Connect with Capital, your biweekly update for producers
November 2020, Volume 2
What's Inside: 2021 Capital BlueCross Individual ACA Producer Open Enrollment Contest is here | Please welcome Capital Advantage EPO | On completing the census and enrollment template | Alert groups about their recent invoices | Renewing BlueCross Dental in 2021 can earn groups a premium credit | 2021 Flexible Spending Account (FSA) administration | Don't forget about the eGems hotline | Parents are urged to keep children's vaccinations up to date | Open enrollment dates to remember
2021 Capital BlueCross Individual ACA Producer Open Enrollment Contest is here
Capital BlueCross announces our inaugural Individual ACA Producer Open Enrollment Contest. It’s easy: the top three producers who sell the most IA plans during the 2021 open enrollment season win big cash prizes.
Prizes are awarded for new ACA members (on and off market) sold from November 1 through January 15, 2021.* We’ll announce our award winners in the first quarter of the new year. Contest updates will be provided periodically in the Producer Portal throughout the contest. Please share this great opportunity with all producers who write business with you.
So what can you win? First prize is $2,000; second prize gets $1,000; and third prize gets $500.
Check out our competitive rates and share this guide with your prospective customers. The secure site for Individual Products on the producer section of capbluecross.com provides all the tools, applications, and marketing materials you need to assist and enroll your customers successfully.
*Contracts must be paid in full and effectuated prior to the member’s effective date.
Please welcome Capital Advantage EPO
Capital BlueCross is adding a new product in 2021 that drives savings for your customers: the Capital Advantage EPO.
Comprised of a network of UPMC Pinnacle and select community providers, groups can expect to see a 6 – 8% savings when they sign on to Capital Advantage EPO.
It will be available beginning January 1, 2021, to most ASO or fully insured employer groups located in Dauphin, Cumberland, and Perry counties. However, Capital Advantage EPO is not available to fully insured Small groups.
Contact your Capital BlueCross account executive for more information.
On completing the census and enrollment spreadsheets
When submitting the census and enrollment template for final enrollment, note the detailed instructions within the template. Please take time to ensure the form is completed in its entirety. When data is incomplete, your group's onboarding will take longer.
We have noticed particular attention is needed on these required fields, which are often left blank:
Social Security Numbers
Addresses
The Plan ID is required and should not be substituted with the Plan Name
Subgroup ID (Column Y)
Med/Rx Class and or Dental and Vision Class(es). This is extremely important if the group is electing more than one option (Column(s) Z, AA, AB)
Addition of the products to the Class Prep.
If any part of the census and enrollment spreadsheets are incomplete or inaccurate, we will return it to you to update.
Alert groups about their recent invoices
Groups should be aware that the premium on their December invoice may not yet include plan or enrollment changes they made during renewal.
Capital BlueCross staff is working to apply updates as quickly as possible and will post any adjustments in future billing cycles.
Affected groups are advised to pay the amount noted in the Total Premium Due field on the statement. This will help to avoid any additional adjustments.
Renewing BlueCross Dental in 2021 can earn groups a premium credit
BlueCross Dental groups who renew their dental plan for 2021 will receive a 25% credit on one month’s premium.
The credit is available to all fully insured groups across each segment, as well as Small Business ASO groups.
The credit will be applied approximately 75-90 days after the renewal date.
We will be updating future renewal documents to advise groups of this credit opportunity.
We let groups know about the premium incentive last week via email.
Our FSA products, administered by BenefitWallet®, are available to PremierChoice and Custom Large group segments.
The IRS announced the following for 2021 FSA:
There will not be any increase in maximum contribution for 2021. The Healthcare FSA maximum will remain at $2750 and the Dependent Care maximum will remain at $5000.
The rollover maximum is being increased. The maximum rollover amount for those groups that elect rollover is increasing from $500 to $550.
Don't forget that you and your groups can call the toll-free eGEMS hotline number with your eGEMS related inquiries Any voice messages left at the number will be routed to their dedicated mailbox for a specialist to address. Or, you can email the account administrator.
Parents are urged to keep children's vaccinations up to date
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to an alarming drop in childhood immunizations for preventable diseases such as measles, whooping cough, and polio.
The BCBSA examined claims data from January to September 2020 and found a dramatic 26% drop in childhood vaccination doses compared to the same period in 2019. Capital BlueCross clinical staff did a similar analysis, finding the number of medical claims received for childhood immunizations fell by 19% in the first nine months of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, meaning nearly 17,000 vaccine doses were missed.
To address the situation, Capital BlueCross is urging parents to check on a child's immunization status by calling their pediatrician. If vaccinations have been missed, parents should consult with their pediatrician on the best course of action to get caught up.
We recently sent a preventive care email to members with dependent children ages 6 – 18 highlighting specific vaccines: HPV, meningococcal, and tDap, as well as an annual well-child visit. This email outlined what vaccinations were overdue for their dependent children and included links for further education. Capital BlueCross also mails families with newborn children a suggested vaccine schedule for the newborn's first year.
Open enrollment dates to remember
October 15 through December 7 Medicare Annual Election period
November 1 through January 15, 2021 Individual Marketplace via Pennie
If you have any questions about content in this email, please contact your account executive.
Capital BlueCross is an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association serving 21 counties in Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley. Communications issued by Capital BlueCross in its capacity as administrator of programs.
