SEP’s for CA, CO, KY, NY, OR & TX

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SEP information provided by CIGNA – 3/7/2023

This is an important announcement for agents with customers in California, Colorado, Kentucky, New York, Oregon, and Texas and for those with business in those states. The counties below are under a state designated SEP due to an emergency.

CALIFORNIA

Declaration information New

State declaration: Severe Winter Storms

SEP Incident Date: 03/01/2023 – Ongoing

This SEP declaration is effective: 03/01/2023 – Ongoing

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Amador, Kern, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Sonoma, and Tulare

Declaration information Updated

FEMA declaration: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

SEP incident dates: 12/27/2022 – 03/01/2023

This SEP declaration is effective: 12/27/2022 – 03/31/2023

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Inyo, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Benito, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tuolumne, Trinity, Tulare, Ventura, and Yolo

COLORADO

Declaration information Updated

FEMA declaration: Fuel Supply Chain Risk

SEP incident dates: 12/31/2022 – 05/31/2023

This SEP declaration is effective: 12/31/2022 – 05/31/2023

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: All counties

KENTUCKY

Declaration information New

State declaration: Severe Winter Weather

SEP incident dates: 03/03/2023 – Ongoing

This SEP declaration is effective: 03/03/2023 – Ongoing

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: All counties

NEW YORK

Declaration information Updated

State declaration: Healthcare Staffing Shortages

SEP incident dates: 09/27/2021 – 04/21/2023

This SEP declaration is effective: 09/27/2021 – 05/31/2023

Impacted counties for SEP

Declaration information Updated

State declaration: Rikers Island Correctional Center Staffing Shortage

SEP incident dates: 09/28/2021 – 04/29/2023

This SEP declaration is effective: 09/28/2021 – 06/30/2023

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Bronx, Kings, New York, Richmond, and Queens

purposes: All counties

OREGON

Declaration information New

State declaration: Severe Winter Weather

SEP incident dates: 02/25/2023 – 04/30/2023

This SEP declaration is effective: 02/25/2023 – 04/02/2023

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Multnomah

TEXAS

Declaration information New

State declaration: Severe Winter Weather

SEP incident dates: 02/04/2023 – Ongoing

This SEP declaration is effective: 02/04/2023 – Ongoing

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Anderson, Bastrop, Blanco, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Delta, Denton, Falls, Hays, Henderson, Hopkins, Hunt, Kendall, Lamar, Lee, Leon, Milam, Red River, Robertson, Shelby, Smith, Travis, and Williamson

IMPORTANT: Please be aware

  • This does not mean that active marketing can occur.
  • The SEP is only for the purpose of providing a SEP to impacted individuals who had a valid election during the incident and were unable to make that election due to the emergency.
  • This does not mean we initiate waiving of authorization or referral requirements.
  • This does not extend waiving of prior authorizations, referrals etc.

SEP for Government Entity-Declared Disaster or Other Emergency

42 CFR 422.62(b)(18)

(Rev. 2, Issued: August 12, 2020; Effective/Implementation: 01-01-2021)

 

An SEP exists for individuals affected by a disaster or other emergency declared by a Federal, state or local government entity who were unable to, and did not make an election during another valid election period. This includes both enrollment and disenrollment elections.

Individuals are eligible for this SEP if they:

  • Reside, or resided at the start of the SEP eligibility period described in this guidance, in an area for which a federal, state or local government entity has declared a disaster or other emergency or they do not reside in an affected area but rely on help making healthcare decisions from one or more individuals who reside in an affected area; and
  • Were eligible for another election period at the time of the SEP eligibility period; and
  • Did not make an election during that other valid election period due to the disaster or other emergency.The SEP starts as of the date the declaration is made, the incident start date or, if different, the start date identified in the declaration, whichever is earlier. The SEP ends two full calendar months following the end date identified in the declaration or, if different, the date the end of the incident is announced, whichever is later.

Tips for completing applications

  • Select “SEP” in the “Select Enrollment Period” field
  • Enter code “DST” in the “SEP Code” field
  • Enter the date the customer was affected by the disaster in the “SEP Date field”
  • In the “Special Enrollment Period” section: Make sure you select the special enrollment period that applies to the customer in addition to selecting the “DST” box that states “I was affected by a weather-related emergency or major disaster (as declared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)). One of the other statements here applied to me, but I was unable to make my enrollment because of the natural disaster.” Both are required to be completed.

For telephonic applications, ensure that the following fields are completed:

  • In the “Special Enrollment Period section: Select the actual enrollment period the customer qualified for that was missed, and
  • Select the check box next to the statement that reads “I was affected by a weather-related emergency or major disaster (as declared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or by federal, my state or my local government).One of the other statements on this page applied to me, but I was unable to make my request because of the disaster.” This creates the DST and the second code Enrollment requires to process the application.

Cigna’s New Icario Agent Portal – Important Tips

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Sourced from Cigna Broker communication from 10/24/22:

Read below for tips to facilitate your transition to the new portal

On October 12, Cigna launched the new and improved Icario Connect Agent Portal. This new agent portal includes features that make it easier for you to facilitate health risk assessments (HRAs) with your customers. 

As part of the transition to the new portal, all existing agents should have received a Welcome Email from Icario inviting them to create new login credentials. We are happy that many agents have been able to transition to the new agent portal smoothly.

 For those of you who have still not activated your new agent portal, we have put together some helpful tips and resources to help you along the way. 

Registration Issues

 Agents who have not registered in the new Icario agent portal will receive daily emails from Icario with their new username and password. If you have not received the email, please check your spam folder or follow the steps below:

 

  1. Email Icario directly at service@Icariohealth.com.
  2. Call our Cigna Agent Resource Line (CARL) at 866-442-7516

 

Password Issues

 If you are experiencing any issues with your new password (e.g., new password is not working), please follow the steps below. 

  1. Reply to the Icario Welcome Email informing Icario that your new password is not working. Icario will reach out directly to assist you.
  2. Email Icario directly at service@Icariohealth.com.
  3. Call our Cigna Agent Resource Line (CARL) at 866-442-7516

 

Other Technical Issues

 If you are still experiencing technical difficulties after following the steps above, please try the following:

  • Clear the cache in your browser.
  • Disable your pop-up blocker.
  • Check your spam folder for emails from Icario.
  • Type in your new username and password to ensure accuracy (do not copy and paste from the Icario Welcome Email).
  • Use capital letters when entering the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) on the Prospective Member screen (e.g., 1AC2-D34-EF56)

 

One more thing… Great News!  The deadline to submit your HRAs has been extended! Agents now have until 12/21/2022 to submit the HRA for any customer applications taken from 10/1/2022 – 12/7/2022.

Quote and Compare Cigna plans in MedicareCENTER

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If you’re newly appointed with CignaHealthspring and working in MedicareCENTER to quote and compare carrier plans and products, this is news for you!

 

Cigna activates your appointment once your first application is submitted.  This means Cigna products will not initially appear in MedicareCENTER if you have not yet written an application. This affects your ability to quote and compare Cigna products.  To launch Cigna in MedicareCENTER in order to quote and compare, access and enable Cigna from the non-licensed plans option.

 

NOTE:  Active, licensed status to quote and ENROLL Cigna products from MedicareCENTER will be available upon submission of your first enrollment, which must be submitted to Cigna either via paper app or from the Cigna portal.

 

Questions about Cigna?  We can help – give us a call at 614-763-2255

Cigna Pharmacy Update: An update on Kroger and its affiliated pharmacies

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Sourced from Cigna Broker Communication from 10/14/22:

Kroger and its affiliated pharmacies recently notified Cigna that they would not participate in Cigna’s Medicare Advantage (MAPD) and Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) network, effective January 1, 2023. Please note, 2022 is not impacted.

We understand that the annual enrollment period (AEP) begins tomorrow and the timing of this announcement is less than ideal. However, we were only recently notified of the contract change with Kroger for 2023 and we felt it was important to share this information with you and your brokers regardless of the pre-AEP timing. We’ve sent communications to brokers licensed within each impacted market that includes the name(s) of the Kroger pharmacy or affiliate impacted by this change. Attached is a complete list of Kroger Pharmacy Affiliates for your reference.

As you can imagine, our AEP materials were prepared well in advance. We are diligently working to update the CMS Plan Finder, sales kits, Cigna’s online provider directory, and other online tools. In fact, updates to the online tools will be made by October 24.

We are doing everything we can to make this transition as smooth as possible for our customers. While we understand the disruption, Cigna Medicare has more than 63,000 network pharmacies available nationwide, which are listed in our online provider directory. Here are a few other large pharmacy chains that continue to be available to our customers:
• Walgreens
• Walmart
• Publix
• Rite Aid
• Winn-Dixie

Mail order is also available, delivering prescriptions right to customers’ mailboxes.

To provide you some insight into our member outreach strategy, beginning November 1, we will notify customers who have used a Kroger pharmacy in the past six months that Kroger and its affiliated pharmacies are terminating. In addition to the letter, we will actively engage customers through proactive, outbound calls to help them find an in-network pharmacy nearby. Our customer service team is also prepared to offer customers convenient alternative pharmacies for them to use

 

VIEW THE Affiliated pharmacies owned and operated by Kroger HERE

Exciting Updates to CignaforBrokers Portal

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Exciting updates coming to CignaforBrokers on September 15! 

Cigna is so excited to share the new and exciting improvements to their Cigna Broker Portal, CignaforBrokers.com, coming soon! 

Cigna has heard your feedback and continue to improve tools to make your selling experience easier! Starting September 15, you’ll see a new landing page and streamlined design across all Cigna lines of business. Here’s what else you can expect when you log in to CignaforBrokers.com starting on September 15:

  • Alerts for incomplete applications which require your attention
  • New easy access via direct links to your membership book of business and application status reports
  • New message panel to share important information that you need to know
  • News alert features under My Messages informing you of your ready-to-sell states, expiring licenses, or missing state appointments

Be on the lookout for even more improvements coming soon to CignaforBrokers including direct access to your MA Commission statements and State Medicaid look-up capabilities.

 

If you have any questions regarding Cigna’s portal, please reach out to your CSM Service Rep.

Reminder: Cigna AOR Protection

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Sourced from Cigna broker communication from 8/22/22: 

At Cigna:

  • We understand that sometimes existing customers need to change plans.
  • We would prefer that they remain with Cigna.
  • We want to reduce the work associated with plan changes and free your time to focus on servicing and growing your book of business.
  • We want you to trust that we will protect your interests and that we value you and your current relationship with the customers you’ve enrolled.

 

Our commitment to you

 When an internal Cigna agent completes a plan change for one of your existing Medicare Advantage customers, you will remain the Agent of Record (AOR) and continue to receive renewal commissions on plan changes.

 

How will we do this?

 

Cigna has established a Dedicated Plan Change unit that exists solely to help existing customers transition from one plan to another. This unit is staffed by licensed service representatives, not Sales Agents.

 

  • When an existing customer makes a plan change by calling our Dedicated Plan Change line directly, your AOR status will remain unchanged.
  • When an existing customer calls customer service inquiring about a plan change, the customer service representative will transfer the customer to our Dedicated Plan Change line, and your AOR status will remain unchanged.
  • When an existing customer initiates a plan change through one of Cigna’s internal field sales or telesales agents our team member will either refer the customer to our Dedicated Plan Change line or complete the plan change themselves. In either case, your AOR status will remain unchanged.

The plan change process

 

As an agent, you still have the option to fill out a new application to submit for current customers. However, we want you to know that you can feel confident in referring your current Cigna customers interested in changing to a different Cigna plan to our Plan Change Queue.

 

Your current Cigna customers can call 1-855-649-5105 to connect

to the dedicated Plan Change Queue.

 

The Agent of Record policy applies to:

 

  • Active, licensed, appointed and 2023 certified agents at the time of the customer’s plan change.

 

The Agency of Record policy does not apply when:

 

  • The original agent is no longer eligible or terminated.
  • Another active, licensed, appointed and 2023 certified, external agent (not employed by Cigna) facilitates the plan change.
  • The plan change is facilitated through an external Cigna appointed call center agent/agency.

 

Cigna News: New AMPLIFY Agent Dashboard To Track HRA Submissions

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Sourced from Cigna Broker Communication from 12/20/21:

As we continue to upgrade your experience when facilitating health risk assessments (HRAs) with your customers, today we’re making it easier to keep track of your submission history with our new dashboard.

When you log in to your Amplify account, you will see a dashboard. Select the phone book icon in the left navigation panel to add a new enrollee or view your HRA submission history. You can search and filter the list or export it into an Excel spreadsheet.

A one-page guide* is available on Producers’ University under Sale>Sales Aids. Scroll to the bottom and click on Value Based Enrollment-Amplify Agent Dashboard.

Still haven’t completed training to facilitate HRAs with your customers? Simply log in to Producers University and click My Learning to complete the training and to begin earning $75 for each HRA.

 

Questions? Reach out to your Cornerstone Senior Marketing representative 

Cigna’s HRA Update: Brokers Must Attend Training to be Eligible for HRA Payments

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Sourced from Cigna’s Broker Email Communication on 10/25/21:

Cigna Medicare Advantage will pay external agents $75 for each completed HRA they submit, starting with Jan. 1, 2022 effective dates. To be eligible, brokers must complete HRA training available on Producers’ University.

As announced a few weeks ago, external brokers will be able to earn $75 for each online health risk assessment (HRA) they complete for our Cigna Medicare Advantage (MA) customers with effective dates on or after January 1, 2022.*

To be eligible, brokers must be licensed, appointed, and certified to sell Cigna MA plans and complete the HRA training. As of today, less than 10 percent of brokers have taken the training. Cigna encourages all their agents to complete the training soon so they can receive payment for completing the HRAs.

The HRA survey tool is expected to be available in mid-November.

Broker Communication Timeline
We are still working through some of the operational aspects of this new initiative and will provide more details about the payment process and online HRA survey tool over the next few weeks. Here is the anticipated communication schedule:

10/26 Reminder to complete training

11/02 Payment details will be shared (i.e., timing, process)

11/09 Instructions for accessing the HRA survey tool, including the date it is available and that the link will be sent from the vendor

 

Questions? Contact your Cornerstone Senior Marketing Representative. 

Cigna’s Agent of Record Reminder

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Cigna Broker Communication from 10/15/21: 

 

We appreciate that you choose to be part of Team Cigna! There’s no question it takes a significant amount of work to build your business, and that’s something you should be proud of. In advance of AEP, we want to let you know that we are committed to protecting your Agent of Record status as well as the commissions you’ve earned for the customers you’ve enrolled.

 

At Cigna:

  • We understand that sometimes existing customers need to change plans.
  • We would prefer that they remain with Cigna.
  • We want to reduce the work associated with plan changes and free your time to focus on servicing and growing your book of business.

We want you to trust that we will protect your interests and that we value you and your current relationship with the customers you’ve enrolled.

 

Our commitment to you

When an internal Cigna agent completes a plan change for one of your existing Medicare Advantage customers, you will remain the Agent of Record (AOR) and continue to receive renewal commissions on plan changes.

How will we do this?

Cigna has established a Dedicated Plan Change unit within the CARL team that exists solely to help existing customers transition from one plan to another. This unit is staffed by licensed service representatives, not Sales Agents.

• When an existing customer makes a plan change by calling our Dedicated Plan Change line directly, your AOR status will remain unchanged.
• When an existing customer calls customer service inquiring about a plan change, the customer service representative will transfer the customer to our Dedicated Plan Change line and your AOR status will remain unchanged.
• When an existing customer initiates a plan change through one of Cigna’s internal field sales or telesales agents our team member will either refer the customer to our Dedicated Plan Change line or complete the plan change themselves. In either case, your AOR status will remain unchanged.

The Agent of Record policy applies to:

• Active, licensed, appointed and 2022 certified agents at the time of the customer’s plan change

The Agency of Record policy does not apply when:

• The original agent is no longer eligible or terminated
• Another active, licensed, appointed and 2022 certified, external agent (not employed by Cigna) facilitates the plan change
• The plan change is facilitated through an external Cigna appointed call center agent/agency

The plan change process

As an agent, you still have the option to fill out a new application to submit for current customers.

 Customers can call 1-855-649-5105 to connect to the dedicated Plan Change Queue.

 

 

 

 

 

Important Update: Cigna 2022 Kit Delays

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From Cigna broker announcement from 9/29:

Sales kits are delayed, but we have options!

The Annual Enrollment Period is one of the most critical times for our partnership as we strengthen and grow our businesses together.

 

At this time, it is important to notify you, that we are experiencing uncontrollable supply chain delays in the shipping of our 2022 Sales Kits. At this time, we cannot commit to delivery of the 2022 Sales Kits before October 1.

 

We have explored all viable options to continue to support the best AEP launch, despite this unforeseen challenge. While we work on getting the sales kits out to you as soon as possible, please be aware:

Virtual Tools are available

Our online enrollment tools, such as Connecture DRX, are available. A paper kit is not necessary to use this tool. You and your prospects can also access plan details at Cigna.com starting October 1.

 

Sales Kits are loaded onto the Resource Center in Cigna’s Producers’ University

At this time, you can log into Producers’ University and download the 2022 Sales Kit(s) that support the territories that you cover. Downloading the 2022 Sales Kits now, will ensure that you have access to your required materials, if you are without an internet connection when meeting with your customers.

  • We suggest that you print a few copies to have on hand.
  • Don’t forget to print enrollment forms, which can be found in the sales kits. This will allow you to still provide paper applications for your prospects and customers to complete enrollments until your kits arrive.

Your Broker Manager may have printed copies

Your Cigna Medicare Broker Manager may have some copies for you. They’ve been sending orders to local printers so that they can get you some copies to tide you over until your order arrives. Not familiar with your Broker Manager? Click here to access a reference guide.

 

A note about your Sales Kits

Regretfully, there is an error on page 27 of the printed Sales Kit for Maricopa County. Your kit will include stickers that should be used to cover the error. Your broker manager will also have these stickers available. Our online version does not have this error; it is correct in its current version.

We understand the additional burden this places on you, and apologize for the inconvenience this unforeseen challenge may have caused. We will continue to push our vendors and delivery partners to make the kits available as soon as possible for you. It is our priority and commitment to continue to do everything we can to support a successful AEP for you.

 

For any questions or concerns, reach out to your Cornerstone Senior Marketing Sales or Service Rep