Request for Average Annual Number of Employees

News from the Blues

Blue Cross and Blue Shield reports:

“We will be asking targeted employers – those with 25 to 125 subscribers – for assistance to meet an Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirement.

Health insurance companies are now required to report their medical loss ratios (MLR) to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). With respect to our group health insurance, the calculation of the 2011 MLR is based partially on employer size in 2010. In some cases, it is not clear if an employer is classified as a small or large group, as defined by ACA, so we will be asking those groups for their average annual number of employees.

Beginning Oct. 3, 2011, targeted employer groups that have provided an email address will be sent an email request and additional instructions/information (see the below attached materials). Those that have not provided an email address will be sent a letter about the Blue Access for EmployersSM (BAE) registration process (and Help Desk phone number), and additional information/instructions, including a special call center phone number. The call center is also available to assist brokers with questions specific to this process: 855-756-4438 (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday).

The deadline for providing this information is Nov. 16, 2011.

To assist these targeted employer groups in completing this request, brokers with authorized maintenance access to BAE will be able to input the information through a link on the login page. Targeted employers will also receive information regarding Help Desk phone numbers in the event they have additional questions.”