Individual Medical Updates

CLICK HERE – For Medicare Certification FAQs and a Visual Walkthrough

2023 Medicare Advantage Training Instructions
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina’s 2023 Medicare Advantage Agent Training curriculum is now available through the company’s online Learning Management System (LMS). Agents are required to complete the curriculum and pass a test to sell BlueCross Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plan products.

Certification Requirements
In addition to completing the BlueCross curriculum, agents are required to successfully complete the 2023 Medicare + Fraud, Waste and Abuse training through America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) or National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU). Agents must complete the AHIP or NAHU training before starting the BlueCross curriculum.

Agents who have not already completed the AHIP training for 2023 can register at a discounted rate of $125. To receive the lower rate, agents MUST use this link: www.AHIPMedicareTraining.com/clients/bcbssc.

Agents who have not already completed the NAHU training for 2023 can register at a discounted rate of $90. To receive the lower rate, agents MUST use this link:
nahu.InReachCE.com/Details/Information/7e076d6a-630a-42ec-a541-bc579ac8a75c.

• The 2023 BlueCross curriculum covers:
  • HIPAA.
  • Marketing guidelines.
  • 2023 Marketing Compliance Agreement.
  • 2023 Medicare products.
• Agents must pass the BlueCross curriculum final test with a score of 85 percent or higher.
• Agents are limited to three attempts to pass the test. Agents who do not pass the test within three attempts will not be certified for 2023. Agents who do not pass on the first or second attempt should select the Retake button.
• Agents must pass the 2023 AHIP test with a score of 90 percent or higher or the 2023 NAHU test with a score of 85 percent or higher.
• Agents must complete the AHIP or NAHU training before starting the BlueCross training. During the BlueCross curriculum, agents will be asked to attest that they have already completed the AHIP or NAHU training.
• Agents must email a copy of their AHIP or NAHU certificate to Agent.Training@bcbssc.com.
• Agents cannot market, discuss or enroll clients in our Medicare Advantage or prescription drug plan products until they have completed both training courses.
• Agents cannot market or discuss our 2023 plans until Oct. 1, 2022.

2023 AHIP Reimbursement Requirements
We will reimburse contracted agents for the discounted cost of the 2023 AHIP course ($125) if they meet the following requirements:

• Complete the 2023 certifications by Sept. 1, 2022.
• Enroll a minimum of 10 2023 BlueCross Medicare Advantage plans for a Jan. 1, 2023, effective date.
• Use the discounted BlueCross link only.

2023 NAHU Reimbursement Requirements
We will reimburse contracted agents for the discounted cost of the 2023 NAHU course ($90) if they meet the following requirements:

• Complete the 2023 certifications by Sept. 1, 2022.
• Enroll a minimum of 10 2023 BlueCross Medicare Advantage plans for a Jan. 1, 2023, effective date.
• Use the discounted BlueCross link only.

To access the LMS:

1. Go to www.southcarolinablues.com
2. Click Agents in the top right section of the homepage
3. Click Agents for Individuals and Small Group Businesses (2-50 Lives)
4. Locate the Tools and Resources section and click Learning Management System (LMS)
5. Click Learning Management System
6. Log in using the following information:
   1. Login Credential: your National Producer Number (NPN)
   2. Password: password you previously created
   3. Click Login.
7. Access your required training under Transcripts

If you have difficulty logging into your LMS account, please contact email AGENT.TRAINING@bcbssc.com.

After logging in to LMS, agents should select Transcript and then simply select the Launch button next to the 2023 Medicare Advantage Agent Training curriculum.

We will not pay commission to any agent who has not been properly certified. We are required to report any agent who submits beneficiary enrollment applications without completing the entire certification process to the South Carolina Department of Insurance and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

• Agent Commission and Compensation Transparency Updates
  • BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and BlueChoice® HealthPlan will be implementing changes, effective March 1, 2022, to display agent commission amounts on individual plans submitted online.
  • Additionally, all new BlueCross and BlueChoice Affordable Care Act (ACA) individual and BlueCross Short-Term Health subscribers with effective dates of March 1, 2022, and after will see agent commission amounts on their member ID card letters.
• 2022 ACA Open Enrollment Sales Program
  • Retention Incentive:
    • Renew 85% or more of your block of business and receive a one-time retention payment of $50 per contract.
  • New to Blue/Net-Growth Incentive
    • Have new to Blue ACA sales and show positive net-growth, receive a one-time payment of $50 per contract.
  • Total potential incentive if you retain 85% or more of your block and show positive net-growth = $100 per contract!
  • Click here to learn more.

• Quick Reference Links for all 2022 ACA and Small Group Business BlueEssential Plans
  • Individual and Family (ACA) plans
  • Small Group plans
  • You can also access a variety of selling tools and product information to help you sell and renew BlueCross Individual and Family and Small Group plans here.

• All SC Hospitals Now In-Network for BlueCross MA Plans
  • BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Medicare Advantage is excited to announce that the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is in-network. With the addition of MUSC Health, all South Carolina hospitals are now in-network.
• If you are a new agent or did not complete FFM Training last year as a new agent, and plan on selling 2023 BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Individual and Family plans, there are four mandatory steps you must complete in order to receive commissions: 
  1. Complete your Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) training, which is now available for returning agents. This training must be completed by Oct. 28. 
     • Go here to take the training
  2. Verify your registration and training completion on the CMS website.
  3. Review the Compliance Attestation Form
  4. Review the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards located at the bottom of the Tools and Resources page
• Product Refresher Options 
  BlueCross BlueShield of SC is offering opportunities for you to learn about new products, services and updates for 2022.
  • Training courses for their 2023 products will be available on the
    Learning Management System (LMS) in mid-October.
  • Fall Seminars –  Details and registration coming soon!

Please join HAP for a required training session to learn everything you need to know about our 2023 HAP Medicare Product Certification. Attendance of these meetings will satisfy the Face to Face or Webinar requirement for Medicare Advantage once you complete the online course through Miramar. Choose the session that is most convenient for you and your team by viewing the Training and Events calendar.
HAP will reimburse $100 for certification, if you submit 10 new to HAP Medicare Advantage applications for a 1/1/2023 effective date and they stay on the books for 90 days.

CLICK HERE – For Medicare Certification Steps and a Visual Walkthrough

• 2023 Certification/Recertificating Partner Certification Launched Tuesday, June 28th at Noon Eastern. (Note: Spanish certifications will become available in August.) To fully Protect the AOR for 2023, agents must recertify by 9/30/22. This is due to members having the ability to apply for a 1/1/2023 effective date on 10/1/22. To keep an existing agent on the business, the agent MUST have active certifications for the effective date as of the date of the application.  Review your EP3 reporting for the most up to date RTS status.Please see below for helpful job aids. Let me know if you have issues with accessing job aids.
  • How to Access and Transfer AHIP Score Job Aid 
  • How to Access and Transfer NAHU Score Job Aid
  • Carriers accepting NAHU
  • How to Complete Humana Certification & Recertification
  • Video Tour: The NEW Course Player in Humana MarketPoint University
  • Certification and Recertification Launch Website for Partner Agents-Only (IGNITE – coming soon)
  • Become a Certified Humana Agent video (IGNITE)
• All Agent/Broker events available for registration on Ignite beginning with 7/25/22 are listed in the following link.  This includes Training, Technology Tools and Local Market Sponsored Events.  The most current updates can always be found here: https://ignitewithhumana.com/local-events/.  Items are searchable by category in the drop down menu.
• The South Carolina 2023 AEP Academy registration process is now OPEN!  Humana has finalized the locations for all of the meetings coming this September (except Greenwood), so please find the meeting that best works with your schedule and SIGN UP TODAY!!  If you previously “saved the date” for one of these events, you still need to complete the registration process. Find all events listed on the “Events Calendar”
• Changes have been made to the First Look 2023 website since the initial release. It’s important to review the newly added individual Medicare plan and benefit information. Final 2023 plan details will be coming soon. The most recent updates include:
  • PDP Plan Updates
  • “New” and “USAA Honor with Rx” badges have been added to the 2023 plan detail pages so you can easily spot Humana’s new plans on First Look.
  • Visit the plan details page to find plan information for your state and market.
  • You can access the 2023 First Look website here.

• Broker Bonus Program
  • Molina Healthcare is excited to announce a new agent bonus program to reward your hard work and celebrate your continued loyalty!
  • Click here for more information.

• New Partnership!
  • The Cason Group is excited to announce a new partnership with Oscar for their Individual and Family Plans. They offer plans in Georgia, NC, TN, VA, FL and many other states.  With competitive broker commissions, streamlined customer and broker support and products that fit, make sure you get appointed with Oscar for 2023 with The Cason Group.

CLICK HERE – For Medicare Certification information if you are a returning or registered agent

CLICK HERE – For Medicare Certification information if you are new to Priority Health or new to selling MAPD

CLICK HERE – For a Medicare Certification Visual Walkthrough

2023 Wellcare Annual Training Certification Instructions