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Anthem Updates: New Producer Toolbox Dashboards, Live Chat, and More

August 7, 2020/in Anthem, Carrier, Employee Benefits /by Cornerstone

Live Chat and New Producer Toolbox Dashboards

Anthem’s new Producer Toolbox dashboards give you a window to your business and quick, easy access to the tools and information you use most often:

  • Frequent Tasks: Use a button to Start a New Quote, Start an Application, or View All Clients.
  • Recent Activity: Check the status of your recent quotes and applications, and upcoming renewals.
  • Commissions: View your last 3 months of commissions and access a full report.
  • Billing Summary: See the status of your clients’ invoices.
  • Last Viewed Clients: Return to clients you’ve recently viewed.
  • Popular Documents: Access all resources and forms quickly and generate reports here.
    Coming soon: Pin your favorite documents and reports.
New Producer Assistant live chat
Producer Assistant now connects you to a live representative from Broker Services or User Software Support to give you the answers you need right away, including assistance with billing inquiries.

Click here to learn more.

Anthem Joins XPRIZE to Foster COVID Testing Innovation

The Anthem Foundation and Anthem, Inc., are Founding Anchor Partners of the $5 million XPRIZE Rapid COVID Testing competition.

XPRIZE, OpenCovidScreen, and a coalition of partners are calling on the global community to develop frequent, affordable, and easy-to-use screening tests with fast results to catch COVID-19 occurrences before they become outbreaks. Affordable testing and rapid results are designed to enhance access to testing and support better, data-driven contact tracing and isolating strategies.

Click here to learn more.

New EmployerAccess Mobile App Now Available

Anthem’s new EmployerAccess mobile app has added features to make managing group plans easier. If you’re designated as the group administrator for your clients, you will be able to manage your groups from anywhere. You can make payments, find member benefit information, and view/share ID cards. The virtual Employer Assistant will help you navigate the app and find the information you need, including the latest Anthem news and notifications.

Click here to learn more.

https://www.crnstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Anthem-Updates-August-2020.jpg 480 640 Cornerstone /wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Cornerstone_Logo.png Cornerstone2020-08-07 14:31:442020-08-07 14:31:45Anthem Updates: New Producer Toolbox Dashboards, Live Chat, and More

Anthem Will Issue MLR Rebates in August

August 5, 2020/in Anthem, Carrier, Employee Benefits, Individual, Legislation /by Cornerstone

In an effort to ease the financial burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, Anthem will fast-track the annual medical loss ratio (MLR) rebates that groups and individual members typically receive in late September to August.

The medical loss ratio provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) encourages health plans to spend most of the premium dollars they collect on health care costs rather than overhead. It’s a ratio of insurance claims costs to insurance premiums, and is expressed as a percentage.

In the fully insured small group and individual markets, the MLR provision requires plans to spend at least 80 percent of premium income on health care claims and quality improvement. In the fully insured large group market, it requires at least 85 percent. In markets where Anthem doesn’t meet the minimum ratio, they are required to issue rebates to employer groups and individual members. ASO plans and stop-loss insurance are excluded from the rebates.

Anthem groups and individuals in 8 states will receive rebates this year.

Anthem will send rebate checks to employer groups and individual members along with a federally mandated notice that explains MLR and how it is calculated. They are also mandated to notify employees of the groups that receive rebate checks.

ACA rules require that employers either distribute the rebate among their employees covered by the rebated plan or use it to lower premiums in the next plan year. Rebate distributions must be made within three months of the policyholder’s receipt of the rebate. Group plans that are subject to Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) laws may also use the rebate funds to pay current plan premiums.

View this FAQ for more details on the rebates.

Contact your Cornerstone representative with any questions.

https://www.crnstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Anthem-MLR-Rebates.jpg 480 640 Cornerstone /wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Cornerstone_Logo.png Cornerstone2020-08-05 13:51:132020-08-05 13:51:14Anthem Will Issue MLR Rebates in August

Sell More and Earn More with the Anthem New Business Bonus

July 7, 2020/in Anthem, Carrier, Employee Benefits /by Cornerstone

Sell more, earn more!

New Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance Benefit Plan and ACA groups sold with effective dates between August 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020, are eligible. Earn even more if you sell a line of specialty along with the medical.

SOCA Benefit Plan/ACA New Business Bonus

Tier

Contracts Sold

Payout Rate Per Contract

1

Under 50

$25

2

50–124

$100

3

125–199

$125

4

200–399

$150

5

400+

$175

Sell a line of Specialty along with the medical and earn even more!

10 percent multiplier if 25 percent of new groups include a line of specialty

20 percent multiplier if 40 percent of new groups include a line of specialty

Here are the program details:

  • Group needs to still be active with Anthem as of February 1, 2021
  • Agent of record changes do not qualify for the bonus payout Existing Anthem clients that transfer to the SOCA Benefit Plan or an ACA plan are not eligible for the bonus program
  • New contracts on existing groups are not eligible for the bonus program
  • Payout will be a one-time payment targeted for March/April 2021
  • Bonuses will be paid based on current Anthem commission and licensing contracts
  • Incentive payments will be disclosed and reported where required by applicable law
  • Anthem reserves the right to adjust future bonus amounts if groups are termed retroactively after the period’s bonus program calculations and payments have been made
  • Bonus payments are based on enrolled contracts as of the original effective month.
https://www.crnstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Anthem-New-Business-Bonus.jpg 480 640 Cornerstone /wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Cornerstone_Logo.png Cornerstone2020-07-07 19:57:412020-07-09 14:08:19Sell More and Earn More with the Anthem New Business Bonus

Anthem SOCA BP 2019 Summary Annual Reports are Available

June 23, 2020/in Anthem, Carrier, Employee Benefits, FormFire /by Cornerstone

The 2019 Summary Annual Reports (SARs) for participating employers in the Anthem SOCA BP are available for download in the group’s Manage Documents folder.

The Summary Annual Report is a summary of the group’s plan information for the plan year for employers enrolled in the Anthem SOCA BP between May 1, 2018, and April 30, 2019. If a group was not enrolled in the plan during this time, they will not receive a report. Additionally, churches and government entities enrolled in the Anthem SOCA BP will also not receive a report, as they are not subject to ERISA and exempt from SARs reporting.

To access the SARs report, the group’s 8-digit Anthem group number is required. For example, the 8-digit group number should be entered as: 00123456 when prompted.

The SARs reports are for informational purposes only, there is no action required by the broker or group.

Contact your Cornerstone representative with any questions.

https://www.crnstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Anthem-SOCA-Annual-Report-1.jpg 480 640 Cornerstone /wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Cornerstone_Logo.png Cornerstone2020-06-23 21:03:482020-06-23 21:03:49Anthem SOCA BP 2019 Summary Annual Reports are Available

Anthem MEWA Groups Will Receive Premium-Equivalent Credits

June 23, 2020/in Anthem, Carrier, Employee Benefits /by Cornerstone

As a response to the challenges presented by COVID-19, Anthem will provide premium-equivalent credits the MEWA benefit plan sponsor groups based on April 2020 medical invoices. If groups also have dental Fully Insured coverage with Anthem, they will receive a premium credit on that as well.

The groups will either see the credit on their August 2020 invoice (issued in July 2020) or receive a check for:

  • 10% of the April premium-equivalent for medical plans
  • 50% of the April premium bill for dental plans (if applicable)

Anthem is working to avoid negative impact to broker commissions.

MEWA sponsors issuing the credits include:

  • Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA) Benefit Plan
  • Missouri Chamber Benefit Plan
  • Georgia Chamber SMART Plans and Georgia FARM Plans
  • ChamberAdvantage (Kentucky)
  • ChamberCare Health Alliance (Indiana)
https://www.crnstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Anthem-MEWA-Premium-Credits.jpg 480 640 Cornerstone /wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Cornerstone_Logo.png Cornerstone2020-06-23 20:54:342020-06-23 20:54:35Anthem MEWA Groups Will Receive Premium-Equivalent Credits

WEBINAR: Learn About Anthem’s SmartShopper Cost of Care Tool

June 5, 2020/in Anthem, Carrier, Employee Benefits /by Cornerstone

Anthem is expanding its offering of SmartShopper to all Ohio fully insured groups and will be offering to ASO clients starting July 1, 2020.

SmartShopper is a cost of care tool your clients can share with their employees to support their health and economic security. SmartShopper empowers members to save money and earn a reward by giving them full transparency into alternative, high-value, low-cost facilities for a number of established services.

You may have received an email related to SmartShopper webinars in May, which we unfortunately had to reschedule. The good news is that we have two upcoming webinars to review how SmartShopper works and how you can promote and sell the product. We will list the care services included, the member incentives and explain where and how members can self-serve.

Register for one of the two webinars below to learn more on how to leverage this great product.

Tuesday, June, 16th 10:00-11:00am ET

Thursday, June, 18th 12:00-1:00pm ET

Upon registering, you will receive an email with information about logging in to the webinar online or listening by phone.

Contact your Cornerstone representative with any questions.

https://www.crnstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Anthem-SmartShopper-Cost-of-Care-Tool.jpg 480 640 Cornerstone /wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Cornerstone_Logo.png Cornerstone2020-06-05 14:38:232020-06-10 13:40:32WEBINAR: Learn About Anthem’s SmartShopper Cost of Care Tool

SOCA Benefit Plan and MEWA.io Walkthrough Video

June 4, 2020/in Anthem, Carrier, Employee Benefits /by Cornerstone

You may have recently received a series of messages from MEWA.io, a digital MEWA management system, highlighting Anthem’s SOCA BP Medicare and Cobra administration. MEWA.io will help to simplify the administration processes and maintain compliance to ERISA.

This system will manage the Medicare Small Employer Exception process with CMS for groups under 20 with members turning 65 years old. It will also streamline confirming required information with the employer on a recently termed employee prior to sending a COBRA or state continuation notice. These were both functions that were previously happening behind the scenes.

With MEWA.io, groups are getting a new, more efficient experience! Below is a link to a quick video from Anthem, which gives you an inside look into the new system. Cornerstone has highlighted some of the new features below.

MEWA.io will be launching June 8, 2020, for Anthem SOCA BP groups.

MEWA.io is designed to simplify administration, maintain compliance with ERISA, and keep plan costs down—all at no cost to the group.

Coordination of Coverage

  • When a plan participant terms coverage, an email is generated to the employer to verify the information on file, which can be verified with single click.
  • If changes need to be made, they can click on a link and make the changes right there if needed. In the case of multiple term records for a month, they can do this all at once. Once complete, MEWA.io will send continuation information to plan participant.

Medicare Eligible Employees

  • By default, Medicare is secondary.
  • If your group is fewer than 20, your group can use the exception request.
  • io will notify employers via email when a member becomes eligible.
  • Employers complete the forms and sign digitally. Plan administrators will confirm, countersign, and submit to CMS.

Document Center

  • Anytime an employer signs a form using MEWA.io, and the document will be stored in document center.
  • Other documents to be stored will include the MEWA agreement, MEWA information, SPD, etc.

Click here to access the walk through: https://mewa.io/soca/employer-walkthrough-email/#video

Contact your Cornerstone representative with any questions.

https://www.crnstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/SOCA-Benefit-Plan-and-MEWA-io.jpg 480 640 Cornerstone /wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Cornerstone_Logo.png Cornerstone2020-06-04 19:47:582020-06-04 19:48:34SOCA Benefit Plan and MEWA.io Walkthrough Video

SOCA MEWA Product Dues Were Incorrectly Credited to June Invoices

May 21, 2020/in Anthem, Carrier, Employee Benefits /by Cornerstone

SOCA MEWA product dues were incorrectly credited to June invoices. Please be advised that Anthem is working to correct and adjustments will be made. You may recall that clients are receiving two invoices now, one for the SOCA product dues ($2.50 PEPM) and a separate bill for their Anthem premiums. Previously, the SOCA product dues were billed in April for the entire year.

Contact you Cornerstone representative with any questions.

https://www.crnstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SOCA-MEWA-Product-Dues.jpg 480 640 Cornerstone /wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Cornerstone_Logo.png Cornerstone2020-05-21 13:48:032020-05-21 13:48:04SOCA MEWA Product Dues Were Incorrectly Credited to June Invoices

Don’t Forget Open Enrollment for the Anthem Chamber Advantage is Open!

May 15, 2020/in Anthem, Carrier, Employee Benefits /by Cornerstone

We appreciate your continued business through Cornerstone and wanted to remind you that any group that has been written into the Anthem Chamber Advantage product is currently experiencing an open enrollment. The open enrollment’s last day to enroll is June 30, 2020. The effective date for any enrollment during this time will be June 1, 2020. Keep in mind, that the renewal date has not changed for any groups, as they will still be renewing in June 2021.

If you have any questions please contact your Cornerstone Broker Advisor.  

https://www.crnstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Anthem-Chamber-Advantage.jpg 480 640 Cornerstone /wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Cornerstone_Logo.png Cornerstone2020-05-15 20:31:242020-05-15 20:31:25Don’t Forget Open Enrollment for the Anthem Chamber Advantage is Open!

SOCA Product Dues Invoicing Change

April 17, 2020/in Anthem, Carrier /by Cornerstone

The Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA) Participating Employers are required to execute a Participating Business Acknowledgement agreement, which requires the payment of product dues to SOCA. Effective May 1, 2020, and beginning with all Participating Employers that have active enrollment in May 2020, product dues will be invoiced to each Participating Employer monthly at a per employee per month rate of $2.50 for each employee listed on the product dues invoice.

No retroactive enrollment adjustments will apply for product dues invoicing. Anthem will bill these product dues monthly on behalf of SOCA. The product dues will be invoiced separately from the Participating Employer’s monthly premium equivalent rate invoice and will be debited from the same bank account previously authorized by each Participating Employer via their EFT/ACH Authorization Form executed at the time of original enrollment in the Plan.

Click here to view the communications from SOCA.

Contact your Cornerstone broker advisor with any questions.

https://www.crnstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SOCA-Participating-Employer-Product-Dues.jpg 480 640 Cornerstone /wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Cornerstone_Logo.png Cornerstone2020-04-17 14:51:272020-04-17 14:51:28SOCA Product Dues Invoicing Change
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