News Archive
All News
| Title | Issued Date |
|---|---|
How We’re Supporting Member Health While Tackling Rising CostsBroker News | February 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 2 When we support our members’ health, we’re also helping to control rising health care costs. Read more about how we’re helping prevent health issues before they start—and reducing costs along the way. Supporting Member Health While Tackling Costs - Read More ... |
February 12, 2026 |
Streamline Member Support: Ensuring Broker Authorization Is In PlaceBroker News | February 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 2 As a reminder, our online tools offer valuable convenience for members. To ensure fast, efficient support, it’s important that you, as brokers, are authorized to speak with us on a member’s behalf. Completing this authorization saves valuable time and allows us to support... |
February 12, 2026 |
New AGIF Requirement For Community Rated HMO Groups And Additional Underwriting UpdatesBroker News | February 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 2 Starting in 2026, Community Rated HMO groups will be required to provide an Annual Group Information Form (AGIF) for renewal. Community Rated HMO groups will be included as part of the small group AGIF renewal mailing notifications. Additionally, the AGIF Webtool has... |
February 12, 2026 |
Tax Form 1095-BBroker News | February 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 2 Health insurers—including Excellus BlueCross BlueShield—are no longer mailing tax form 1095-B to members. Because taxpayers are not required to include the form when filing their taxes, the IRS no longer requires us to mail the form. Members can still download the form or... |
February 12, 2026 |
Get Proactive With Preventive Care Resources For Your ClientsBroker News | February 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 2 Support your employer clients with tools that make preventive care easier to promote and act on. The preventive care toolkit includes ready-to-use materials that help employees take a proactive approach to their health using fully covered preventive services. Inside,... |
February 12, 2026 |
Excel Your Well: February - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsBroker News | February 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 2 Help your groups stay engaged and inspired—our monthly webinars offer fresh, practical insights to support our members’ health and wellbeing. Webinar flyers and registration links are available below to share with your groups. February Topic: "The Silent Threat: How to... |
February 12, 2026 |
Promote Better Wellbeing With Our New ThriveWell℠ ToolkitsBroker News | February 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 2 ThriveWell℠, in partnership with Personify Health, is a digital wellbeing program dedicated to engaging members in their health and wellbeing. ThriveWell gives eligible members the tools and support needed to make small, everyday changes to their wellbeing that are... |
February 12, 2026 |
March Wellbeing Tip: Food As MedicineBroker News | February 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 2 The food you choose every day has a powerful impact on your health, energy, and overall wellbeing. Good nutrition fuels your body and mind. The foods you eat supply the essential nutrients that keep your brain sharp, muscles strong, bones healthy, skin glowing, and immune... |
February 12, 2026 |
2026 - January - Pharmacy Updates From Mona ChitreBroker News | January 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 1 - Special Issue A Message from Mona Chitre As we enter 2026, we’re reflecting on the progress we made through collaboration and partnership, and we’re looking forward to the exciting developments 2026 has in store for pharmacy care. 2025 Pharmacy Updates - A Year In Review The past... |
January 26, 2026 |
How Small Businesses Can Get The Most Value From Their Health PlanBroker News | January 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 1 Health and wellness benefits are an important employee attraction and retention driver for many businesses. With the ongoing rising costs of health care, small businesses are looking for ways to continue offering comprehensive benefits to their teams. Learn how small... |
January 21, 2026 |
Expanding Access To Behavioral Health Care: What Brokers And Employers Need To KnowBroker News | January 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 1 The rapidly growing need for mental health services and the limited availability of service providers has been well-documented. In addition, those same providers are experiencing burnout at higher levels than ever before and many are leaving or limiting their... |
January 21, 2026 |
Excellus BCBS Earns #1 Spot In NY For Medicare Advantage Customer Satisfaction—Three Years RunningBroker News | January 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 1 For the third year in a row, Excellus BCBS has been named #1 in New York for Medicare Advantage Plan Customer Satisfaction and Most Trusted by J.D. Power. This wouldn’t have happened without our members, who recognized us for our product and coverage offerings and ease of... |
January 21, 2026 |
Gag Clause Certificate Of Attestation Now AvailableBroker News | January 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 1 On December 30, 2025, Excellus BCBS completed the Gag Clause Attestation on behalf of our fully insured and minimum premium groups who have our Rx. A Gag Clause Certificate of Attestation is available to groups, upon request. Please reach out to your Account Manager with... |
January 21, 2026 |
Excel Your Well: January - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsBroker News | January 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 1 Help your groups stay engaged and inspired—our monthly webinars offer fresh, practical insights to support our members' health and wellbeing. Monthly flyers are available below to share with your groups. January Topic: "Rewire Your Routine: The Psychology of Building... |
January 21, 2026 |
Preventive Care: Better Health Today, Lower Costs TomorrowBroker News | January 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 1 Preventive care is one of the simplest ways to support employee health while helping manage long-term costs. In our latest blog, we share four practical ways employers can encourage preventive care—from clear communication to wellness incentives. The best part?... |
January 21, 2026 |
February Wellbeing Tip: Heart DiseaseBroker News | January 2026 | Vol. 21 No. 1 Heart disease is a broad term for conditions affecting the heart, most commonly Coronary Artery Disease. One of the most serious outcomes of heart disease is a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is severely reduced or blocked. Managing... |
January 21, 2026 |
Season’s Greetings From Excellus BlueCross BlueShieldBroker News | December 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 12 As the year comes to a close, we extend our warmest appreciation and gratitude for your partnership and loyalty. We wish you and yours a joyous holiday season and look forward to working together in the New Year! Have a safe and happy holiday season! ... |
December 11, 2025 |
Enhancing Our Commitment To Improving The Prior Authorization ProcessBroker News | December 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 12 In support of our ongoing mission to help members access quality, affordable health care, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has joined the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Prior Authorization Pledge. The Pledge supports the federal government’s efforts to improve the prior... |
December 11, 2025 |
Legislative Updates - December 2025Broker News | December 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 12 In this quarter’s Legislative Update, we highlight key political, legislative, and regulatory developments that may affect coverage and costs. Including: Federal & New York State Updates, Local Business Relief Coalition information and What We’re Reading. ... |
December 11, 2025 |
Updates To Small Group Paperwork For Commercial Medical And Healthy New York ProductsBroker News | December 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 12 Underwriting has recently updated several forms for our Small Group Commercial Medical and Healthy New York (HNY) products. The new group instructions, new group checklist and new group applications have been updated for our small group commercial medical and HNY... |
December 11, 2025 |
Upcoming Change To Dental Data DistributionBroker News | December 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 12 Beginning January 1, 2026, we’re updating our criteria for dental data distribution to align with market standards. Currently, dental data is provided for our groups with 50 or more contracts. Starting in 2026, only groups with 200 or more contracts will receive dental... |
December 11, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: December - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsBroker News | December 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 12 Help your groups stay engaged and inspired—our monthly webinars offer fresh, practical insights to support our members' health and wellbeing. Monthly flyers are available below to share with your groups. December Topic: "Healthy Holidays: Eat, Drink & Be Mindful"... |
December 11, 2025 |
Save The Date: Upcoming ThriveWell℠ Webinars For MembersBroker News | December 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 12 ThriveWell℠, in partnership with Personify Health, is a digital home base dedicated to engaging our members in their health and wellbeing. Through ThriveWell, eligible members have access to a certified health risk assessment, digital health coaching modules, a variety of... |
December 11, 2025 |
January Wellbeing Tip: Building A Healthier YouBroker News | December 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 12 A new year brings new opportunities to focus on your health and wellbeing. While resolutions can be exciting, they often feel daunting—and it’s easy to get discouraged if things don’t go to plan. To build sustainable behavior change, start small. Bite-sized goals make... |
December 11, 2025 |
The 2026 Broker Guide Is Now Available!Broker News | November 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 11 Designed to support your client service efforts and help grow your brokerage business, the guide can be accessed on the Broker Tools page. If you have any questions on the 2026 Broker Guide, contact your Account Manager or email BrokerContractsExcellus@excellus.com.... |
November 11, 2025 |
Why Health Insurance Costs Are Increasing — And What’s Driving The ChangeBroker News | November 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 11 Rising costs and the growing demand for health care — especially for hospital services and prescription drugs — are challenging patients, doctors, businesses, health plans, and the entire health care system. These difficulties are causing higher premiums and higher... |
November 11, 2025 |
Rx News - Stelara And Biosimilar Formulary Updates For 2026Broker News | November 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 11 Biosimilars represent an opportunity to improve access and affordability for our community. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) has advocated for the use of biosimilars since 2018 when we were the first standalone health plan to prefer a biosimilar in a major drug... |
November 11, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: November - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsBroker News | November 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 11 Help your groups stay engaged and inspired—our monthly webinars offer fresh, practical insights to support our members health and wellbeing. Monthly flyers are available below to share with your groups. November Topic: "Diving into Diabetes" November 25: 12:00-12:45 p.m.... |
November 11, 2025 |
2026 Wellbeing ResourcesBroker News | November 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 11 Many members are not aware of all the programs, resources, and tools available to them through Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. We want to help close that gap. Below are two resources that describe many of the programs and benefits available to members through their health... |
November 11, 2025 |
December Wellbeing Tip: Healthy Eating During The HolidaysBroker News | November 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 11 Navigating food choices during the holiday season can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to maintain balance. If you’ve ever felt guilt or anxiety around holiday eating, you’re not alone. Balancing indulgence with intention can be difficult, but there are... |
November 11, 2025 |
ACTION REQUIRED: Multi-Factor Authentication Launching This Month For Broker And Employer Web AccountsBroker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 To improve account security, multi-factor authentication (MFA) will be enabled toward the end of October. What you can do to prepare for this change: Log into your broker web account and go to Account Settings in the upper right corner. Verify that your email address... |
October 15, 2025 |
Small Group Underwriting UpdatesBroker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 Standalone dental single contract groups As a reminder, any groups that have a standalone dental product with only one contract enrolled do not qualify for coverage and will be non-renewed starting with 1/1/2026 renewals. This only applies to groups that only have dental... |
October 15, 2025 |
Leadership Announcement: Dr. Martin Stallone To Join Excellus BCBS Executive TeamBroker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 We’re pleased to announce that Martin Stallone, M.D. has been appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Healthcare Services Officer for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and its parent company, The Lifetime Healthcare Companies. Dr. Stallone currently serves as CEO of... |
October 15, 2025 |
2025 Gag Clause Attestation Process & Separate Letter NotificationBroker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 As part of our ongoing support for the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) gag clause attestation, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) will continue to attest on behalf of our fully insured and minimum premium groups in 2025, unless the group instructs us otherwise. ... |
October 15, 2025 |
2026 Annual Rate Notices Being MailedBroker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has finalized the 2026 rate adjustments for the following products: Small Group Individual Large Group HMO Medicare Supplement Annual Rate Notices (ARNs) will be mailed to groups by the end of October. ... |
October 15, 2025 |
Donate Life Registry Question Added To Health Plan ApplicationsBroker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 A new question regarding the New York State Donate Life Registry has been added to select health plan enrollment forms and online tools. This update is in response to a new state mandate and applies to both paper and digital enrollment processes. This requirement applies... |
October 15, 2025 |
3 Practical Ways You Can Help Your Small Business Clients Manage Rising Healthcare CostsBroker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 At Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, we understand the pressures your small businesses clients face in today’s economic climate. Rising costs and growing demand for health care - especially for hospital services and prescription drugs – are driving up premiums, making it... |
October 15, 2025 |
Medicare Star Ratings 2026Broker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its 2026 Medicare Star Ratings. These ratings measure our plan’s performance in areas such as quality of care provided to our members, clinical outcomes and preventive care, member satisfaction and... |
October 15, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: October - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsBroker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 We are excited to host the following upcoming wellbeing webinars, geared toward helping our members learn about various topics that can support and improve their health and wellbeing. Please share the following webinar flyers and registration links with your groups. ... |
October 15, 2025 |
November Wellbeing Tip: DiabetesBroker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common – and preventable – chronic conditions. There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), type 2 accounts for about 90% to 95% of all... |
October 15, 2025 |
Rx News - Watch the Recording: August Pharmacy Webinar Featuring OncoHealthBroker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 Thank you to everyone who joined us live! If you missed it—or want to revisit the insights—the recording is now available. (VIDEO) This session explores how our strategic partnership with OncoHealth is transforming oncology management and delivering real value to our... |
October 15, 2025 |
Individual Metal Plans And Rates For 2026 Now Available!Broker News | October 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 10 - Special Issue Individual plans, rates, at-a-glance brochures and tip sheets for 2026 are now available on Blue on Demand. Now available: Individual & Family Qualified Health Plans Blue Select Stand-Alone Dental Plans 2026 Plan Highlights: Our 2026 plan updates are aimed at... |
October 1, 2025 |
ANSI File Implementation DeadlineBroker News | September 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 9 - Special Issue As we prepare for the upcoming Open Enrollment season, we want to ensure a smooth experience for you and your clients. To help us manage volume and maintain service quality, we ask that all ANSI file implementation requests be submitted no later than September 30, 2025. ... |
September 26, 2025 |
Legislative Updates – September 2025Broker News | September 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 9 - Special Issue With Federal officials back from their summer recess, we’re closely monitoring upcoming budget and policy negotiations and awaiting further guidance on recently enacted legislation. Attached are some key highlights we believe you’ll find relevant and informative. As... |
September 26, 2025 |
Formulary UpdatesBroker News | September 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 9 - Special Issue With the rising costs of health care, we are committed more than ever to identifying opportunities for group savings. We also know it is our responsibility to balance quality and cost of care while offering access to the treatments our members need to get and stay... |
September 26, 2025 |
ACTION REQUIRED: How To Prepare For Multi-factor AuthenticationBroker News | September 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 9 As previously communicated, multi-factor authentication (MFA) will soon be required to access your Excellus BlueCross BlueShield broker web account. This added layer of security helps protect your data and ensures safe access. MFA is scheduled to launch for brokers and... |
September 16, 2025 |
Virtual Training For 2026 Open EnrollmentBroker News | September 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 9 2026 open enrollment (OE) training is virtual again this year and available at ExcellusForBusiness.com/SalesHub. Everything has been designed to meet all your training needs for 2026 open enrollment and beyond. Materials include: Large Group: Product updates, large... |
September 16, 2025 |
Introducing Teledermatology – Powered By MDLIVEBroker News | September 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 9 We are proud to partner with MDLIVE to offer convenient telemedicine services for Acute Medical and Behavioral Health needs. Starting January 1, 2026, we’re expanding this partnership to include Teledermatology services—bringing even more care options to our members,... |
September 16, 2025 |
Request For Missing Social Security NumbersBroker News | September 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 9 Under the Affordable Care Act, the Internal Revenue Service requires health insurers to request missing subscriber and dependent Social Security numbers from their members. In September, we will send Social Security number request letters to individuals who had health... |
September 16, 2025 |
REMINDER: Upcoming Member Webinar For Small Groups – Making The Most Of Your Health Plan!Broker News | September 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 9 Many Small Group members may not realize all the valuable programs, resources, and tools included with their Excellus BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) membership. We want to help close that gap. That’s why we are hosting a live “Making the Most of Your Health Plan” webinar for... |
September 16, 2025 |
