Archive for the ‘Broker Updates’ Category

Covered California for Small Business – Continued Growth, New Blue Shield Plans, and New Broker Bonus Program

Continued Growth

With over 9,020 employers and 79,770 employees enrolled as of December 2022, Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) continues to be a popular health insurance choice for small businesses. In fact, membership has grown significantly over the last few years:

New Blue Shield Plans

CCSB is introducing the following new Blue Shield plans for Q3-2023 (effective July 1, 2023):

• Access+ HMO Network: Blue Shield’s full HMO network, is now available in Platinum, Gold, and Silver metal tier plans. These plans previously only had access to the Trio HMO network. Plans offered on the Access+ HMO network will include the richer Rx Ultra pharmacy network.
• Bronze Trio HMO 7000/70 is new to CCSB. Professional services are not subject to a deductible. Includes integrated pharmacy deductible and access to Concierge Member Services.
• HSA Plans: two of Blue Shield’s most popular HDHP plans: Silver Full PPO Savings 2300/25% and Bronze Full PPO Savings 7000 plans.

All Blue Shield plans through CCSB provide access to Wellvolution, Teladoc Mental Health, Nurse Help 24/7, LifeReferrals 24/7, and the Blue Card program for members outside of California.

New Broker Bonus Program

With the new CCSB ‘A Partnership That Pays’ bonus, agents who place new small group business with CCSB from July 1, 2023 – January 1, 2024, can earn up to a $12,000 bonus per group, in addition to competitive commissions. To qualify for the first bonus tier of $1,000, agencies must submit a minimum of three groups with four enrolled employees. Best of all, the bonus is per group with no maximum number of groups! Download the flyer for details.

Broker Webinar Recap and Q&As

View the March 28th broker webinar and download the Q&As to learn about CCSB’s growth, advantages for brokers and employers, and the latest carrier offerings.

In addition to California’s most comprehensive access to doctors and hospitals, CCSB health plans offer choice and control, with:

• Full-network PPO from Blue Shield.
• HMO offerings from Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente, and Sharp Health Plan.
• New Blue Shield plans.
• 4-tier selection.
• Single bill.

Partner with Claremont for:

• Help understanding employers’ needs to deliver the right benefits solutions.
• Assistance with small group sales, enrollments, and renewals.
• Actionable solutions and practical tips, such as:
  – Advantages for Agents and Employers
  – Agent Resources
  – Health Care Tax Credit Solution
  – Top 20 Lowest Cost Medical Plans
• Expertise and support behind the scenes — all at no cost to you.

As a trusted CCSB partner since its 2014 launch, we are a top-producing general agency in our sales territory. From agent certification and quoting to assessing new group eligibility and resolving post-enrollment issues, our CCSB experts will provide guidance and support every step of the way.

To take advantage of the broker bonus program, contact us today for a Covered California for Small Business quote!

Get a Quote

Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.

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Blue Shield – New Broker Rewards Programs, Q3-2023 Rates Now Available for Quoting

Small Business Incentive Program

With Blue Shield’s Small Business Incentive Program, earning points for qualified sales has never been easier (February 1, 2023 to January 1, 2024 effective dates). You can redeem your points for rewards from hundreds of great options, such as gift cards, electronics, products for your home, and more. Or convert your points to cash with a Visa gift card. Best of all, there are no complicated tiers or calculations required!

You Can Earn

• 100 points per new member who enrolls in a Tandem PPO plan or a Virtual Blue plan as part of the initial sale.
• 50 points per new enrolled medical member on all plans, excluding Tandem and Virtual Blue PPO plans as part of the initial sale.
• 10 points per new enrolled member in a small business dental plan.
• 5 points per new enrolled member in a small business vision plan.
• 5 points per new enrolled member in a small business life insurance plan.
• 40 points (2x points) per new member enrolling in all three – dental, vision, and life.
• 25 points for setting up a group on autopay during initial enrollment.

With the Producer Rewards points-based bonus program, each point is equal to one dollar. Plus it’s easy to keep track of your point status and what you’ve earned.

Learn more about the Small Business Incentive Program and Producer Rewards Program. Enroll in the Blue Shield Producer Rewards Program today.

Groups written through Claremont are eligible for this program.

Renewal Rewards Program

As an additional incentive, earn points redeemable for rewards for renewing groups with new members into Blue Shield’s Tandem PPO, Virtual Blue, or specialty plans. What’s more, all point distributions are in addition to standard commissions.

How to Qualify

• Applicable for small groups (1-100 employees).
• Brokers must opt-in by submitting a W9 form. If a broker is part of an agency, the parent agency must opt in first.
• Renewal submissions must be submitted through the Small Group Online Renewal Tool using the same broker profile as the one that opted in. New Blue Shield members enrolled at group renewal must be enrolled through Employer Connection.

You Can Earn

• 100 points per new enrolled member in a Tandem PPO plan. February 2023 – January 2024 effective dates.
• 100 points per new enrolled member in a Virtual Blue plan. March 2023 – January 2024 effective dates.
• Specialty plans. February 2023 – January 2024 effective dates.
  – 10 points per new enrolled dental member.
  – 5 points per new enrolled vision member.
  – 5 points per new enrolled life member.

Download the Renewal Rewards Program flyer to learn more.

Groups written through Claremont are eligible for this program.

Q3-2023 Rates

• Rates are now available for quoting through PRISM, our free and easy online quoting system.
• The Q3 rate action is a statewide average of 1.9%.

Contact us today for a Blue Shield quote and start earning rewards!

Get a Quote

Resources

• Q3-2023 Medical Sales Guide
• Q3-2023 Specialty Sales Guide
• 2023 Broker Renewal Guide
• 2023 Medical Plan Cheat Sheet
• 2023 Medical Plans at a Glance
• Virtual Blue Website
• Virtual Blue Explainer Video
• Virtual Blue Member Journey Video
• Plan Summary: Virtual Blue℠ Gold Tandem PPO 1500/45 OffEx
• Plan Summary: Virtual Blue℠ Bronze Tandem PPO 7500/75 OffEx
• Blue Shield News Center
• Product Cycle Updates
• Employer Connection Plus (EC+)
• Employer Enrollment Platform Resources
• Broker Communications
• Broker Connection
• Broker Open Enrollment Tool for Small Business [Video]
• Plan Comparison Tool and Network Comparison Tool
• Small Business Plan Documents
• Relaxed Participation Program
• Teledoc
• Wellvolution Mental Health
• Mandates
• Renewal Center
• Broker Bonus Calculator
• Forms and Applications
• Blue Shield Small Business Library
• Small Business Service Support

COVID-19 Resources

• COVID-19 Resources for brokers and employers.
• COVID-19 Resources Broker Connection
• COVID-19 Member Resource Page
• California Coronavirus Response Website
• California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) FAQs
• DMHC COVID-19 Response and Guidelines
• CDC COVID-19 Testing Overview

Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.

Get The Latest News with Text Messaging!

Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.

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Beam Two-Year Rate Guarantee

Help give your clients financial protection and peace of mind with Beam’s two-year rate guarantee on new dental and vision quotes. This promotion is available to groups with 10-499 eligible employees who quote with Beam now through June 30, 2023, with an effective date between April 1, 2023 and September 1, 2023. To learn more, visit Beam and download the flyer.

Reminders

Beam dental and vision plans are available for 2+ enrolled employees.

Standard Plan Features 

• Annual open enrollment on all plans.
• No waiting periods unless requested.
• Preventive care is covered at 100% (2 annual cleanings and check-ups).
• No missing tooth clause.
• Implants are covered on all dental plans.
• Posterior composites and porcelain crowns are covered with no downgrades.
• Occlusal (night) guards are covered.
• Rollover feature offered to match or add as new.
• Additional cleanings for pregnant members.
• Additional cleanings for members with diabetes.
• Beam Perks program for group incentives and member rewards.

Dental Provider Networks

• Beam has over 500,000 dental access points nationwide.
• Access points are comprised of these dental networks: Dental Benefit Providers (DBP owned by UHC), Careington, DenteMax Plus, Connection Dental, and First Dental Health.
• Find an in-network dentist.

Vision: VSP® Vision Care Plans & VSP® Choice Network

• Frame allowances – $150, $175, $200.
• Frequency limits – 12/12/12 and 12/12/24.
• Available for 2+ enrolled employees.
• Nationwide provider network and retail locations with over 115,000 vision access points and more than 31,000 providers.
• Find a VSP Network eye doctor.

Start quoting Beam today and help your groups take advantage of the rate guarantee!

Get a Quote

Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.

Get The Latest News with Text Messaging!

Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.

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Group Health Brokers See Significant Opportunity as Medi-Cal Unwinds Continuous Coverage

Starting April 2023 and continuing for one year, Medi-Cal, in a process called continuous coverage unwinding (CCU), will re-assess eligibility for 15 million Californians. For upwards of one million of them, it’s expected that enrolling in a group health plan will be their best, and maybe only option for affordable coverage. This is a singular event that gives you an opportunity to deepen client relationships, acquire more customers, and grow your business.

Schedule a 15-minute briefing with Claremont to learn more about this opportunity, how your clients will be impacted, and how Claremont will help.

Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.

Get The Latest News with Text Messaging!

Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.

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LinkedIn Social Selling Tips: Finding Your Ideal Clients

As the leading social platform focused on business and professional networking, LinkedIn (830 million users) is one of the top places to reach decision makers, influencers, and practitioners. In fact, B2B blogs and websites receive most of their social media traffic from LinkedIn, according to a 2022 LinkedIn study. 43% attribute their sales to LinkedIn, Facebook followed at 24%, and Twitter at 20%.

If your prospects are active on LinkedIn, chances are they’re talking about the issues you can solve. So, if you can find them, reaching out becomes easier because you know they are more likely to be open to your solutions.

To start building an organic audience that will later convert to clients, follow the tips below.

Find Prospects by Borrowing Your Competitor’s LinkedIn Audience

1. In the Search field, search for your target persona. Example: “CEO.” Make sure the left green tab says “People.”
   
   Alternate between boolean searches (hard searches) and inclusive (broad) queries without quote marks. Example: “CEO.”
   
   
2. Click “All filters.”
   
   
3. Then in the “Followers of” field, insert your competitor’s name.
   
   
4. Click “Show Results.”
   

Now you have a list of potential prospects who follow your competitor(s). Make sure to remove any employees or founders from the followers list. LinkedIn doesn’t have an export feature, but you can use a third party app like PhantomBuster.com.

Find Prospects by Going Through Your Competitor’s Networks

LinkedIn member’s networks are searchable (if they haven’t opted to hide them).

1. From your competitor’s profile page, select the blue type that shows their connections.
   
2. Browse your competitor’s connection list.
   
   
3. Use the LinkedIn search filters to save time.
4. To prevent your competitors from doing the same, change your connection visibility settings by clicking the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn home page. Select Settings & Privacy from the dropdown. Click Visibility on the left sidebar and select Visibility of your profile & network. Next to Connections, click the arrow to change the setting to Off.

Before requesting connections and reaching out to any prospects, use our profile optimization framework to Turn Your Profile Into a Business Growth Machine.

For more playbooks on how to find prospects and acquire clients through LinkedIn, check out our upcoming articles on LinkedIn Social Selling Tips.

Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.

Get The Latest News with Text Messaging!

Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.

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MetLife Reunites with Snoopy for Pet Insurance

MetLife has teamed up with Snoopy, the iconic Peanuts character, to market its pet insurance through employee benefits programs. Remarkably, MetLife had a 30+ year relationship with Snoopy from 1985 until 2017 – when they separated from their life and annuity business.

Despite the rising number of pet owners in the US, only a small percentage (less than 3%) of pets are currently insured. MetLife aims to change this by educating pet parents about the benefits of pet protection for safeguarding personal finances and improving their pet’s well-being.

MetLife’s research indicates that in 2022, 84% of pet parents experienced higher pet care costs, and 50% of them worry that the escalating costs will make it difficult for them to continue being a pet parent. In addition to rising prices for routine care and pet necessities, pet parents may also have to deal with exorbitant bills they may not be able to afford for emergency vet visits, surgeries, or extended hospital stays.

According to MetLife’s 20^th Annual Employee Benefit Trends Study (EBTS), 65% of employees with pets are currently interested in their employer offering pet insurance.

As the leading pet health insurance provider in the workplace, MetLife’s affordable, extensive coverage includes:

• Multi-pet plans.
• No breed exclusions or upper age limits.
• 24/7 virtual vet access.
• Chronic condition care.
• Exam fees.
• No lifetime or per-incident limits.
• No initial exam or previous vet records required to enroll.

With Snoopy’s help, MetLife hopes to raise awareness about pet insurance and its benefits – which means more pets receive the care they need, and pet owners can remain worry-free. Learn more.

Contact us today for a MetLife Pet Insurance quote!

Get a Quote

Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.

Get The Latest News with Text Messaging!

Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.

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Beam 2023 Brokerage Bonus Program

With Beam’s new and improved 2023 Brokerage Bonus Program, there are bigger payouts, opportunities to earn, and expanded eligibility.

New Group Sales Bonus

Earn up to a 6% bonus (increased from 2.5% in 2022) on collected premiums for new group sales. The more groups you sell, the higher your bonus!

How it works:

• Eligible brokers with a direct agent or agency relationship with Beam and cannot have a separate compensation structure above the set commission.
• Your brokerage sells a minimum of 15 new groups or $200,000 in annual recurring revenue (ARR).
• Effective dates of January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.
• Must have at least five eligible employees enrolled for Beam coverage.

Renewal Sales Bonus

Earn up to an additional 2% bonus on group renewals.

How it works:

• Brokerage achieves new group sales bonus (see New Group Sales Bonus above).
• At least $500,000 in annualized in force premium as of January 1, 2023.
• Minimum of 85% premium persistency.

Notes

• Dental, vision, life, accident, and hospital indemnity administered through Beam count toward the broker bonus program.
• The bonus is a one-time payment that is separate and independent from your commission and has no impact on rates.
• Bonus amounts are expected to be paid out in March of 2024, but may be subject to change.

Learn more about the 2023 Brokerage Bonus Program.

Start quoting Beam today and take advantage of the bonus program!

Get a Quote

Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.

Get The Latest News with Text Messaging!

Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.

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Covered California for Small Business Webinar: New Blue Shield Plans

Join the Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) webinar on Tuesday, March 28th at 9:00 am PDT, to hear from their sales team about the launch of new Blue Shield plans effective July 1, 2023. Learn about the newest plan designs, what they mean for you, your employers, and their employees.

Topics

• CCSB – State of The Exchange
• Open Enrollment Recap
• Blue Shield Update
• New Blue Shield Plans
• Portal Updates
• New Bonus Program
• Q&A

Space is limited. Register now.

Register Now

Partner with Claremont for:

• Help understanding employers’ needs to deliver the right benefits solutions.
• Assistance with small group sales, enrollments, and renewals.
• Actionable solutions and practical tips, such as:
  – Advantages for Agents and Employers
  – Agent Resources
  – Health Care Tax Credit Solution
  – Top 20 Lowest Cost Medical Plans
• Expertise and support behind the scenes — all at no cost to you.

Claremont has been a trusted CCSB partner since its 2014 launch, and we are a top producing general agency in our sales territory. From agent certification and quoting to assessing new group eligibility and resolving post-enrollment issues, our CCSB experts will provide guidance and support every step of the way.

Contact us today for a CCSB Quote!

Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.

Get The Latest News with Text Messaging!

Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.

Sign Up for Text Messaging

NABIP Webinar: RxDC Reporting and The End of The COVID Public Health Emergency

Tune in to this NABIP Compliance Corner webinar on Thursday, March 16th at 10:00 am PDT, when NABIP members Barb Gerken and Samantha Malovrh walk you through what you need to know about RxDC Reporting and the end of the COVID public health emergency.

Don’t miss out. Register now!

Register Now

Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.

Get The Latest News with Text Messaging!

Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.

Sign Up for Text Messaging

Delta Dental 2023 Broker Rewards Program

Earn additional compensation for selling and retaining eligible groups of 2-99 lives by enrolling in Delta Dental’s Small Business Broker Rewards Program.

How It Works

Retention Sales Bonus

Retain at least 92% of your book of business through 2023 and meet a new sales reward level. If you do both, you’ll earn a bonus for each. If you’re new to Delta Dental, your new sales alone will qualify.

• 3% bonus when you retain 92%-96.9% of your existing business.
• 4% bonus when you retain 97%-100% of your existing business.

New Sales Bonus

Once you’ve met your retention goal, there are three levels of sales rewards. New sales bonuses are based on the number of new groups or total new premium received for effective dates in 2023. As you sell more and retain your existing business with Delta Dental, your rewards grow. And this program is in addition to your existing standard small business commission.

• Level 1: 3% bonus – 5-14 new groups or $150,000-$499,999 new premium.
• Level 2: 4% bonus – 15-24 new groups or $500,000-$999,999 new premium.
• Level 3: 5% bonus – 25+ new groups or $1,000,000+ new premium.

Sign up for the rewards program and access the small business broker rewards dashboard to easily track your reward earnings. Brokers who have joined in previous years just need to log in to be eligible for additional compensation in 2023. To learn more, download the flyer.

Delta Dental Broker Rewards Program

Contact us today to quote Delta Dental plans!

Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.

Get The Latest News with Text Messaging!

Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.

Sign Up for Text Messaging