Agent Blog

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has achieved the highest possible Medicare HMO plan rating in the nation - and right here in upstate New York for 2022!

Humana is here to help members live better lives with benefits* like an over-the-counter (OTC) allowance to purchase approved health and wellness products, the Healthy Foods Card (HFC) to buy approved groceries, transportation to the doctor and programs to be active including Go365® and SilverSneakers®.

UPMC for Life earned an excellent 5 out of a possible 5 overall star rating for its HMO and PPO plans for 2022 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

In an effort to better assist you, WellCare has shared PDF's of their 2022 benefit highlights for the state of Massachusetts. Click the post to view & download.

UHC is updating the Benefit Highlight Brochures and Shopping Sheets for all Medicare Advantage Plans to ensure accurate benefit information is available for consumers.

Cigna's Medicare Advantage plans rank better than ever. For 2022, they expect 89% of their Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan (MAPD) customers will be in a 4 Star rated plan or higher – up 12% in just three years.

CMS is particularly concerned with national advertisements promoting MA plan benefits and cost savings, which are only available in limited service areas or for limited groups of enrollees, as well as using words and imagery that may confuse beneficiaries or cause them to believe the advertisement is coming directly from the government.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2022 Star Ratings for Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to help people with Medicare compare plans ahead of Medicare Open Enrollment, which kicks off on October 15.

Legal & General is excited to be expanding the ability for your clients to have more APS/exam-free approvals.

Have you completed your annual certification for plan year 2022? Get to know Geisinger's Classic Advantage No Rx plan in Pennsylvania. Read on to learn more about this plan.

Take a look at October news from AIG.

Empire's NEW Care Guide Scheduler Tool lets you select your client's preferred day and time to receive their Care Guide welcome call! It's quick and easy!

Effective 10/20/2021, premiums for the Grow-Up plan will increase. Electronic applications submitted on the Gerber Life Agent Portal on or after 10/20/2021 will be issued with the new rates.

With the upcoming AEP, humana wants to remind you of the availability for the Connection Hub mobile application. This feature allows you to use Connection Hub on the go as you are out in the field!

Cooler days and changing leaves can only mean one thing … AEP is here! This new month brings some very exciting updates UPMC wanted to share with you.

The new WellCare Assist open PPO plan was launched this AEP in Vermont as part of WellCare's continued efforts to address the needs of all of your clients. Click the post to learn more.

With Anthem in Connecticut, If you submit an HRA (health risk assessment) with DSNP applications, your reimbursement is increasing from $50 to $100 per HRA for effective dates 11/1/2021.

Humana's goal is to provide health outcomes and health equity by addressing the needs of the whole person, co-creating solutions to address social determinants of health and health-related social needs.

Your UPMC for Life plan materials ordering site, Converge, will now allow you to customize marketing materials. Now they've made it even easier to create personalized materials and print them too!

The Sell More/Earn More Medicare Supplement Bonus is available for New York Plan G & N Enrollments with 10/1, 11/1, 12/1/21 and 1/1/22 Effective Dates.

Effective 1/1/2022, Memorial Sloan Kettering will become part of the Empire HealthChoice MA (HMO/HMO D-SNP/PPO) network.

In an effort to meet the needs of all dual eligible seniors across the state, WellCare has launched the PPO Dual Liberty Open D-SNP PPO plan this year, specifically designed for "full dual" beneficiaries across Rhode Island.

Molina has rolled out their new Provider Online Directory (POD)! The new, user-friendly POD enhances search functionality so results are quickly and easily available through intuitive navigation.

Humana identified additional information to be included within the Part D Savings Model or Humana’s Insulin Savings Program page within applicable MAPD and PDP Premier Enrollment book plans.

ConnectiCare has provided PDFs for 2022 Plan Information. You can view by going to their public site, or by clicking a document inside.

AEP is around the corner! WellCare wants you to know broker support is there to help YOU. Most calls are resolved immediately over the phone, those that require escalation will be forwarded to the corporate team for review, resolution, and direct follow-up.

While this year’s Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) might be a bit more “normal” than last year’s, COVID-19 may still affect how you do business. The good news is Medico has tools to help you succeed.

Humana's topic of the week for 10/3/2021 is the Medicare Document Library. Some of the document types you can access are: benefit summary, benefit at a glance, evidence of coverage and enrollment books. View post for details.

Starting Sept. 21, 2021, members who have not yet had their annual HouseCalls visit will receive $50 instead of the standard $15 if they participate on or before Dec. 31, 2021.

As we've entered October 2022, we can officially “talk the new plans”. ConnectiCare wants to make you all aware that the 2022 plan materials and documents are now posted on their public site.

Humana is working hard to provide you with the right resources to help meet your needs. Now, you’ll have access to Spanish-language assets to review materials, engage in professional development and grow your book of business.

During this AEP season, Empire BCBS will be inviting their new members Monday through Friday to join a live Town Hall call with other new members.

Annual Enrollment Period is almost here, and WellCare is adding more to their New Hampshire provider network. Click the post to learn more, and for a link to a complete list or providers in NH.

If you’ve hung around with Cigna for the last few years, you know that they have some ambitious growth goals for Medicare Advantage, one part being the geographic footprint.

AEP is just around the corner and Clover Health wants to ensure their broker partners are ready to get selling! Please see inside for everything you need to have a successful enrollment period with Clover Health.

UPMC for Life is always trying to find new ways to thank you for all your hard work and growing book of business. That’s why they’re excited to announce an incentive program for their agents!

Enrollment Kit Orders can now be placed via phone 1-866-440-9788 (Medicare Broker Services) Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM MST.

If you were unable to attend a LIVE or Virtual AEP Rollout, attached are the slides that were presented for UnitedHealthcare's 2022 Medicare Plans.

AEP is just around the corner and Ascension Complete is ready to deliver 2022 MAPD solutions to brokers and beneficiaries! With more plans and plan types in 2022, new expansion states, and exciting new benefits, Ascension Complete is poised to help agents have a fantastic AEP!

WellCare By Health Net has put together a list of selling tools for agents in Oregon this AEP. Click post for links and details.

With COVID-19 numbers recently spiking, we see proof that the pandemic is not over yet. A powerful tool against COVID-19 are the vaccines. But what about booster shots? How do they help us?

Life insurance advisor, David Meno, tells his personal journey of being blindsided without life insurance and what he’s doing to protect more Americans — one family at a time.

Even with $0 premium, Cigna's plans include $0 PCP copays, $0 behavioral health copays and only $15 copayment for specialists. The recent addition of Baptist Health to their already-robust provider network gives your customer 250+ more sites of care.

Humana's got your back with competitive 2022 plans and benefits designed to complement Veterans’ needs, like Humana Honor Plans with 26 Honor Plans in 46 states.

The ConnectiCare ANOC (annual notice of change) letters have been mailed to members. For your convenience, find the ANOCs for the more popular plans here.

WellCare is excited to announce that effective immediately, NYU Langone, is now participating In-Network with NY WellCare Medicare lines of business. With this network enhancement, WellCare has also added over 2,400 new providers that are associated with this medical group!

Coming soon on October 11, CSB's Flexible Choice Dental, Vision & Hearing product is launching in CO! Sell new Dental, Vision & Hearing with the helpful tools inside.

New SureBridge Products - Underwritten by The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company. See What’s New in SureBridge's Point of Sale Tool Beginning September 24!

Crum & Forster can help improve your client's pets' health by making their prescriptions more affordable. They've made it easy for pet parents to get instant savings on pet medications. View post to download flyer for more details.

When you sell Cigna's new Flexible Choice Dental, Vision & Hearing product, you win extra rewards and your customers win excellent coverage. View post to download flyer.

To get Ready to Sell Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) for Mutual of Omaha Rx, you have two options. View the post to learn about these options and download a flyer for full details.

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in North Carolina. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

The New Medicare Sales Hub Is Here, Over-The-Counter Benefits, EPIC/LIS & more! View post for Medicare Broker News from Excellus.

Molina is always looking for ways to add value to their members! Introducing an additional value for 2021 plan members: A grocery debit card will be sent to our Medicare members* allowing them to use it through the end of 2021.

The new SecureWise Term Life Insurance went LIVE on August 27th in AZ, CA, CO, FL GA, IA, IL, IN, MO, NC, NE, OH, OK, TN & TX.

Humana has links to look up the locations that participate in both the healthy food card and the OTC cards. You just click the link and put in the zip code.

CMS has extended the Open Enrollment Period! You now have until January 15th to work with your under 65 clients so you can focus on your Medicare clients throughout the whole of AEP (October 15 - December 7, 2021).

Take a look at September news from AIG.

Whether you're just getting started selling Medicare Advantage plans or a seasoned broker building your portfolio, Empire is here to help you succeed.

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in certain Texas counties. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Cigna is excited to announce that Starting October 1, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC) will implement the following rate adjustments for Medicare supplement in Virginia...

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in all Louisiana counties. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Humana has collected hundreds of pre-approved marketing materials inside the 2022 AEP Sales Materials Catalogue and Strategy Guide to help grow and retain your Book of Business in 2022.

While you prepare for a busy Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), remember to check your MyEnrollerSM status. If you haven’t logged in during the last 90 days, your account will be locked, and you won’t be able to submit applications.

With the Annual Enrollment Period getting closer by the day, if you haven’t already started to prepare, now is the time. Set yourself up for a successful AEP by following our 5-step checklist. 

As AEP approaches, keep these simple but essential tips in mind to help make the process successful! When you partner with an FMO like CareValue, we can help you navigate AEP and plans, contracts, regulations and much more. 

Lett Cigna help you prepare for AEP with product launches in new states and operational updates to help you stay informed and do better business.

When your client chooses a preferred cost-sharing pharmacy on their plan, like Humana Pharmacy, they get the low-cost generics and 90-day supplies for certain drugs sent right to their door.

This is a great time to build your business by offering Empire Medicare Supplement plans. With thousands of people turning 65 every day, don't miss this opportunity to sell more and earn more!

Oak Street Health provides outstanding value-based primary care to patients on Medicare. The individualized approach aims to keep patients healthy, happy and out of the hospital by providing various services.

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in Pennsylvania. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Aetna’s Medicare Marketing Studio is an essential tool to access preapproved customizable CMS-approved marketing pieces to generate leads and help drive sales in growing you Medicare business.

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in New York. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in New Jersey. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in West Virginia. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in Virginia. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in certain California counties. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in all Louisiana counties. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in all Alabama counties. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in Mississippi. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Receive $20* for each new VSP® Individual Vision Plan enrollment from September 1st thru December 31st, 2021. 

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in Connecticut. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Meet WellCare's new Field Agency Manager in Louisiana! Jason Arbour is ready to help you with anything you need to grow your business.

Aetna has announced that you will be able to pre-order 2022 MA/MAPD enrollment kits starting August 27. View post for details.

In 2022, Excellus BCBS is offering a new $0 Medicare BlueActive® (PPO) plan in Central New York that includes a Part B refund of $40/month for members. View post for details!

Starting Aug. 20, 2021, Medico will be rolling out new email notifications to you whenever your clients have a policy in danger of lapsing.

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in Connecticut. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Don't miss your chance to learn about 2022 plan updates for the upcoming AEP season. You'll hear about selling opportunities in your area and get valuable information tailored specifically to your market.

Order UHC Sales Materials NOW! Order by August 29th. This will guarantee that you have materials in your hands by October 1st!

Beginning August 30th, all 2022 sales materials will be available for order through the CustomPoint materials portal for all health plans and markets.

It's here! Cigna's Medicare supplement product, insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), is available for sale in Montana and North Dakota!

Don't wait! Get certified before this Friday, August 27, 2021 and be entered to win a $50 gas card. There will be two lucky winners drawn on Monday, August 30, 2021 from those that have completed their 2022 ACT (Annual Certification Training) and are ready to sell.

EXTENDED: The Sell More/Earn More Medicare Supplement Bonus will be available for Connecticut Plan G & N Enrollments for 9/1, 10/1, 11/1, 12/1/21 and 1/1/22 Effective Dates. Click the post to view this incentive from Anthem in CT.

Inc. Magazine revealed that Care Value, Inc. (CareValue) is No. 2120 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. See post for details!

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in certain NY counties. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in all Oregon counties. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in all California counties. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Please be advised that a state of emergency was declared, impacting individuals in all Alabama counties. This declaration allows for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Aetna has announced that you will be able to pre-order 2022 MA/MAPD enrollment kits starting August 27. View post for details.

Certify by Sept. 1 to be eligible for reimbursement - There are fewer than 60 days left between now and the beginning of AEP. Don’t forget to get certified to sell Cigna Medicare Advantage. They'll even cover your certification costs!*