Healthcare providers and people with Medicare will be able to use secure look-up tools that will allow quick access to the new Medicare numbers when needed. There will also be a 21-month transition period where doctors, healthcare providers, and suppliers will be able to use either their current SSN-based Medicare Number or their new, unique Medicare number, to ease the transition.
CMS To Phase Out Social Security Numbers On Medicare ID Cards
Providers and beneficiaries will both be able to use secure look up tools that will support quick access to MBIs when they need them. There will also be a 21-month transition period where providers will be able to use either the MBI or the HICN further easing the transition.
Covered California Only to Work with Agents, Not Support Staff
Covered California has reaffirmed their policy that only Certified Insurance Agents can call into the agent service center and request assistance for a Covered California consumer for whom they have been properly delegated. Support staff to the agent cannot call the service center on the agent’s behalf and make any changes or inquiries. Callers to the service center will authenticated by the agent’s name and Department of Insurance license number.
Help paying for Medicare prescription drug costs
Some people qualify for big savings on their Medicare prescription drug costs and don’t even realize it! In fact, if you receive Medicare, you may be eligible for the Extra Help, which could save you about $4,000 per year on your monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments.
Blue Shield requests missing Social Security numbers for 1095-Bs
On January 6, 2016, we sent letters to off-exchange plan members who did not provide their Social Security numbers (SSNs) upon enrollment. The letter requests completion of a form as required by an ACA mandate. The ACA mandate requires insurers, including Blue Shield of California, to provide annual reporting of Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC). We sent the January 6, 2016, mailing only to new members with missing SSNs who joined during open enrollment and were not included in the previous mailing.