Extra, Extra! Keep Fit Update and Individual Incentives Reminder

Keep Fit to Count as New Enrollment

Recently, you and your customers were notified that Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Michigan (BCBSM) will sunset all Keep Fit policies as of 12-31-14.  To encourage a successful transition into a qualified health plan (QHP), the Blues would like to offer you the opportunity to enroll your Keep Fit members in a Blue QHP as New to Blue business.  What does that mean?  The individual bonus applies!  You have the chance to make up to $300 per MEMBER for all 2015 enrollments.  If you have questions about your Keep Fit members, please contact a member of the Action Benefits Individual Team at myblue@actionbenefits.com or 248-356-8585.

CMS regulations prevent all carriers from collecting any type of pre-enrollment materials at this time; however, we encourage you to review the Blues 2015 MyBlue Product Comparison and begin discussions with your Keep Fit members to ensure a smooth transition.  

MyBlue Product Comparison
2015 Plan Comparison

New Individual Member Incentives

Below are important details regarding the Blues’ new Individual Member Incentives.  For a complete list of guidelines and additional details, please review the 2015 Agent Commissions and Incentives Guide.

• Agents must register at http://www.bcbsm.com/newsletter/IBU/New_Business.shtml to be eligible for the new member incentives.  Even if you have already registered, we encourage you to confirm your bonus eligibility by attempting to register.

• Agents must submit their 2015 FFM certificates and other required information to the Blues to receive the incentive for on-marketplace enrollments.  If not certified, marketplace members will not be commissionable or counted towards the incentive.

• Agents must enroll active business under their own agent ID numbers. Rollups are not allowed.

• Producing agents must actively facilitate their members’ enrollments to maintain AOR status.

• Incentive programs exclude web-based entities.

• New business incentives will be paid the month after the effective month, following the receipt of the member’s full first month’s premium. Member count is calculated when premium is paid.

Earn Additional Bonus Dollars With CoverageforOne
Save time and make even more money by using your very own customized CoverageForOne website to enroll members.  For each off-marketplace enrollment submitted via CoverageForOne, you will receive a $5.00 bonus payment.  

Some details:

• Agents must enroll business using their CoverageForOne website code to their agent ID number.
• Enrollments include both medical and/or dental policies.
• One $5.00 bonus payment allowed per contract during any six-month period.
• Incentive program excludes web-based entities.

Enrollment bonus payments will be issued following the second month after the contract effective date, once the member has paid their first and second month premiums.

Maintain Your Book of Business
You have worked hard to build your book of business, and the Blues want to ensure that you keep it.  Unlike other carriers who have offered to release you as agent of record (AOR) if they directly enroll YOUR members, the Blues will continue to support you as AOR.  If one of your active member’s contacts the Blues’ activation center, we will verify AOR status.  If the member has an assigned agent, we will share your contact information with the member so that you may continue to actively facilitate their enrollment.

The Blues will encourage this process for the entire 2015 open enrollment period, however, it should be noted that if your member is looking to change their plan with a January 1, 2015 effective date (Keep Fit members included), they must do so by December 15, 2014.  During the week of December 7th only, if an active member contacts the Blues’ activation center to change plans, in an effort to prevent any lapse in coverage, the HPA will facilitate the member’s enrollment, and you will not be retained as AOR.  We recommend that you reach out to all of your members at the beginning of open enrollment, if not sooner, to review their options so that they can make an informed and confident decision prior to December 7th.  All correspondence from BCBSM to your clients lists your contact information, and directs them to contact you for assistance.

In addition, now that the marketplace is consistently sending the agent’s NPN back to the Blues with enrollments, they will no longer be accepting the Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment Confirmation Form.  This change is effective immediately.

AOR Reminders
As a reminder, below are the guidelines to obtain/retain AOR status.
Enrollment Type    If…   Then…

New to Blue Enrollment During Open Enrollment
Agent may obtain AOR by actively enrolling the member on- or off-marketplace.

Outside Open Enrollment
Agent may obtain AOR by actively enrolling the member on- or off-marketplace due to qualifying event.

Member Enrolls On- or Off-Marketplace With or Without Agent Assistance    
Agent may obtain AOR if NPN/5-digit agent ID is captured at time of enrollment.

Existing Blue Member – Change in Member’s Benefits

Agent may obtain AOR by actively enrolling the member into a different plan on- or off-marketplace.

No Change in Member’s Benefits    No AOR update allowed.

Member Takes No Action During Open Enrollment

Agent will remain AOR both on- or off-marketplace as long as member remains active.
Member Changes benefits On- or Off-Marketplace Without Agent Assistance    Agent may obtain AOR if NPN/5-digit agent ID is captured at time of enrollment.
Group to Individual Member    Agent Submits Drop Notification Form     Agent may retain AOR for all members within the group regardless of enrollment channel unless member actively enrolls through another agent.

Agent Does Not Submit Drop Notification Form    Agent may obtain AOR by actively enrolling the on- or off-marketplace.

To actively enroll a member is defined as facilitating the member’s enrollment in its entirety, and ensuring agent NPN and/or 5-digit agent ID code has been captured upon submission.

Note: Existing Blue members originally enrolled directly with the Blues are eligible for an agent to become AOR if the agent actively facilitates a change in the member’s benefits and is coded properly on the new application.