News Archive
All News
| Title | Issued Date |
|---|---|
Current Injectable GLP-1 Mail Order Prescriptions From Express Scripts® Pharmacy Transitioning To EnGuide PharmacyBroker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 - Special Issue Express Scripts® is launching EnGuide Pharmacy, a new home delivery pharmacy that will exclusively dispense injectable GLP-1 medications. It replaces Express Scripts® Pharmacy as the mail order fulfillment source for injectable GLP-1 medications used for any indication,... |
June 13, 2025 |
Updated Fully Insured And Minimum Premium Documentation For 2025 CAA Gag Clause AttestationBroker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 For 2025, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield will continue to attest on behalf of our fully insured and minimum premium groups for the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) gag clause attestation, unless directed otherwise by the group. For self-funded groups, we will continue... |
June 11, 2025 |
Prescription Drug Collection (RxDC) Report SubmittedBroker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 On May 28, 2025, we submitted the Prescription Drug Data Collection (RxDC) report as required under The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA). The submission included information for fully insured policies issued and for self-funded group health plans administered by... |
June 11, 2025 |
Rite Aid Pharmacy ClosuresBroker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 Rite Aid has announced the closure of all 178 store locations in New York state. Our pharmacy team is working to understand the impacts of the closures on our members and our pharmacy network. We have mailed letters to members who currently use Rite Aid as their primary... |
June 11, 2025 |
Updated Qualifying Life Event Grid For Special Enrollment PeriodsBroker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 We have updated our off exchange qualifying life event grid for special enrollment periods. It now reflects the new monthly coverage effective dates for 2025. Download the grid at the link below or log in to Blue on Demand to locate the grid under Sales Tools. Please... |
June 11, 2025 |
REMINDER: We Want To Hear From You!Broker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 Over the next few weeks, check your inbox for the annual broker satisfaction survey. Your feedback and experience are valuable, and we want to learn more from you. You will receive an email with a link to the survey. Please respond at your earliest convenience. If you... |
June 11, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: June - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsBroker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 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. June... |
June 11, 2025 |
July Wellbeing Tip: Physical ActivityBroker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 Physical activity is one of the best things you can do to improve your health and wellbeing. For adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and two days a week of activities that strengthen... |
June 11, 2025 |
Rx News - Help Clients Save Smarter: 3 Highlights From Our Pharmacy WebinarBroker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 If you missed our recent webinar Beyond the Buzz: Introducing Our Core Pharmacy Suite, or want a quick recap, we’ve got you covered. We explored how our pharmacy solutions can help your clients save $27.77 PMPM—at no added cost. Here are 3 key takeaways: $27.77 PMPM... |
June 11, 2025 |
Rx News - Keeping Pharmacy Services On TrackBroker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 We conducted a pharmacy audit for a self-funded group—and the results speak for themselves. With our support, the client had a zero-findings audit. The significance of this type of audit: Demonstrates compliance and contract adherence Ensures financial accuracy and... |
June 11, 2025 |
Individual & Small Group Rate Requests Filed With NYSBroker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 - Special Issue On May 15, 2025, an application was submitted requesting 2026 premium rate changes in accordance with New York state prior approval law. This rate application applies to Community Rated Individual and Small Group products. The following products are included in this 2026... |
June 3, 2025 |
What’s Driving The Rising Costs Of Health Care, How This Influences Premiums, And What We’re Doing To Help Our MembersBroker News | June 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 6 - Special Issue We know any increase in costs these days is difficult to absorb. At Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, we’re working to ensure rising costs don’t get in the way of better health and access to care. Breaking Down What’s Driving Costs Costs are increasing in all areas of our... |
June 3, 2025 |
2025 Exclusive Pharmacy Update From Mona ChitreBroker News | May 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 5 - Special Issue A Message from Mona Chitre As your partner in managing pharmacy benefits, we routinely share the latest news impacting health care in our communities. By now, you have likely heard about the recent presidential executive order on drug pricing. We are closely monitoring... |
May 21, 2025 |
We Want To Hear From You!Broker News | May 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 5 Over the next few weeks, check your inbox for the annual broker satisfaction survey. Your feedback and experience are valuable, and we want to learn more from you. You will receive an email with a link to the survey. Please respond at your earliest convenience. If you... |
May 13, 2025 |
Upcoming Member Webinar For Large Group, Fully Insured Plans – Making The Most Of Your Health Plan!*Broker News | May 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 5 Date: Thursday, June 26, Noon - 12:45 p.m. ET Many members may not be aware of the wellbeing programs, tools and resources available to them through their health plan. That’s why we’re hosting a live, “Making the Most of Your Health Plan,” webinar to highlight the... |
May 13, 2025 |
Rx News - Last Chance To Register: Help Your Clients Save $27.77 PMPMBroker News | May 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 5 Webinar Topic: Beyond the Buzz: Introducing Our Core Pharmacy Suite Date: May 20, 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. ET When it comes to managing health care costs, every dollar matters. Our upcoming webinar explores how our core pharmacy suite can help your clients save $27.77... |
May 13, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: May - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsBroker News | May 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 5 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. May... |
May 13, 2025 |
Community Spotlight: Making A Difference Through Our Foster Care TeamBroker News | May 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 5 Inspired by a friend's words over 15 years ago, Megan Bunce, a licensed social worker, is on a mission to uplift children in foster care. Since joining the Foster Care Program in 2023, she and her team have provided hope and stability to over 1,000 kids each year. With... |
May 13, 2025 |
June Wellbeing Tip: Musculoskeletal HealthBroker News | May 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 5 If you have ever had back, joint, or muscle pain, you know how much it can affect your quality of life and ability to do your job. Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is very common and virtually everyone experiences it at some point in their lives. Preventing MSK injuries at work... |
May 13, 2025 |
Getting The Best For Your Clients: 3 Tips For An Efficient ProposalBroker News | April 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 4 Thank you for trusting Excellus BlueCross BlueShield with your clients’ business and for including us in your RFP process. 2025 is already off to a fast start! Our goal is always to provide you and your clients with the best, most complete and competitive proposal... |
April 15, 2025 |
With Our New Comprehensive Care And Disease Management Resources, Everybody BenefitsBroker News | April 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 4 Health care works best when it works together. In 2024, we launched our Commercial Value Story highlighting our approach to health care surrounding three pillars: Putting people first Making sure that our service is simple Bringing a network that is unmatched. Period... |
April 15, 2025 |
Rx News - $27.77 PMPM. Savings Back Where It Belongs—With Your GroupsBroker News | April 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 4 Webinar Topic: Beyond the Buzz: Introducing Our Core Pharmacy Suite Date: May 20, 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. ET When it comes to managing health care costs, every dollar matters. That’s why Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is helping businesses save $27.77 PMPM—savings that go... |
April 15, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: April - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsBroker News | April 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 4 We are excited to host the following upcoming wellbeing webinars, geared towards helping our members learn about various health topics that can support and improve their wellbeing. Please share the following webinar flyers and registration links with your groups. April... |
April 15, 2025 |
Community Spotlight: The CNY Ronald McDonald HouseBroker News | April 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 4 This community spotlight sheds light on the remarkable services offered by the CNY Ronald McDonald House, an organization that supports families during their child's health care journey. This unique facility offers more than just a place to stay; it provides a sanctuary... |
April 15, 2025 |
May Wellbeing Tip: Stroke AwarenessBroker News | April 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 4 May is National Stroke Awareness Month. A stroke occurs when something blocks blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. During a stroke parts of the brain become damaged or die. A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term... |
April 15, 2025 |
REMINDER: It’s Time To Report Your 2024 Prescription DataBroker News | March 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 3 This is a reminder for the Broker News eblast that was sent on Tuesday March 4, 2025. You can read that full eblast in the news archive at: Broker News | March 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 3 - Special Issue As a reminder, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield will complete the required... |
March 11, 2025 |
Annual Group Information Renewal - Webtool UpdateBroker News | March 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 3 The webtool used to submit the annual group information form for small groups has been updated. The year dropdown has been updated to include 2026, which is the year in which the tool is auto populating with. Please ensure that your groups are using the correct survey... |
March 11, 2025 |
Small Group Healthy New York Application And Forms Updated For 2025Broker News | March 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 3 The Healthy New York (HNY) maximum wage has been increased to $53,650 and the HNY New Business form and HNY Recertification form have been updated. Please use the new forms (linked below) moving forward to reflect the new wages. If you have any questions on the Healthy... |
March 11, 2025 |
The Value Of A Wellbeing StrategyBroker News | March 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 3 Your groups’ employees are their organization’s greatest asset. Creating a culture of wellbeing where employees feel holistically supported by their employer helps them to be more engaged and productive, leading to greater retention and recruitment of talent. According... |
March 11, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: 2025 Wellbeing Webinar SeriesBroker News | March 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 3 We are excited to host a new wellbeing webinar series in 2025, geared towards helping our members learn about various health topics that can support and improve their wellbeing from our own internal experts. Promotional flyers will be available for each month’s upcoming... |
March 11, 2025 |
April Wellbeing Tip: Breaking The Stress CycleBroker News | March 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 3 April is National Stress Month. Stress is a natural response to challenges we face in everyday life. Common stressors include relationships, finances, major life events, work-related issues and more. Everyone experiences stress in different ways and for different reasons;... |
March 11, 2025 |
Rx News - Launching Our NEW Pharmacy Value StoryBroker News | March 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 3 We are excited to announce the launch of our new pharmacy value story. Explore how we deliver a complete approach to improve health outcomes, cost savings and care delivery – for everyone. This collection of work includes a 12-page brochure, one-page overview flyer and... |
March 11, 2025 |
Rx News - Inflammatory Bowel Disease Management: How We’re Making A DifferenceBroker News | March 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 3 Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, affects millions of people worldwide. Check out our new resources on ExcellusForBusiness.com to see how we are making a difference for our groups and members with IBD management. If... |
March 11, 2025 |
It’s Time To Report Your 2024 Prescription DataBroker News | March 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 3 - Special Issue The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) requires group and individual health plans to report annual data about prescription drugs and health care spending to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The last day to submit this data to CMS for the 2024... |
March 4, 2025 |
2025 Pharmacy Updates From Mona ChitreBroker News | February 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 2 - Special Issue A Message from Mona Chitre The year is off to an exciting start! As a pharmacy partner, we consistently monitor market trends to ensure our programs and solutions meet the specific needs of our groups. We’re eager to share the many pharmacy opportunities and... |
February 26, 2025 |
Managed Care Organization TaxBroker News | February 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 2 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently approved New York's Managed Care Organization tax (MCO), effective 1/1/2025. This tax, authorized by the 2024-2025 State Budget, will apply different tax rates to Medicaid and non-Medicaid plans. The tax rates... |
February 12, 2025 |
Enrollment Portal Reminder – Accuracy Is ImportantBroker News | February 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 2 There has been an increase in keying errors submitted from the web and requests submitted through the enrollment portal. This has resulted in ID cards being mailed to incorrect recipients, members being enrolled in incorrect groups and information being sent to groups... |
February 12, 2025 |
Voted #1 In NY For Customer Service – Again!Broker News | February 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 2 For the second consecutive year, J.D. Power has ranked Excellus BlueCross BlueShield #1 in New York for Medicare Advantage Plan Customer Satisfaction and Most Trusted. This wouldn’t be possible without our local employees who are committed to providing excellent service,... |
February 12, 2025 |
Tax Form 1095-BBroker News | February 2025 | Vol. 20 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, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: 2025 Wellbeing Webinar SeriesBroker News | February 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 2 We are excited to host a new wellbeing webinar series in 2025, geared towards helping our members learn about various health topics that can support and improve their wellbeing from our own internal experts. Promotional flyers will be available for each month’s upcoming... |
February 12, 2025 |
The Importance Of A Primary Care Provider (PCP)Broker News | February 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 2 Individuals with a PCP may receive higher value healthcare. PCPs provide preventive care such as cancer screenings, identify and treat common medical conditions and provide referrals for specialists as needed. Preventive care can help identify health concerns and chronic... |
February 12, 2025 |
New Year, New Start: Get Proactive with Preventive HealthBroker News | February 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 2 Preventive care can help catch potential issues early before they develop into more serious health conditions. Things like routine checkups, screenings, and immunizations can fall under preventive care. Preventive services are covered in full by Excellus BlueCross... |
February 12, 2025 |
March Wellbeing Tip: Healthy Eating On A BudgetBroker News | February 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 2 According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), good nutrition is essential for well-being across all stages of life. A nutritious diet consists of primarily whole foods which include unprocessed fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans... |
February 12, 2025 |
Rx News - Introducing Our Automatic Prescription Discount ProgramBroker News | February 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 2 Members who currently pay 100% out-of-pocket for certain medications outside of their pharmacy benefit now have access to automatic prescription discounts. The automatic prescription discount program provides discounts on medications outside a member’s pharmacy benefit... |
February 12, 2025 |
Rx News - Updated Integrated Pharmacy Program Flyers Now AvailableBroker News | February 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 2 We have updated our integrated pharmacy program flyers to reflect new offerings and remove discontinued programs. These flyers detail all value-added and optional pharmacy programs available to groups with our integrated medical and pharmacy coverage. Each flyer is... |
February 12, 2025 |
Gag Clause Certificate Of Attestation Now AvailableBroker News | January 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 1 On December 30, 2024, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield 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... |
January 15, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: 2025 Wellbeing Webinar SeriesBroker News | January 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 1 We are excited to launch a new wellbeing webinar series in 2025, geared toward helping our members learn about various health topics that can support and improve their wellbeing from our own internal experts. Promotional flyers will be available for each month’s upcoming... |
January 15, 2025 |
Starting The Year Off RightBroker News | January 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 1 January is a great time of year for employer group members to review their online account information or register for an account if they don’t already have one. Members can check their personal information, plan details and gain access to additional resources such as: ... |
January 15, 2025 |
February Wellbeing Tip: Heart HealthBroker News | January 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 1 February is American Heart Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. The term “heart disease” includes several... |
January 15, 2025 |
Rx News - Pharmacy Affordability Toolkit AvailableBroker News | January 2025 | Vol. 20 No. 1 Health care costs are continuing to rise, impacting both groups and members alike. To address these challenges and support employee wellbeing, employers can now download our pharmacy savings toolkit. This toolkit offers ready-to-use educational resources and prewritten... |
January 15, 2025 |
