has composite only rates quotes start with a base quote and then firm rates are determined after submitting additional information and underwriting uses different [...]

Tips to Utilize BCBS IL MSP Data Collection

Blue Cross Blue Shield of IL’s MSP Data Collection Opened on May 29 Beginning May 29, 2019, BCBS will begin collecting this data from renewing groups via Blue Access for Employers and the deadline to submit this information is Sept. 30, 2019. New groups complete this information in their submission paperwork. Starting May 29th, employers can log into Blue Access for Employers and enter the required information. Producers who have access to the group’s BAE account, may complete the MSP information on behalf of their group. Agents can log into their BAP, click on the BAE icon at the top, and see all of their groups. Click on the group name to open their BAE site. BCBS will be emailing groups with notification that this requirement is now open to be completed on their Blue Access for Employers website.  If the group doesn’t have a valid email on file, BCBS will be sending a post card/letter or making a phone call to the group. A Great Opportunity for Agents to Continue Marketing! Marketing is the business process of creating relationships with and satisfying customers. Therefore, marketing does not stop after [...]

BCBS IL Medicare Supplement Changes Effective 5/1/2019

Effective 5/1/2019, BCBS IL made some changes regarding their Medicare Supplement Products. The plans are staying the same and are guaranteed to issue, but there are some changes in: New rate determiners (gender and tobacco use) New rates New paper application The BCBS IL Plan Change Form will not be accepted Changes in the online submission process via Retail Shopping Cart Household Discounts (3% off premium) Billing changes New membership system Producer access to member communications Missing Information Process Some applicant information will not be available in the Retail Producer Portal Commission clarification with changes New contact information for support of the new plans New Rate Determiners Gender and tobacco use now affect rates. It appears that women’s rates are lower while men’s rates are higher and tobacco use for either gender will increase rates as well. The new rate charts will look like this: 2019 Medicare Rate Guide Plans sold with an effective date prior to 5.1.19 will continue and these plans are called legacy plans. When selling plans with an effective date of 5.1.19 and after, be sure to use the correct application. New [...]

Coming July 1, 2019 for BCBS Mid-Market Groups (51-150)…

The 2019 BCBS Mid-Market Portfolio will launch July 1, 2019 for effective dates starting July 1, 2019 and going forward and there are a few changes. There are 10 new plans and six of the 2018 plans will be removed. Any group that chose a 2018 benefit plan that is being removed, will be mapped to a 2019 plan most similar to their 2018 plan upon their renewal. Included in the new plans is an H.S.A. Blue Options plan. Plans being closed are listed below: For your new 51+ groups effective 7.1.19 or groups renewing 7.1.19 and after, be sure to use the new BPS form for any plan changes. Click Here for 2019 BPS BCBS has changed the plan name for their HSA plans to include A for aggregate and E for embedded into the plan name in the 5th position. Example: Aggregate plans will look as follows: MIEEA### Embedded plans will look as follows: MIEEE### Blue Choice Options HSA compliant plans are both Embedded in 2019 BCBS’s level funded product, Blue Balance Funded for the 51+ market will be ending 7/1/2019. It will still be [...]

2019 BCBS Blue Options Looks Great!

For the Small Group Market (1-50) With the release of the 2019 renewals and 2019 new group quotes, I continued to notice that the Blue Options plan was a great alternative providing premium cost savings as well as richer benefits for some groups. Blue Options is the plan that offers two levels of benefits with Tier 1 having the richest benefits but a smaller network and Tier 2 has less rich benefits but a much larger network. This plan is not available in all counties in Illinois.  If the plan does not show on the renewal or quote, this group is in an area that does not have access to the Blue Options/Blue Choice Options network. I noticed the following benefits with Blue Options: Access to both networks with premium savings Deductibles and Out of Pocket Maximums for both tiers cross accumulate The Deductible and Out of Pocket in Tier 1 was lower than their current plan The deductible and Out of Pocket in Tier 2 was lower or comparable to their current plan. The prescription coverage is applied to the Tier 1 deductible and out-of-pocket. Once the Tier [...]

TASC Update for Small Group Compliance

TASC recently hosted a Webinar discussing Small Group Business Compliance Requirements and their new solution. Craig Sayers from TASC led the Webinar and first off, simplified the Compliance requirements for small group based on total employees. 1-19 employees POP (when employer-sponsored premium payments are paid by the employee on a pre-tax basis) ERISA Annual ERISA and ACA Notices Annual Medicare Part D Notices ACA Employer Reporting (self-insured) 20-49 employees POP (when employer-sponsored premium payments are paid by the employee on a pre-tax basis) ERISA Annual ERISA and ACA Notices Annual Medicare Part D Notices ACA Employer Reporting (self-insured) COBRA Statistics indicate that 90-95% of employers have at least one violation of ERISA regulations.   Many businesses have no idea that there are even Compliance requirements.   They find out about it after they receive an audit or an employee files a compliant or lawsuit.  This is really too late to set up these documents. Space What Employers are subject to ERISA? Corporations Partnerships Sole Proprietorships Non-Profit Organizations (Unless exempt under 501a) Governmental and church plans are exempt from application of ERISA Title 1 (includes Indian Tribal Governments) Sound familiar?  [...]

New, Revised Group Quote Request Form for All Products

MIBS Has Released a New Group Quote Request Form   To simplify your request to quote group benefits through MIBS, we have revised our paper group quote request  form to allow agents to use one form for all group health products including, small group and non-regulated small group (51+), medical, dental, life, disability and vision. Important!   If you are requesting quotes for medical and any ancillary product, use this new paper quote request form. Currently, the electronic quote request form on our website only allows quotes for medical and will automatically ask for the appropriate information for the market segment based on the employee counts entered. This new paper quote form is fillable, with drop down menus to easily select the options you want and color coding to highlight those data fields that need to be completed for specific products.   The form also has a tab at the bottom with instructions on how to fill the form out. This form was created in Excel so there are three tabs on the bottom: Group Information Tab Group Census Tab Directions for Use Tab Group Information Tab space space [...]

Dearborn National Group Benefits with BCBS IL

Dearborn National Group Benefits   Recently, Dearborn National held a seminar here at MIBS and discussed not only their products but also how employers and members can best use them.   Although Dental and Vision are easy to use, Term Life and Disability may be unfamiliar to your employer and employee.  How life insurance and disability insurance works with employees who may not be actively working was new information for me and I felt this was important for agents to know.  I have included this topic toward the end of this blog. Dearborn National is the ancillary carrier partnered with BCBS IL but their products can also be sold stand-alone without medical benefits.  Their products include: Life Insurance Short Term Disability Long Term Disability Vision Critical Illness Accident Contracted agents have access to the Producers Corner on the Dearborn National website where you can see your business and much more. Benefits that might be unique with Dearborn Life include: Dearborn Cares:  provides an advance payment of the life insurance benefit to help beneficiaries cover their immediate expenses without a death certificate.   The remaining balance will be paid after the [...]

Streamline your BCBS IL group enrollment with DocuSign

BCBS IL and DocuSign   Imagine a world where all you need is your portable electronic device and you can complete the enrollment paperwork for a business to apply for a BCBS IL small group health plan.     Recently, BCBS IL presented the DocuSign enrollment tool to the staff at MIBS.   We were all impressed and played at being agents, sending out enrollment paperwork and filling it out too.  I was excited to see how easy and fast it actually was.   Each step of the process is designed to save time, increase accuracy of entered data and provide legible electronically signed documents to the group, the agent, and your MIBS CSR without printing forms, hand writing information, scanning or faxing. Ok, I know some of you will jump on this like, “Patty, tell me how!”   And there are those of my friends who will groan and sigh and say, “I can’t do that technology thing.”   Well, it really is not that hard. In an effort to make this as easy as possible, MIBS created a guide with step by step instructions on how to use Docusign.   You [...]

BCBSIL Required Individual Under 65 SEP Training

Do Not Lose Commission Opportunities for New 2018 Individual Business.  Complete SEP Training now! BCBS IL will pay commissions on new individual under 65 policies submitted during the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) if agents complete their 2018 SEP training by Feb. 15, 2018. Writing producers/subproducers selling any policy as a result of an SEP must complete BCBSIL-sponsored annual SEP training and affirm completion no later than Feb. 15, 2018 Below is the link to the SEP Training which will have instructions at the end on how to affirm completion which is found on Blue Access for Producers. Click here for BCBSIL 2018 SEP Training 2018 SEP Training is available until Feb. 15, 2018 and must be completed by this date. For currently contracted agents, once you have completed the training, log into Blue Access for Producers under your writing agent producer number (not the Agency producer number), and click on the Producers Services tab (shown with red underline). The screen below will appear. Click on the SEP Training Affirmation link (shown with red underline) and click submit.   You will receive a confirmation number when [...]

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