Centene & WellCare: One Agent Experience Coming Soon!

A message from WellCare & Centene:

A lot has happened since we announced the combination of Centene and WellCare! Since then, we have been focused on providing a combined One Agent Experience that exceeds expectations. Our dedication to being a premier healthcare enterprise focused on government-sponsored healthcare programs and a leader in Medicaid, Medicare, and the Health Insurance Marketplace has not been forgotten. In the coming weeks, watch your inbox for exciting information on the following topics:

  • Combined Contracting
  • Combined Annual Certification Training
  • New and Improved Training Platform
  • Enhanced Materials Ordering
  • Combined Electronic Enrollment Platform (Ascend)
  • Additional Resources and Tools
  • Greater Commissions Opportunities

There are many exciting things going on, and we can’t wait to share more information. As always, thank you for all that you do to transform the health of our communities and your dedication to underserved and vulnerable populations. You are making a difference and you are relied upon more than you may realize.

 

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Cornerstone Senior Marketing rep

WellCare New Broker Blackout Period

Wellcare Announcement from 6/11/20:

Bringing together two organizations is truly a monumental task that must be done carefully and thoughtfully. There are many moving parts, and we want to ensure that no unnecessary duplication of work or effort is put on our partners.

In order to provide one, integrated onboarding and contracting experience for new brokers, we must implement a new broker onboarding blackout period.

Timing:

  • June 12, 2020: Last day to send onboarding invites, until after the new broker onboarding blackout.
  • June 13, 2020: Blackout period begins.
  • July: Blackout period is anticipated to end in mid-July.
  • Another communication will be sent when the blackout period has ended.

Details and Next Steps:

  • Input any new broker onboarding invites, that have not already been sent, before the end of the day June 12, 2020.
  • During the blackout period, no new broker onboarding invites can be sent through Workflow.
  • During the blackout period, collect new broker information and save it on the Bulk Onboarding Template, to be used after the blackout period has ended.
  • The Bulk Onboarding Template can be accessed in Agent Connect.
  • Once the blackout period is over, upload the Bulk Onboarding Template to Workflow to initiate the contracting and certification process.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and continue to work diligently to make this integration as seamless as possible. While there is a lot going on, we are confident that the results will be worth the wait. As always, we appreciate your partnership.

WellCare Extended SEP: COVID-19

WellCare Confirmed Special Enrollment Period: COVID-19

WellCare Agent Advisory 5/6/20

Confirmed Special Enrollment Period: COVID-19

As promised, we continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and are working hard to keep you informed. At this time, CMS has reversed previous guidance and made the decision to allow for a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for those affected by COVID-19, in the event they were unable to make an election during another qualifying election period. Please reference the following guidelines for the incident period. This SEP applies to all 50 states, tribes, territories, and the District of Columbia.

Read Full Release

Wellcare COVID-19 Updates and Talking Points

Source:  WellCare Agent Advisory March 20, 2020 5:39 pm

COVID-19 Updates and Talking Points

In this time of uncertainty, staying informed is essential. Therefore, we will regularly communicate updates and talking points. Rest assured, we are still closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and are engaging regularly with medical professionals, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other government agencies, as the situation evolves.

Helping Members Feel Supported

With so many things changing, it is important that our members know they are supported. We are here to help members manager their conditions and stay healthy.

Medication

  • Members can fill prescriptions early, if needed.
  • Many pharmacies are offering free local delivery. If a member’s pharmacy isn’t offering free local delivery, they should consider CVS mail order or another local pharmacy (of the members’ choice).
  • Convert medications to 90-day supply home delivery.
  • This process can take time, will generally require providers to be involved, and requires time for mail delivery.
  • There are two ways to set up 90-day supply home delivery: visit the CVS website www.Caremark.com or call 1-866-808-7471 TTY: 711

Food & Basic Essentials

When in need, we are here to help and connect members to our Community Connections Help Line, who help members find local resources. The Community Connections Line is 1-866-775-2192, TTY: 1-855-628-7552. Please understand, this service is experiencing higher than usual call volumes and higher demand on all supplies. We will continue to work with our members to meet their needs as best as possible.

When to Call a Doctor

If your member thinks he/she has been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, advise them to call their healthcare provider for medical advice.

Key Reminders:

Telephonic MAPD Marketing Presentation

Due to the current state of COVID-19 as of 3/16/2019, WellCare will allow agents to conduct telephonic MAPD sales appointments with beneficiaries!

Remember, when conducting telephonic MAPD marketing presentations to Medicare prospects seeking only MAPD information; all current CMS Medicare Marketing Guidelines, WellCare policies, etc. must be followed.

MAPD Telephonic Marketing Presentation Dos and Don’ts

After all CMS requirements are met including consent-to-contact and SOA, an agent may proceed with a telephonic MAPD marketing presentation and assist with a formulary/physician searches.

If the prospect agrees to enroll, the agent MAY:

  • Provide PURL information to the prospect; or
  • Send paper application (and all required documents) to be completed by the prospect

If the prospect agrees to enroll, the agent MAY NOT conduct telephonic enrollments on behalf of the prospect

Protecting our members, employees, and partners conducting home visits

  • Centene is taking steps to cover COVID-19 testing and screening services for Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace members and is waiving all associated member cost share amounts for COVID-19 testing and screening.
  • We will not require prior authorization, prior certification, prior notification, or step therapy protocols for COVID-19 testing and screening.
  • Enhanced protocols have also been created to ensure our pharmaceutical services continue to be available for members through supply chain management.
  • To lower the risk of transmission of illness we suggest taking precautions, such as reaching out by telephone prior to home visits to ensure that those being visited are not experiencing any symptoms related to COVID-19. As always, please ensure to adhere to all CMS guidelines.

Hours of Operation:

Presently, all call centers will be operating business as usual. As our country continues to prepare and execute safety measures, we will continue to evaluate business processes that will ensure the safety of all partners.

We encourage you to reference the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website as well as local government guidance for current updates.

Further, ensure to use the following precautionary measures to support a safe and healthy environment:

  • Thorough hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds — hand hygiene is the most effective method to control the spread of many viral illnesses.
  • Using alcohol-based (containing at least 60 percent) hand sanitizer.
  • Covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze by coughing and sneezing into a tissue and then disposing of the tissue in a wastebasket.
  • Thoroughly cleaning surfaces that may be contaminated.
  • Avoiding shaking hands and close contact with people who are sick.

We appreciate your cooperation and support in serving our members and communities in this time of need and uncertainty. As the situation evolves, please know that additional measures will be taken with a local-oriented approach, and we will continue to ensure our employees and partners are supported and safe.

As always, thank you for all that you do to transform the health of our communities and your dedication to our underserved and vulnerable populations. You are making a difference and you are relied upon more than you may realize.

2020 WellCare Updates for Aetna Legacy Book of Business

Sales Commission and Book of Business Updates for Aetna Legacy Membership:

  • WellCare was not responsible for paying out all renewals and commissions through the end of 2019.
  • WellCare has received the complete legacy membership file, including which agents/agencies are associated with each member, and will begin paying sales compensation for all legacy members who are still active and have not changed their plan.
  • Commissions for this membership will be paid out on January 31st, 2020. Due to your current commission assignment, you will not receive payment or a statement directly. If you have any questions regarding these legacy payments, please reach out to your commission assignee.
  • These legacy members will not be visible in the book of business within the Agent Connect portal. However, this information will be listed on your commission assignee’s commission statement. Please reach out to your assignee with membership related questions.
  • We recognize this is an inconvenience. We are working to correct our system limitations to provide this information in the future.

Premium Withholding Options:

Legacy members who utilized premium withholding option (PWO), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) have been signed-up for direct pay with WellCare and were mailed coupon books in December. If these members would like to sign up for EFT, please advise them of the following:

  • The fastest, most effective method for EFT sign-up is via the EFT election option on the member portal.
  • Alternatively, a copy of the EFT form can be returned to WellCare by mail
  • The form can be downloaded by clicking here WellCare EFT Form.

Members can call Customer Service (833) 207-4241 for assistance with:

  • Requesting a copy of the EFT form to be mailed to the member that must be returned to WellCare by mail
  • Assistance in utilizing the online member portal to complete their EFT election

Legacy members whose premiums were deducted from their Social Security (SSA) or Railroad Retirement (RRB) checks, will continue to be deducted for WellCare plans. There is no action needed by these members.

Thank you for your continued partnership!

Centene & WellCare Combination Completed – Message from Centene

Centene’s full message regarding the Centene & WellCare combination:

We are pleased to announce that the combination of Centene Corporation and WellCare Health Plans is complete. The combining of Centene and WellCare has successfully created a premier healthcare enterprise focused on government-sponsored healthcare programs. No one company has brought a private sector focused approach to all facets of government healthcare – Medicaid, Medicare, the Health Insurance Marketplace and military services until today.

What does this mean for our Brokers?

  • Stronger infrastructure leads to stronger tools and resources that Allwell will be able to provide to our brokers, agencies and field staff through this merger.
  • Centene will continue to honor the relationships established independently by each of our two companies. No disruption to existing partnerships will take place at this time.
  • There will be no changes to any existing broker or agency contracts or hierarchies during 2020 as a result of the combination.
  • Our brokers and the role they play in our distribution structure will still remain our top priority for both organizations.

What does this mean for your clients?

This transaction has many benefits for your clients, our members.

  • Immediately following the close, there are no changes to the Medicare member experience within WellCare or Centene.
  • Centene and WellCare will build on both companies’ strong commitments to the communities in which our members live and work by offering competitive and comprehensive healthcare plans.
  • The combined company will enhance its efforts to address the social determinants of health such as food insecurity, housing instability, homelessness, unemployment, lack of access to transportation and other non-medical barriers to health.

What’s the big picture?

This combination further reinforces our commitment to being the preeminent leader in the Medicare space. We value our partners, and look forward to continuing to provide healthcare solutions that meet the unique needs of the communities in each state. Most importantly, we are committed to our partnership and working together to continue providing access to the high-quality cost-effective healthcare solutions we have always provided.

 

For further information please read our Corporate Press Release or go to our website at https://centene-wellcare.com/.

Thank you for you partnership and continued support.

 

Allwell Medicare Advantage

WellCare Update: EFT Set-Up Causing RFIs and Possible Disenrollment

WellCare has provided important tips to ensure the beneficiary’s EFT is set up properly, plus additional Request for Information (RFI) status definition and resolution information.

WellCare Newsletter

November 13, 2019 WellCare Training Assignment Notification is not Mandatory

WellCare appointed brokers received an email notification today requesting they take a 45-minute updated Agent Connect training called SM 2019 Agent Connect.  The recommended training is available to ensure you understand the changes made to your Agent Connect Portal.  However, WellCare recognizes it is a busy time of year and have stressed in the message, the following:

  • The training is NOT required
  • It has no impact on your selling status with WellCare
  • There will be NO repercussions if it is not completed   

Check your email for the WellCare notification to read additional details regarding the SM2019 Agent Connect training.

Not appointed with WellCare? Contact your Cornerstone Senior Marketing Sales Representative today to get started!

WellCare Agent Resources

WellCare Agent Services:

866-822-1339

WellCare Agent Services can assist your with resetting your system passwords, agent onboarding, 2020 application status, enrollment questions, HRA set up and sales compensation question.

*Note: They do not assist with benefit or provider/formulary lookup.

WellCare Eligibility (SPOP):

866-822-1339 option 2; or

866-211-0544

State Prompts: 1- IL & IN,

3 – OH, 4 – MI

SPOP can assist with Medicaid & Medicare eligibility and is open 7 days a week from 8am to 2am EST. They also have ability to validate MBI’s. At the end of the call, they will provide a confirmation number. Please include this on your application to assist with enrollment processing.
WellCare Request for Information (RFI):

866-822-1339 option 3

Request for Information (RFI) process is designed to assist with correcting inaccurate and/or missing information submitted on enrollment applications; and agents are permitted to resolve on behalf of the beneficiary. Please have the beneficiary information ready prior to calling in by checking your Agent History – Application Search Tool in Agent Connect
MeridianCare Agent Hotline:

866-821-2650 MI/OH

866-821-2540 IL/IN

Agent Hotline can still assist you with CCP benefit questions, 2019 application status and provider/formulary search.

*Note: If you are unable assign a PCP on an application due to WellCare’s provider search, please contact Agent Hotline to assist with locating the provider and documenting PCP/member information to ensure the PCP is assigned to the members account.Also, please include the PCP NPI on the application if the WellCare Provider ID is not available but the PCP is in network.