1st quarter rates now available through your preferred quoting engine

We are pleased to announce the Q1 2023 rate book is now available on the dedicated Rates page of Broker Connection. Our first-quarter 2023 rate action is a statewide average of 2.1%. Remember! The Employer Enrollment Tool lets you easily find quotes and provides a streamlined, digital experience for all your Q1 enrollments.

Closed rate books and more information about our rates can be found on Broker Connection Small Business rates.

January, February, and March renewals

Groups renewing in January will be available to brokers through Shield Renewals on Wednesday, October 12* while group-level changes can be made using Small Group Online Renewal (SGOR) beginning October 14.* Groups renewing in February and March will be available on Sunday, November 9* while group-level changes can be made beginning November 15.* To review exact renewal and enrollment dates for Q1, plus enrollment materials and updated rates books, visit our Renewal Center page on Broker Connection.

As a reminder, group renewal information is available as a microsite for each group, and these can be accessed through Shield Renewals. No download is required; you can open the site, find the information you need, and send the link or selected components to your clients. You can also access the medical choice chart, which provides you information about your clients current and new plan rates, option to buy up or buy down and if Trio or Tandem are available. The choice chart will include the rate differential if you choose to move your client.

* Dates subject to change.

Medical plan updates

This year we have minimal changes and impacts to our plans. Both Mirror and Off-exchange plans have cost share changes. We are expanding our network for Bronze HMO 7000/70.

Off-Exchange PPO plans

Impacted plans with cost share changes
- Silver PPO 2000/60
- Silver PPO 2350/65
- Silver PPO 2550/70
- Bronze PPO 5500/65
- Bronze PPO 6500/70
- Bronze PPO 6850/55
- Bronze PPO 7500/65
- Gold PPO Savings 1750/15% HDHP Prev RX
- Silver PPO Savings 23500/25%
- Silver PPO Savings 2600/35%
- Blue Shield Silver 70 PPO 2500/55

Off-exchange HMO plans:

Network expansion for Bronze HMO 7000/70
The Bronze HMO 7000/70 is now available on Access+ and Local Access+. This plan has rich benefits at a low cost. All professional services are available prior to deductibles. It includes integrated pharmacy deductibles, flat copays, and chiropractic services.

Impacted plans with cost share changes
- Platinum HMO 0/20
- Gold HMO 0/30
- Silver HMO 2750/70
- Bronze Trio HMO 7000/70
- Blue Shield Trio Silver 70 HMO 2500/55

Virtual Blue coming soon!

At this year’s Roadshow we announced Virtual Blue, a virtual-first health plan made for your clients and their employees. With Virtual Blue, employees have choice combined with a seamless, holistic care experience. Virtual visits with primary, behavioral, and specialty care providers are available to members for $0 cost. No referrals needed. It’s health care that’s flexible, easy to use, with $0 unlimited talk therapy because mental wellness matters to employees and employers. And Virtual Blue includes many more features to help your clients attract and retain top talent. Stay tuned for more announcements and information on Virtual Blue.

Resources

You can compare benefits of your current plan selection with these new plan options by using our Plan Comparison Tool.

A list of small business medical plans that changed names for 2023 can be found here.

Use this link to view our 2023 plans at a glance document.

Thanks for a great 2023 Roadshow!

We would like to thank everyone who was able to attend this year’s Roadshow. To review the presentation recording and the presentation slides please visit the Small Business homepage on Broker Connection.

One sale, three bonus programs

We put great value in renewing customers. Our Renewal Rewards for Producers program continues to recognize your loyalty and that of your clients by rewarding points for each new member enrolled in a Tandem PPO or Specialty plan. Our Small Group Incentive Program rewards points for each new enrolled Blue Shield member for Small Business Tandem PPO as well as Specialty plan upsells with effective dates January 2023 to June 2023.

Both our Small Group Incentive Program and our Renewal Rewards for Producers are hosted by Producer Rewards. Be sure to check your profile for points earned for enrollments made with June 1, 2022 effective dates. To learn more about the program or to opt-in, visit our Producer Rewards page on Broker Connection.

Lastly, don’t forget about our Direct Elite Rewards program, which continues to benefit direct-selling Small Business brokers. Thanks to these enhanced rewards, you can earn $100 for any new groups sold directly with Blue Shield in addition to our current Rewards programs.

Contact your sales representative or go to our Broker Connection Rewards and Commissions page for more information on any of our rewards programs.

New and Improved digital tools and resources

Broker Sales Guides

We rebranded and revamped the Broker Sales Guides for both medical and specialty, streamlining the documents to provide a better user experience. Sales guides are available on the Sales Resources and Collateral page of Broker Connection.

Withdrawn dental plans added to Plan Comparison Tool

We are withdrawing select Dental PPO plans in 2023, moving groups to available Dental PPO plans. To ease this process for you, we added withdrawn plans to the Plan Comparison Tool. If a withdrawn Dental PPO plan is selected for comparison, the tool automatically provides a recommended available plan instead. You will also have the option to compare withdrawn plans to any other available plan.

Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) for 2021

The Medical Loss Ratio reporting and rebate requirements apply to all fully insured group and individual commercial plans, including grandfathered plans. They do not apply to self-funded (ASO) business, Shared Advantage, or Medicare Supplemental plans.

Blue Shield of California (Blue Shield) does not owe Medical Loss Ratio rebates for 2021 to Small Business groups with Blue Shield plans since Blue Shield met or exceeded the MLR targets for those health plans.

Visit our Mandates page for more information.

Tools for the trusted advisor: Microsites, enrollments, and more

Being a subject matter expert for your clients is fundamental to your work and, when the subject is Blue Shield of California, we want to ensure you are always prepared.

Digital Tools for Employer Plans

We built the Plan Comparison and the Network Comparison tools for you to easily compare our available Medical and Specialty plans, and compare coverages across our six networks. You have at your disposal:

The Plan Comparison Tool allows you to quickly select from our portfolio medical, dental, or vision plans and compare key benefits side by side. These high-level comparisons are easy to share with clients before diving into more comprehensive plan documents (SBC, EOC, etc.).
The Network Comparison Tool is designed to compare coverage across our 6 networks. This tool will allow a user:
- Download and share customized reports with clients
- Choose from the following network displays:
  - Hospital, ACO, & IPA by Network
  - Network Comparison by Region
  - PCP and Specialist comparison

Microsite Kit Builder

Easily create group specific (open-enrollment) microsites that includes member facing resources such as:

Summary of Benefits (SOB)
Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC)
Health programs and services
Plan specific Find a Doctor link

You can access the Pre-enrollment (OE) site builder on Broker Connection.

Employer Enrollment Tool (EET)

We continue to enhance the enrollment tool, making Small Group quotes and enrollments faster, easier, and more dependable. When you enroll with the EET you can expect:

An intuitive, transparent, and reliable enrollment experience
Self-service member I.D reports capabilities
Real-time status checks and our dedicated Blue Shield support teams

For all your Small Business renewal needs, visit the Renewals Center. If you have questions regarding SGOR, a training guide is available on Broker Connection for guidance.

Small business plan documents (SOB, SBC, EOC) for medical plans, pharmacy plans, dental plans, and life insurance plans are available in one location for each line of business.

Your Blue Shield support team is available to support you throughout the year. Producer Services: (800) 559-5905.

The Blue Shield News Center is your go-to source for the latest news and services from Blue Shield of California. Stay up to date by following us on LinkedIn and subscribe here to have News Center alerts delivered directly to your inbox.