Is Your Carrier's March 31st OEP Deadline FIRM?

[AllenChicago]

Did you HCSC/BCBS agents see the newsletter yesterday announcing the cutoff times for receiving applications next Monday? (10:59pm CDT for Exchange / 11:59pm CDT off-exchange). I'd paste it here, but grid formats don't hold together well in the forum.

BCBS-IL doesn't care if an applicant hasn't finished the application. If it's not in the system by the end of Open Enrollment, they'll have to purchase elsewhere.

Are there other companies telling HHS-Sebelius to SHOVE IT and shutting down acceptance of Applications at the end of the day on March 31st? No hardship extensions. They want this OEP to End.
-allen

 

[Yagents]

If you are ON exchange, you don't have a choice. I'm sure that was drafted before the pen and phone was whipped out.

 

[AllenChicago]

If you are ON exchange, you don't have a choice. I'm sure that was drafted before the pen and phone was whipped out.

Here's a pasted excerpt from the letter:

"•If users select the "continue to application" button prior to the deadline, they will be able to finish their applications during that session.
•After the deadline, the "continue to application" button will be de-activated. Users still in the quoting process will not be able to enroll.
•If users create Retail Shopping Cart accounts and save plans, that information will be stored and accessible to users even after April 1. However, if users begin applications and save them to complete at a later date, that application information will be removed on April 1.
•On April 1, we will begin to transition our Retail Shopping Cart from the Open Enrollment application process to the Special Enrollment application process."


At the end of the BCBS letter was a little hyperlink to the official CMS document explaining how applicants will be able to check a box and continue an application at HC.gov, but there is no deadline for completing the subsidy app and applying for a plan. Essentially, the new CMS guidelines did away with the deadline limits and planned website functionality changes that were detailed in the BCBS letter.

I read earlier this week that some carriers are now fed-up with the off-the-cuff changes spit out by the Obama Administration. They're no longer being notified in advance, and will not comply unless they're given advance notification.

 

[RayNY]

Americans have had 6 full months to complete something that takes 1-2 hours.

I'm sorry, but if you can't get it done in 6 months, a few extra minutes or days is not something you are entitled to.

Going to be one heck of a show when it's half as long next year.

 

[Yagents]

Here's a pasted excerpt from the letter:

"•If users select the "continue to application" button prior to the deadline, they will be able to finish their applications during that session.
•After the deadline, the "continue to application" button will be de-activated. Users still in the quoting process will not be able to enroll.
•If users create Retail Shopping Cart accounts and save plans, that information will be stored and accessible to users even after April 1. However, if users begin applications and save them to complete at a later date, that application information will be removed on April 1.
•On April 1, we will begin to transition our Retail Shopping Cart from the Open Enrollment application process to the Special Enrollment application process."


At the end of the BCBS letter was a little hyperlink to the official CMS document explaining how applicants will be able to check a box and continue an application at HC.gov, but there is no deadline for completing the subsidy app and applying for a plan. Essentially, the new CMS guidelines did away with the deadline limits and planned website functionality changes that were detailed in the BCBS letter.

I read earlier this week that some carriers are now fed-up with the off-the-cuff changes spit out by the Obama Administration. They're no longer being notified in advance, and will not comply unless they're given advance notification.

Allen, this is through the carrier direct method, and yes those will be shut off. I'm speaking of biz through HC.gov, they will still have to accept those apps.

 

[AllenChicago]

Allen, this is through the carrier direct method, and yes those will be shut off. I'm speaking of biz through HC.gov, they will still have to accept those apps.

That's too bad. I used the HC.gov enrollment path/method 1 time in late February, out of necessity. Govt messed up the billing amounts. Still in the repair stage. Thankfully SEP enrollments will still be able to go the carrier direct route with our BCBS.

 

[LGilmore]

"Americans have had 6 full months to complete something that takes 1-2 hours. "

Ray? that's with the assumption the system is working. I stopped actively doing individual health apps through the exchange because the few I did were taking about 20 hours total time and about a week to get in.

I still have to change my password every time I log in.

Outside of the exchange.. five minutes...

Still haven't seen a dime of commission either.

WA has it own system and it breaks just about every day.

 

[kgmom219]

What I took from this email (and the CMS email) is that anything online will be turned off on March 31. And I love how they specified the time zone. If you fall into the "I tried, but couldn't get it done" category, you better plan on calling healthcare.gov. At least if you are on HCSC customer.

I sent emails to those people. I'm now scheduling by the hour on Saturday and praying that I don't have to extend it to Sunday.

On the plus side, I did 8 this morning through healthcare.gov without a glitch. So I am hoping tomorrow the site will work just as well.

(But only because Bill posted about the clear the cache thingy. I forgot once this morning and got caught in the loop)