It Begins: Anthem Now Allowing GI Onto Plan G

[Justin Bilyj]

Of course, this is only for people coming off of group, and not coming off Medicaid, but we all know which one of those two we see more often. I feel this is in response to plan F going away in 2020.

We are pleased to announce that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield will now include Loss of Group Coverage as a Guarantee Issue (GI) right situation to enroll into Plan G! This applies to those who have a GI right because they lost group coverage either primary or secondary to Medicare, and will apply whether the loss was voluntary or involuntary (based on state regulations).

The decision to allow enrollment into Plan G for these individuals will be effective with all Medicare Supplement applications received on 9/1/17 or later for all of our Anthem Blue states. We will review exception requests based on prior denials if we receive them within 30 days of the application receipt date of 9/1/17. Any applications currently in house will be granted approval for this new GI situation for Plan G. Please review the Frequently Asked Questions for additional details.

Due to the timing of this decision and the work to introduce the new, refreshed applications into the market on Online Store with the September 30 release, we will not show Plan G as a GI right for a short period of time, as outlined below, until we are able to update all applications in the pre-sales kits and Online Store to reflect this change.

Once the applications are updated to reflect this new GI situation, we will send out another communication via Producer Online News.

GI situation per state as shown in the current application for Loss of Group Coverage:

CO, CT, KY, NV, OH, VA

Enrolled in Original Medicare and an employee welfare benefit plan (including retiree or COBRA coverage) or union coverage that is primary to Medicare or supplements benefits under Medicare and the plan is ending or ceases to provide the supplemental health benefits (Plan Options: A, F, N)

*Will be updated to include Plan G in the next application version.

IN, NH

Losing group coverage due to retirement (including retiree or COBRA coverage) (Plan Options: A, F, N)

*Will be updated to include Plan G in the next application version.

MO



Losing group coverage (voluntarily or involuntarily) due to retirement (including retiree, COBRA or union coverage) (Plan Options: A, F, N)

*Will be updated to include Plan G in the next application version.

WI

N/A due to not having standardized plans

ME

N/A due to being a GI state

If you have any questions, please reach out to Agent Services by phone at 1-800-633-4368 or by email at [email protected].

 

[somarco]

BCBSGA is an Anthem state but not listed above.

Here GI commission is 50% (5.5%). Any word on what they will be paying in other states?

 

[Justin Bilyj]

Upline said it would be normal commissions, which means the lowest possible...

 

[somarco]

You would think they would have learned their lesson on offering GI from the last time (2010).

But apparently not . . .

 

[sshafran]

I might be a coffee short of fully engaged, but aren't most people coming to us for supplement coverage when leaving an employer plan those who also deferred Part B - so they are Open Enrollment anyway?

I know we do get some who have both and who would be underwritten... but this seems minor in scale. Am I wrong?

 

[Newby]

It's just a way to not pay commissions on the healthy block of business that are G.I.
Every agent has been putting the healthy people on G and getting full commissions and the unhealthy on the F for the guaranteed issues. So they figure they just make plan G a G.I. plan also and cut us off at the pass.
A lot of people leaving group plans did sign up for part B. Some because they had to. Some because they didn't know any better.

 

[bpenn9]

It's just a way to not pay commissions on the healthy block of business that are G.I.
Every agent has been putting the healthy people on G and getting full commissions and the unhealthy on the F for the guaranteed issues. So they figure they just make plan G a G.I. plan also and cut us off at the pass.
A lot of people leaving group plans did sign up for part B. Some because they had to. Some because they didn't know any better.

MOST of those leaving a group I see anyway did not sign up for Part B so they are in their OE. Guess I am lucky. I help them with that then enroll in whatever plan they choose full commission.

 

[Newby]

MOST of those leaving a group I see anyway did not sign up for Part B so they are in their OE. Guess I am lucky. I help them with that then enroll in whatever plan they choose full commission.

Could be that in my area the majority of people worked for small businesses not huge companies.

We get a lot of them that did not sign up for part B also. But definitely a whole lot that did.

 

[sshafran]

I just don't think it will have the same impact as Anthem's last round of GI. This is like offering GI to a minuscule fraction of people compared to before.

 

[sman]

You would think they would have learned their lesson on offering GI from the last time (2010).

But apparently not . . .

In fairness, the last time they did the GI thing was for anyone who had a Med Supp.

Also, while there are certainly many coming off group who already have Part B, I find more often than not they are enrolling in Part B when they come off group (the correct way to do it if on a group of 20 or more). As you know, in that scenario they are in Open Enrollment and can get Plan G without answering health questions. Point being, I'm not sure offering GI for Plan G for those coming off group coverage will have much of a negative impact considering the majority of those coming off group are new to Medicare anyway.

I forgot to add, Georgia is one of the states offering it as well.