Here is What is New for Group Health in 2018 With a large percentage of health groups renewing 1/1/2018, I thought it would be good to talk about Group Health Insurance for 2018.   With a little preparation, agents can assist their current group health accounts as well as place new group business during this upcoming busy season. Group Health Goals Assist current group health plans to make plan changes to stay with BCBS IL for a 1/1/2018 effective date. Place new BCBS IL group health business Find those businesses who wish to place group health during the Group Open Enrollment Period 2018 Group Changes BCBS discontinued all 2017 group plans and now offers different 2018 plans.  Groups renewing in 2018 will notice these plan changes in their renewal.  You can click on the links below to see the 2018 product charts. Click Here for the 2018 (1-50) Product Overview Click here for the 2018 (51-150) Product Overview If your group has had plan changes for their 1/1/2018 renewal, remember that the group is required to provide the SBCs for any [...]

Baby boomers will continue to become eligible for Medicare in 2019 making Medicare products a great product to sell. Although MIBS only works with BCBS IL for Medicare products, selling them provides decent commissions and excellent retention. BCBS IL’s Medicare Products are available to Medicare A & B enrolled clients and include: Medicare Supplement Plans - guaranteed to issue and no certification required Part D Prescription Plans - requires annual certification MAPD Plan (Medicare Advantage) - requires annual certification MACRA Confusion? In April 2015, the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) was signed into law. There has been confusion around what this means for Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans F and C. Some Medicare beneficiaries currently covered with Plan F or C are concerned that these plans will no longer be available after 2020.  Here is the scoop: Medicare Beneficiaries who currently have a Plan F or Plan C policy will be able to continue to keep and/or renew their plans even after Jan. 1, 2020. In a sense, they are grandfathered and are able to keep their plans as long as they continue to pay [...]

GeoBlue Travel Insurance is Now Available MIBS agents can now offer GeoBlue International Medical Coverage to your clients traveling outside of the U.S. With GeoBlue, expatriates, business and leisure travelers can trust that care is available to them no matter the town, country or time zone.  Through an elite network of providers, innovative mobile and online tools, and a high touch approach to customer service, GeoBlue provides peace of mind to members anywhere in the world. Why do you need GeoBlue? The U.S. is one of the few countries that does not require payment before receiving medical care. Travelers needing medical care outside of the US could be subject to Full cost of medical care which is required to be paid prior to service Full cost of emergency medical transportation Insurance coverage from US has very limited coverage out of the country. Repatriation – In the event of death in a foreign country Difficulty getting through the red tape of moving the body back home Customs negotiations Costs associated with transportation of the body In the event of illness or accident, dealing with language barriers and procedures Difficulty [...]

Part 1   Placing a Group Health Policy is like renovating an old bathroom.   The initial quote to replace the vanity, toilet and bath tub is well below the budget allocated.  The contractor comes in and removes the items but discovers that the pipes behind the wall are leaking and all of the dry wall needs to be replaced.  Now that the wall is open, you have to repair the leak and replace the drywall which brings the cost up to the maximum for your budget.  The truck delivers the new vanity, toilet and tub but the vanity is the wrong size.  You have to decide if you want to send the vanity back and wait for the correct one or try to make the delivered vanity fit by moving the toilet and pipes.  Looking into your bathroom with its exposed pipes, unpainted walls and damaged floor tiles, you have to make some decision or go without a bathroom.  Yikes!  If you only knew beforehand what was going to happen. Understanding the process of quoting and enrolling a group and learning some simple underwriting rules can help the [...]