Aetna Medicare Solutions: Keeping you informed about COVID-19

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Keeping you informed about COVID-19

Aetna Medicare Producer News March 16, 2016:  As we continue monitoring the outbreak of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, we remain focused on the health and safety of our members and agents. As an agent, you play an important role in keeping members informed. We encourage you to check our website frequently for updated information about the virus and tips for staying healthy, and to learn about the ways we’re supporting members.

Read the full update here.

 

 

 

 

How is Humana Responding to the Coronavirus?

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COVID-19 Update for External Sales Partners  

As part of our preparation for the impact of coronavirus, we are sharing an overview of our plans and guidance as it relates to our third party relationships, which are a critical piece of our operations and help us provide care to our members every day. If you have any questions, please reach out to your relationship manager at Humana.

Humana Preparedness

As the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to circulate around the world, Humana is being mindful of all we can do to stay safe and healthy and minimize potential disruption to our ability to care for members. Humana is focused on safety and mobility of our associates and the continuity of our operations, especially in areas related to accessing pharmaceutical products and medical supplies. We have enterprise cross-functional teams working together to identify and manage risks, including outreach to our third parties to ensure their plans for this situation complement ours. We’re also coordinating with public health authorities and are ready, with contingency plans in place, should the virus continue to spread.
Humana has trained a specialized group of call center employees to help support members with specific coronavirus questions and concerns, including live assistance with telemedicine. Members can call Humana’s toll-free customer support line, which can be found on the back of their member I.D. card, to be connected to this dedicated team of professionals.

Agent Support Unit

  • Agent Support Unit will begin transitioning all associates to Work at Home over the next several days. There may be service level impacts during this transition.
  • Send any non-urgent requests or questions to agentsupport@humana.com
  • If any urgent needs, please call us at 800-309-3163

 

Telephonic Sales Presentation 
In an effort to protect the most vulnerable population we strongly suggest not meeting face-to-face.  Sales agents may conduct a telephonic sales presentation, with the beneficiary’s permission.

 

Use Humana’s Vantage Agent Portal for Faster Service 

  • Leverage the IVR system to complete a Scope of Appointment (866-945-4471)
  • Electronic Enrollments
    • Enrollment Hub with E-Signature
    • Fast App with E-Signature
  • Digital Marketing Materials
    • Digital Marketing Materials can be used to present plan options after conducting a sales presentation.
    • A beneficiary may complete their own application through Digital Marketing Materials
  • Agent Support
    • Service Inquiries
    • Commission Statements, License and Cert Status
    • My Humana Business Center in Vantage (Enrollment status checks)
  • Humana.com
    • Plan information, drug look up, Find a Doctor

 

Humana 10 Step Appointment Guide

Telephonic Presentation Job Aid

Policy on Telephonic Sales Presentations by Field Sales Agents

 

 

Our Priority
Our highest priorities are to protect associates and preserve our ability to best serve you and promote the health of our members.

CSM Message: We Are Here To Help!

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Valued Partners,

As you know, the coronavirus is having an impact on business and society. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by the situation. We believe this soon will pass, but like you, we’re watching the situation closely — and we want you to know we’re committed to supporting you and your business in every way possible.

We wanted to give you a few updates on what we are doing to prepare in advance of this situation.

First of all, our offices are open and we are working our normal office hours. In the unlikely event that we have to close our office, we want you to rest assured that we have implemented plans that will allow us to continue to support your needs without interruption. We started working on our plans well in advance of this and we have made preparation for employees to work remotely and to continue their day-to-day responsibilities so that you will continue to receive the world-class support and service that you deserve. This includes our contract and licensing support, new business processes, commission payments, policy administration support, carrier relations and sales/marketing support that you need to conduct your business.

Secondly, we are also working closely with our insurance carrier partners to ensure there are no disruptions in their business processes. We’re very encouraged by the careful preparations they’ve made, and their firm commitment to continue meeting the needs of all of their agents.

Finally, we want to thank you for placing your trust in us. We’re grateful for the critical role you play in providing life and health insurance protection to Americans who need it — especially in times like these.

On behalf of all of our team, please know that we are here for you and that we will continue to do everything we can to support you during this time. Please do not hesitate to let us know if there is anything you need!

Best Regards,

John Carroll

Managing Partner

Anthem Ohio: Growing Your Business While Dealing with Coronavirus

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We are all navigating uncharted territories as we face new developments from the Coronavirus every day. The health and safety of Anthem’s members and you, our partner brokers, is of the utmost importance. Given the demographics of our business, these individuals are at the greatest risk. We know that potential clients may not want to meet in person until we come out the other side of this virus. This presents new challenges for how to continue to write business. To this end, Anthem is committed to share ideas with you that will assist in the ability for you to continue to provide the valued services you offer and allow our senior and dual population to obtain the coverage they need.

 

You will find a presentation on how to transfer an application to your client HERE. Anthem recently made changes to this process. The  document highlights how your client can log in to the application without having to create an account, thereby removing the cumbersome challenges with that process. Once you have transferred the application, your client will receive an email that contains a PIN number.

Please stress the importance of keeping this PIN number available. The number is required to log in to the application. Once they have written down the PIN, they click on the link to the Online Store, enter the PIN and their Date of Birth, and they are then directed to “Complete Your Application” . It is very important that at this point they select “Continue as Guest”. This will bypass the need to create an account and allows them to move immediately into the application.

Please review this document and reach out to any member of the Ohio team with questions. Also, please check www.anthembrokerconnection.com for dates of upcoming webinars where we will be reviewing the entire online application process.

 

Additionally, now is a great time to contact your existing clients and remind them that they have the ability to “visit” a physician from the comfort of their home through our LiveHealth Online benefit. Please see the below information that outlines how you can order co-branded LiveHealth Online brochures at no cost. These are great pieces to share with your existing clients. We encourage you to discuss this benefit with all prospects as well as it positions you as their health care expert who will guide them safely through the buying decision with their health as your number one priority.

 

Now more than ever is an important opportunity to promote LiveHealth® Online doctor visits

Because the health and safety of all we serve is a priority, you can help by encouraging the use of online doctor visits from home with the LiveHealth Online Flier – available NOW on the Sales Toolkit.

 

Visit the Sales Toolkit TODAY and customize the flier with your contact information. Share the flier with prospects, current clients and your community centers of influence. Reminding them of this valuable tool supports our commitment to access to care, especially for those with special needs.

 

LiveHealth Online is a safe and effective way for members to see a board-certified doctor and receive health guidance from home with a smartphone, tablet or computer-enabled web cam.

Medical Mutual of Ohio’s COVID-19 Updates

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COVID-19 Coronavirus Testing Covered with No Member Cost Sharing
Applies to: All Lines of Business

To help combat the spread of COVID-19, Medical Mutual is covering all diagnostic testing for the virus, as long as it is ordered by a medical provider. We are also waiving all member cost sharing, including copays, coinsurance and deductibles for these tests.

If any self-funded group has questions or concerns with this approach or want to opt out, they should contact their Medical Mutual representative. Labor groups are required to opt-in for covering COVID-19 testing with no member cost sharing.

IRS Guidance on HSAs and COVID-19 Testing and Treatment
The IRS issued guidance on March 11, 2020, allowing pre-deductible coverage of testing for and treatment of COVID-19, as determined by the health plan. This applies to high-deductible health plans (HDHP) with health savings accounts (HSA). This means that Medical Mutual’s HDHPs with HSAs can cover COVID-19 testing and treatment without member cost sharing.

Business Continuity Assurance
Medical Mutual has a business continuity plan in place that covers a variety of incidents, including illness outbreak. Should the situation with COVID-19 warrant, we are prepared to initiate that plan for all our offices. We are confident Medical Mutual can continue to serve our members regardless of where our people are physically located.

Credible COVID-19 Resources
We are working with and will follow all guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the US Food and Drug Administration, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and other state and local public health departments in supporting our members’ needs. We encourage our customers to seek information from the following sources:

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

ODH: https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odh/know-our-programs/Novel-Coronavirus/2019-nCoV

Important information for Medical Mutual members about COVID-19 and our response is available at MedMutual.com/Coronavirus.

CVS Health Announces COVID-19 Resources for Aetna Members

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CVS Health announces COVID-19 resources for Aetna members

Friday, March 6, 2020

Diagnostic testing and telemedicine visits available with no co-pay

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced several steps to support Aetna members in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Supporting the health and well-being of our members and removing barriers to care are among our key areas of focus as we navigate the spread of COVID-19,” said Karen S. Lynch, President, Aetna and Executive Vice President, CVS Health. “That’s why we’re providing COVID-19 diagnostic testing and telemedicine visits with no out-of-pocket costs or cost sharing for Aetna members, along with a number of other programs and offerings that reinforce our commitment to delivering timely and seamless access to care.”

CVS Health has engaged with public health experts and organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to spread awareness of emergency preparedness efforts. Through its frequently-updated COVID-19 resource center, the company is providing the latest information on precautions consumers should take to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and who should seek medical attention.

Effective immediately, Aetna members will have access to the following resources:

Aetna will waive co-pays for all diagnostic testing related to COVID-19. This policy will cover the test kit for patients who meet CDC guidelines for testing, which can be done in any approved laboratory location. Aetna will waive the member costs associated with diagnostic testing at any authorized location for all Commercial, Medicare and Medicaid lines of business. Self-insured plan sponsors will be able to opt-out of this program at their discretion.

For the next 90 days, Aetna will offer zero co-pay telemedicine visits for any reason. Aetna members should use telemedicine as their first line of defense in order to limit potential exposure in physician offices. Cost sharing will be waived for all video visits through the CVS MinuteClinic app, Aetna-covered Teladoc offerings and in-network providers delivering synchronous virtual care (live video-conferencing) for all Commercial plan designs. Self-insured plan sponsors will be able to opt-out of this program at their discretion.

Through Aetna’s Healing Better program, members who are diagnosed with COVID-19 will receive a care package containing CVS over-the-counter medications to help relieve symptoms. The package will also include personal and household cleaning supplies to help keep others in the home protected from potential exposure.

Through existing care management programs, Aetna will proactively reach out to members most at-risk for COVID-19. Care managers will walk members through what they can do to protect themselves, where to get information on the virus, and where to go to get tested.

Aetna is extending its Medicare Advantage virtual evaluation and monitoring visit benefit to all Aetna Commercial members as a fully-covered benefit. This offering will empower members with other conditions that need follow-up care to engage with providers without the concern of sitting in a physician’s office and risking potential exposure to COVID-19.

CVS Health is implementing the following programs to educate members about COVID-19 and help address any associated anxiety and stress:

  1. Opening Crisis Response Lines for all Aetna (Commercial, Medicare, Medicaid) and Caremark members who may be experiencing anxiety related to COVID-19.
  2. Expanding 24×7 access to the Aetna Nurse Medical Line for all Aetna and Caremark members.
  3. Providing Aetna plan sponsors with a Resources for Living toolkit with materials specifically developed for members experiencing anxiety related to COVID-19.

Anyone presenting symptoms compatible with COVID-19 should contact their health care provider immediately.

About CVS Health

CVS Health employees are united around a common goal of becoming the most consumer-centric health company in the world. We’re evolving based on changing consumer needs and meeting people where they are, whether that’s in the community at one of our nearly 10,000 local touchpoints, in the home, or in the palm of their hand. Our newest offerings from HealthHUB locations that are redefining what a pharmacy can be, to innovative programs that help manage chronic conditions are designed to create a higher-quality, simpler and more affordable experience. Learn more about how we’re transforming health at http://www.cvshealth.com.

Anthem Ohio March Updates & Upcoming Training Dates

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Please see the following important information to stay in the know:

Member Retention:

  • Anthem has developed a series of emails that are designed to help you avoid member disenrollment. Maintaining your existing clients is just as important as writing new clients so these email are created with your long term success in mind. Two emails have been sent to date, How to Avoid Pended Applications and Start Your New Members Off Right With These Helpful Tips. 

MAPD:

  • Did you know that you can use mProducer to retrieve Medicare information for one of your leads?  You will receive the following Medicare information:
  • Part A Effective Date
  • Part B Effective Date
  • Current Plan (Contract code that can be Googled for the specific carrier and plan)
  • Drug Gap in Months (Number)
  • Medicare Status (relative to the proposed effective date entered)
  • Has LIS for PED (Does the client have low-income subsidy for the proposed effective date?)
  • LIS Category (1-4)
  • Date LIS SEP Used (The date that LIS was last used as an SEP)

In mProducer, click the Eligibility Check Medicare and Medicaid tile, enter required information on the Medicare Check tab, and click the Check Eligibility button.

Medicare Supplement:

  • Anthem Gave Away Almost $170,000 Extra Last Month! Their Medicare Supplement bonus program is a great opportunity to earn additional income with just 3 applications per month. This bonus is based on the effective date of the application and resets each month.
  • If you sell 3-4 approved Medicare Supplement plan enrollments, you’ll receive $150 bonus per sale!
  • If you sell 5-9 approved Medicare Supplement plan enrollments, you’ll receive $200 bonus per sale!
  • If you sell 10 or more approved Medicare Supplement plan enrollments, you’ll receive an additional $250 bonus per sale!
  • Medicare Supplement Quick Reference Guide is attached with language updated regarding waiting period.

Essential Extras:

  • When selecting Assistive Devices, the $500 benefit will be loaded to the member’s OTC card.
  • The 2020 Essential Extras packets have mail to members and contain the following:
    • Cover Letter – invites the member to look inside the brochure to understand the Essential Extras benefit
    • Essential Extras Brochure/Selection Form – Color Brochure that explains the Essential Extras benefit including a selection form to enroll in their free benefit.
    • 1557 – non-discrimination statement in threshold languages

2020 D-SNP Car Magnets Are Here!

  • The 24” x 12” car magnets (set of 2) can be attached to any flat, smooth, magnetic vehicle surface and are a great way to advertise and grow your Medicare business on-the-go. Contact your Regional Sales Manager for more information.

Training:

Please join us for our monthly webinar series. Registration is required at www.anthembrokerconnection.com. This site is not supported by Internet Explorer. Please also visit this site for a listing of CE classes and in-person training events.

Monday, March 9th – mProducer

Monday, March 23rd – Marketing Done Right

April 6th – mProducer

April 20th – Special Election Periods and Timeframes

 

Mutual of Omaha Sells Medicare Advantage Plans to Essence Healthcare

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A message from Mutual of Omaha:

 

Today we are announcing that Mutual of Omaha has reached an agreement in principle for Essence Healthcare, the sister company of Lumeris, to acquire Mutual of Omaha’s Medicare Advantage plans.

Since 2018, Mutual of Omaha and Lumeris have forged a strong relationship, collaborating with healthcare providers in five select markets to introduce Medicare Advantage plans that bring together payers, providers and patients.

As we evaluated our enrollment experience and changing market dynamics, we determined that an acquisition of our Medicare Advantage plans by Essence Healthcare is in the best interest of our customers, our networks and our company.

This change in ownership will allow our current MA policyholders to benefit from Essence Healthcare’s longstanding reputation for providing high-quality, affordable plans, while also ensuring a smooth and seamless transition for our customers by offering the same core plan functions. This also allows Mutual of Omaha to take a step back and reassess the company’s strategic approach to MA, as we seek to meet the holistic healthcare needs of senior consumers.

Mutual of Omaha will work with Essence on a definitive sale agreement over the coming months and we expect the transaction to be completed mid-year.

There are no immediate changes for you and your distribution. We will continue to keep you updated as the change in ownership becomes finalized. For now, it’s business as usual.

It’s important to note Mutual of Omaha remains firmly committed to meeting the healthcare needs of senior consumers. We have been a leading provider of Medicare supplement insurance for more than 50 years and we will continue to offer Med Supp, dental and vision coverage, as well as our new Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

 

Click here to find an FAQ to help answer some of your questions.

 

Contact your Cornerstone Senior Marketing representative for more information.

 

SureBridge News

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Important Point of Sale (POS) Tool Impacts

Updates to the Surebridge Point of Sale tool will begin around 7 PM CST Thursday, February 20 which could cause the system to be temporarily unavailable.  Email Proposals sent prior to Friday (2/21) will not be able to “Apply” for the new application after Thursday (2/20).  If the application is not started by the customer before Thursday (2/20), a new Proposal must be created.

In addition to the revised Application** and product revisions in Maryland, the following updates will be made to the POS Tool:

  • Accident Disability Direct Changes
    • All Benefit Levels will now be considered Guaranteed Issue (GI); subject to eligibility questions such as citizenship, occupation and salary
    • All Elimination Periods and Duration options will now be available for all Benefit Levels
    • Simplified Issue (SI) commission levels will be paid for all Benefit levels
  • The Citizenship Question on the application has been revised to allow the selection of “DACA (Deferred Action Childhood Arrival) Recipient”
  • Now Allowing Prior Dental Coverage Credit for the PPO Dental Premiere and Senior PPO Dental Premiere – Waiting periods may be waived on the PPO Dental Premiere for new customers previously covered under “full dental coverage,” provided such prior coverage was in effect for at least 12 consecutive months with no gaps in coverage greater than 63 days prior to their application date. The applicant will be required to provide their prior dental coverage information on the application. Partial credit will not be allowed.
    • “Full Dental Coverage” is defined as coverage that includes Types I, II, and III covered expenses, such as restorative, endodontic, periodontic, prosthodontic, and oral surgery. The PPO Dental Basic or Bronze Dental plans do not meet this definition and will not qualify for the waiver if upgrading to the Premiere.

** Please review the new application carefully as some of the questions may have changed.

Additional Point of Sale (POS) Tool Update                              

Improvements to the Voice Signature Process

All required disclosure verbiage will now be displayed on the UI screen.  You will no longer have to open each document to read and acknowledge separately.  Simply scroll down to read what is required, acknowledge at the end, then move to the next step.

In addition:

  • We have adjusted verbiage throughout to read “Do you” instead of “I”.

Only the required verbiage for applicable plans will display.  For example: The Pre-existing disclosure for Disability plans will not display if the customer is not applying for a Disability plan.

 

Other News

  • EyeMed: Changes to Participating Retail Providers
  • In Case You Didn’t Know
  • Producer Support is here to help!

Click here for details regarding these topics.

Don’t Miss a Thing!

  • See the Commonly Asked Questions about Prime DVH.

 

Want to order printed SureBridge brochures?  Take advantage of the SureBridge Supply Storefront

Aetna’s MAPD and DSNP 2020 OTC Catalogs Now Available

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Aetna’s 2020 OTC catalogs are now out on Producer World and can access directly.

Here’s the direct link to the OTC catalog page on PW: https://www.aetna.com/producer/Medicare/otc_catalogs.html. Or here’s the path/instructions for how to find them on your own:

  • Login to Producer World: https://www.aetna.com/producer/Login.do
  • Click “Individual Medicare,” which is in the black navigation bar in the top-right corner of the page
  • Click the Product tab.
  • Click “2020 OTC catalogs”
  • Next, from the OTC catalog page, select a state from the dropdown menu, and then select the applicable OTC catalog.

 

If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to your CSM rep.