News Archive
All News
Title | Issued Date |
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Excellus BCBS Provides 65 Community Health Awards To Area NonprofitsBroker News | June 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 6 Excellus BCBS is awarding a total of 65 community health awards to nonprofit organizations across upstate New York. The community health award funding will support innovative programs and solutions to advance health equity and ultimately improve health outcomes for... |
June 23, 2022 |
Make A Mid-Year Resolution To Be More ActiveBroker News | June 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 6 According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), physical activity is one of the best things people can do for their health, both physical and mental. Not only does physical activity help people immediately feel better, function better, and sleep... |
June 23, 2022 |
Updates To Our Professional Employer Organization GuidelinesBroker News | May 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 5 Excellus BCBS has made the following updates to our Professional Employer Organization (PEO) guidelines, allowing for more flexibility in the market for PEO business. Beginning with groups effective January 1, 2023, a PEO may choose to insure co-employees in two ways: ... |
May 20, 2022 |
Individual & Small Group – NYS Prior Approval Of Rate ChangesBroker News | May 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 5 On May 10, 2022, an application was submitted requesting 2023 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 2023... |
May 20, 2022 |
Not-For-Profits Invited To Submit Maternal Health Care Project Ideas For FundingBroker News | May 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 5 Excellus BCBS is asking the community to submit ideas, for its Member and Community Health Improvement (MACHI) funding, that specifically targets maternal health programs and access to comprehensive maternal care within its 31-county upstate New York coverage area. ... |
May 20, 2022 |
Calm E-Book For Brokers And GroupsBroker News | May 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 5 We worked with Calm to create a new informational resource to help Groups and Brokers with some of our most asked questions. It’s a great tool if you’re looking for: Registration Instructions Sample HR Email template Member FAQs Links to additional Calm resources... |
May 20, 2022 |
Updates To Our Enrollment ToolsBroker News | May 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 5 We are always looking for ways to improve our online tools and resources to give our brokers, groups, and members a better user experience. In the coming weeks and months, you will see updates to our online enrollment and support tools. One update you will see soon, is... |
May 20, 2022 |
Sun, Safety & HydrationBroker News | May 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 5 As the weather gets warmer and people spend more time outside, it is important to stay hydrated and protect yourself from the sun. Drinking plenty of water every day is good for overall health any time of year. Getting enough water every day is even more important when... |
May 20, 2022 |
COBRA Terminations For Non-Payment Of Premiums Will Resume July 1, 2022Broker News | May 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 5 - Special Issue In March 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL), together with the Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (collectively “Agencies”), issued final rules and, in February 2021 and July 2021 subsequent guidance with respect to the extension of certain... |
May 19, 2022 |
CAA Compensation Disclosure RequirementBroker News | April 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 4 As part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), we are required to identify for our ERISA groups all direct or indirect compensation we may potentially receive in connection with covered services of $1,000 or more, for the term of a group’s contract. Programs can... |
April 21, 2022 |
New Business Bonus Now Paid MonthlyBroker News | April 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 4 A new section is now visible on your commission statement. It includes the group detail for the New Business Bonus. This ONE-TIME BONUS PAYMENT is now being made monthly rather than quarterly. Please contact the Broker Contracts Team with any bonus or commission... |
April 21, 2022 |
Legislative Update Now AvailableBroker News | April 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 4 Hinman Straub, our external legal counsel, is providing legislative updates for our brokers. The first update is available and includes: 2021 recap of legislation signed into law 2022 NYS budget COVID policy moving forward Additional sessions are planned throughout... |
April 21, 2022 |
Updates To Small Group Non-EnrollmentBroker News | April 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 4 We are updating our practices for groups that have had prolonged periods of no enrollment in their small group health plan. The following changes will take effect June 1, 2022: Small groups will be reviewed at the time of renewal and will be non-renewed if there has... |
April 21, 2022 |
Welvie My Surgery Web PageBroker News | April 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 4 Welvie My Surgery℠ is now available to our Fully Insured commercial group plans, Qualified Health Plan, and Essential Plan members. This self-guided online program leads participants through the decision-making process if they’re considering an elective surgery. If... |
April 21, 2022 |
Making The Most Of Your Health PlanBroker News | April 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 4 Many members are not aware of the programs, resources, and tools we make available to them. We want to help close that gap. That’s why we created the Making the Most of Your Health Plan video. The video provides a member-level overview of creating an online account, using... |
April 21, 2022 |
May Is Mental Health MonthBroker News | April 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 4 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 41 percent of adults report struggling with mental health or substance use, which is up 20 percent from pre-pandemic reports. Our own data also reflects this trend with nearly 1/3 of adults now reporting... |
April 21, 2022 |
Small Group Underwriting Guideline UpdateBroker News | March 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 3 The revised Small Group Underwriting Guidelines are based on the October 2021 updates and have been approved through New York State Department of Financial Services. The changes are effective immediately to ensure we are meeting all regulatory requirements for group... |
March 24, 2022 |
Small Group Underwriting Web UpdateBroker News | March 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 3 The Medicare page/tab has been removed from the AGIF web tool as it was deemed no longer required in 2021. Groups are still not required to submit a Medicare AGIF and they will no longer be processed through SGUW. If a Medicare AGIF is submitted to SGUW, we will only save... |
March 24, 2022 |
Behind Every Great Health Care Outcome Is An Informed DecisionBroker News | March 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 3 Introducing Welvie My Surgery℠ – We know that one of the keys to better health is better health literacy – the ability to understand health information and services and use that knowledge to make informed decisions. It’s especially important with major decisions like... |
March 24, 2022 |
Excellus BCBS Partnering With Civica To Increase Access To Affordable InsulinBroker News | March 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 3 Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and other Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies joined Civica’s initiative to manufacture and distribute affordable insulins that, once approved, will be available to people living with... |
March 24, 2022 |
April 16 Is National Healthcare Decisions DayBroker News | March 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 3 National Healthcare Decisions Day was created to emphasize the importance of advance care planning. Advance care planning is the process we use to plan for future medical care, consider what matters most to us, share our values, beliefs, and goals with our loved ones and... |
March 24, 2022 |
Group Premium Payment ReminderBroker News | February 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 2 - Special Issue The beginning of a new month is a good time to remind your groups, per contract, there is a 30-day grace period to make their premium payment. If payment is not received within the 30-day grace period, we will initiate the termination process. As a reminder, the first... |
February 28, 2022 |
New Wellness Videos Available To ShareBroker News | February 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 2 A new suite of wellness videos is now available for brokers, employers, and members. The videos cover a variety of topics, including: Avoiding Processed Foods Be Stressed Less Benefits of Meditation Diabetes: Take Control of Your Health Fighting Virtual Work... |
February 17, 2022 |
Excellus BCBS Earns 90 Percent In Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality IndexBroker News | February 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 2 Excellus BCBS received a score of 90 percent out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Excellus... |
February 17, 2022 |
Helpful Resources For Employees Using Our Website Or Mobile AppBroker News | February 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 2 It’s early in the new year and a great time for employees to review the benefits and extras that are a part of their health plan. Employees can visit ExcellusBCBS.com 24/7 to: Register and/or log in to their online member account Download our mobile app Easy access... |
February 17, 2022 |
New Active&Fit ExerciseRewards™ Training VideoBroker News | February 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 2 Our vendor, American Specialty Health (ASH), has provided a new training on Active&Fit ExerciseRewards™ that includes program information as well as how to register, enroll in a fitness center, connect a wearable device, and more! This training video has been added to... |
February 17, 2022 |
Do You Really Need The Emergency Department?Broker News | February 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 2 There are millions of visits to hospital emergency departments (ED) in New York state each year that don’t result in a hospital stay, according to New York State Department of Health data. And while some health conditions require emergency care, many are better suited for... |
February 17, 2022 |
March Is National Colorectal Awareness MonthBroker News | February 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 2 In the United States, colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths. Men are much more likely than women to get colon cancer, and African Americans are more likely to get it than any other race or ethnicity. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force... |
February 17, 2022 |
2022 Broker Guide Now AvailableBroker News | January 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 1 Good health and preventive care are more important than ever and guiding your clients through their health care benefits is one way you provide confidence and security in uncertain times. The programs and tools outlined in the 2022 Broker Guide demonstrate our commitment... |
January 20, 2022 |
Coming In FebruaryBroker News | January 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 1 Beginning next month, Hinman Straub, our external legal counsel, will be providing a legislative update for our brokers. Our first update will include: 2021 recap of legislation signed into law 2022 NYS budget COVID policy moving forward Additional sessions are... |
January 20, 2022 |
Enrollment Inquiry & Support UpdatesBroker News | January 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 1 Updates to our Enrollment Inquiry & Support tool are scheduled to go live on February 7. Users who login and contact us by using the Enrollment Inquiry & Support tool will have access to new features that will enhance the support process from start to finish. ... |
January 20, 2022 |
Leadership UpdatesBroker News | January 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 1 We are excited to share the following changes to our leadership team: Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Cindy Langston Named First Female Chief Information Officer Cindy Langston has been named senior vice president and the company’s first female chief information... |
January 20, 2022 |
2021 Diversity Equity And Inclusion Report AvailableBroker News | January 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 1 We are proud to share our inaugural, “Diversity Equity and Inclusion Report, Bringing I.D.E.A. to Life,” which details our approach to mitigating the impact of bias, and our commitment to equitable treatment for all, within and beyond our walls. Our Corporate Commitment... |
January 20, 2022 |
Tax Form 1095-BBroker News | January 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 1 Health insurers—including Excellus BCBS—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 request it by... |
January 20, 2022 |
February Is American Heart MonthBroker News | January 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 1 February is American Heart Month, a time to spotlight heart disease which is the #1 killer of Americans. Yet heart disease is largely preventable by living a healthy lifestyle: eat a healthy diet, get regular physical activity, manage stress, don’t smoke, and get enough... |
January 20, 2022 |
Healthy NY UpdatesBroker News | January 2022 | Vol. 17 No. 1 Based on NYS changes, the Healthy NY New Business Application and Healthy NY Recertification have been updated to reflect the new maximum annual wage of $45,450.00 on all systems including Blue On Demand. The cutoff for using prior versions of the form will be May 1,... |
January 20, 2022 |
COVID Treatment Benefits Ending On 12/31/21Broker News | December 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 12 Please remind your groups that COVID treatment benefits will be ending on December 31, 2021. Beginning January 1, 2022, COVID treatment benefits will process according to the member’s benefits. |
December 14, 2021 |
Online Billing For Brokers UpdateBroker News | December 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 12 We will be launching Online Billing to all Brokers in early January. We will post an alert on our website when the tool is available. If you currently have access to enrollment for a group, you will be given access to billing for that group under the same account. ... |
December 14, 2021 |
Enhancements Made To Find A DoctorBroker News | December 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 12 We continue to work to give our members the best user experience possible when it comes to our digital tools. Our Find A Doctor tool recently received the following enhancements to take advantage of in-app features such as: Location services Mapping capabilities ... |
December 14, 2021 |
An Ounce Of Prevention…Broker News | December 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 12 Are your employees regularly seeing their doctors for preventive care? Regular preventive care can help reduce the risk or severity of chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), 90... |
December 14, 2021 |
Excellus BCBS Welcomes Dr. Gina CuylerBroker News | December 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 12 In keeping with its mission to ensure access to high quality health care and reduce health disparities, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield announced that Gina Cuyler, MD. has joined the health plan as Vice President Health Equity and Community Investments. In this new role,... |
December 14, 2021 |
Sending Our Thanks This Holiday SeasonBroker News | December 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 12 As we come to the end of another year, we once again want to thank you for your partnership as we continue to help our shared clients navigate through these unprecedented times. We wish you and your families a safe and healthy holiday season. We hope the communities we... |
December 14, 2021 |
New Individual Market COBRA Special Enrollment Period Effective January 1, 2022Broker News | December 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 12 On May 5, 2021, CMS released the Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP) for the 2022 plan year final rule, and it included a new/modified qualifying event for a special enrollment period (SEP). The existing SEP for Involuntary Loss of Minimum Essential Coverage... |
December 14, 2021 |
Member ID Card UpdateBroker News | November 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 11 - Special Issue As we previously communicated, because of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2021, we will be reissuing many Member ID cards for January 1, 2022. To ensure cards are efficiently issued, please send us your enrollment as soon as possible or notify us as to when... |
November 30, 2021 |
2022 Individual Market PlansBroker News | November 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 11 Our SafetyNet and Individual Market Sales Team is ready to assist brokers during the upcoming 2022 Open Enrollment Period. If you have a client who is not eligible for an Employer Group Plan, Medicare, or Qualified Health Plan offerings, we are here to support you.... |
November 15, 2021 |
2022 Product Update: Calm® App And Blue SimplicityBroker News | November 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 11 Great news! The Calm® App now has full contract finalization and New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) approval. Additionally, DFS has approved Blue Simplicity for fully insured large groups with effective dates of 1/1/22 and later. Calm® App Finalized... |
November 15, 2021 |
Recipients Of 2021 Health Equity Awards AnnouncedBroker News | November 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 11 Excellus BCBS announced the recipients of its 2021 Health Equity Awards. The awards represent more than $388,000 in financial support we are providing to community programs that address racial and ethnic health disparities across our service area. The funding will... |
November 15, 2021 |
Coping With Winter And Holiday BluesBroker News | November 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 11 As the days get shorter and the temperatures colder, some people may notice they feel down or have less energy than usual. This could just be the winter blues caused by less activity, or stress or sadness related to the holidays. Daylight, exercise, healthy eating, and... |
November 15, 2021 |
Changes To Member ID CardsBroker News | October 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 10 - Special Issue Both New York State and the federal government have mandated changes to health insurance member identification cards. Beginning November 1, 2021, we will begin sending member cards in compliance with the federal mandate that takes effect January 1, 2022. Federally... |
October 29, 2021 |
Excellus BCBS Inside Rx Prescription Discount CardBroker News | October 2021 | Vol. 16 No. 10 Excellus BlueCross BlueShield continues its mission of helping people in our communities live healthier and more secure lives through high-quality and affordable health care access. As part of that ongoing commitment, we’re excited to announce that we have partnered with... |
October 25, 2021 |