Score Score big big this this year with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield s Grand Slam and even more on Tonik and RightPlan PPO 40 sales!

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1 INDIVIDUAL AND SMALL GROUP BUSINESS NEWS FOR COLORADO AGENTS JULY 2006 Score Score big big this this year with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield s Grand Slam Slam Individual Individual bonus bonus program. program. Earn bonuses Earn bonuses of up to up $60 to $60 per member per member on on sales sales of of Individual Individual health health plans with effective dates between May May 1 1 and and December December 31, 31, and even more on Tonik and RightPlan PPO 40 sales! BeneFits: A New Health Plan Portfolio for Uninsured Small Businesses Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is pleased to introduce BeneFits, a new health plan portfolio for uninsured small group employers in Colorado available now for immediate sale! Our BeneFits portfolio is designed for small business owners who don t currently offer health insurance to their employees or who are considering dropping employee coverage due to cost. In Colorado, where small firms account for 98 percent of all employers, more than 110,000 businesses with 1-50 employees don t offer health insurance. BeneFits can help you tap into the uninsured market and achieve significant sales growth. The portfolio features five plans priced right for cost-sensitive groups nearly 30 percent lower than our previous lowest-cost Small Group plan. BeneFits has lower minimum employer contribution levels as low as 25 percent or $50 per employee. BeneFits has a lower employee participation requirement of 60 percent. Employers choose how many BeneFits plans to offer: just one, any combination or all five plans. At the heart of the portfolio are three new PPO plan options Hospital BeneFits, Hospital BeneFits Plus and Make More Money! Hospital BeneFits Preferred that feature comprehensive hospital coverage, generic drug copayments, a $6 million lifetime maximum and more. We ve developed simple, engaging sales materials for BeneFits, including a colorful sales brochure and an employee application with only five health questions. Special savings may be available for qualifying groups when dental and/or life coverage is purchased with health coverage. Please note: BeneFits is entirely separate from EmployeeElect, our other portfolio with enhanced choice and flexibility for small group employers. Employers can t offer plans from both portfolios side-by-side. You can count on strong sales support from your regional sales manager and our agent support team. For questions about BeneFits, for Small Group quotes, to order our new BeneFits brochure or other sales materials, or to provide any other help you may need, please call agent support today. HMOSelect TM Network Expansion Coming Soon Our HMOSelect provider network is expanding later this year to include Elbert, El Paso and Teller counties in the Colorado Springs area. This expansion will enhance our EmployeeElect and BeneFits Small Group product offerings in these areas. HMOSelect is our suite of lower-cost HMO health plans with a select network of Centura facilities and other key health care providers. The HMOSelect network currently includes more than 2,000 providers in the seven-county Denver metro area. Watch for more details coming soon. New Agent Tools to Make It Easy to Do Business with Us We re enhancing our tools to help you sell more and save time. Our Agent Assistant software provides the latest rates and sales collateral for our Individual products, as well as letter templates and contact database tools. Our new AgentServices website brings you instant access to your Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield book of business. Today, you can view real-time status of your Individual applications. Later this summer, you ll be able to see your entire book of Individual and Small Group business, commission statements, billing status and more. We re also enhancing our Individual online application process to make it easier for your customers to find the right plan to meet their needs. Stay tuned! 2007 Top Producers Conference: See You at the Top Be one of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield s top producers in 2006, and you ll enjoy a 2007 vacation in beautiful Lanai, Hawaii! We ll also host a Sales Academy at La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California, that will offer a blend of entertainment, networking and interactive learning activities for our high producers. The qualification period began February 1, 2006, and ends January 31, 2007, so the time to sell is now!

2 Craig German Sell Specialty Products for Small Group Premium Discounts Have you been wondering how the sales incentives work for bundling Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield s EmployeeElect plans with our specialty products? Use the guide below to help you decide if the incentives apply to your small group clients. New business: Sell $25,000+ in life coverage along with health, and get a 1 percent health premium discount. New business: Sell $25,000+ in life coverage along with dental and health, and get a 1 percent health premium discount, plus a 6 percent discount on the life and dental premiums. New business: Sell $25,000+ in life coverage along with dental, and get a 6 percent discount on the life and dental premiums. Existing health only: Sell $25,000+ in life coverage along with dental, and get a 6 percent discount on the life and dental premiums (but no 1 percent discount on the existing health). Existing health and $25,000+ in life insurance: Sell dental, and get a 6 percent discount on the dental premium (but no 6 percent discount on the existing life or 1 percent discount on the existing health). Existing health and dental: Sell $25,000+ in life coverage, and get a 6 percent discount on the life premium (but no 6 percent discount on the existing dental or 1 percent discount on the existing health). Existing $25,000+ in life insurance only: Sell dental, and get a 6 percent discount on the dental premium (but no 6 percent discount on the existing life). Craig German Region 2: Metro Denver West and South Craig.German@anthem.com Existing dental only: Sell $25,000+ in life coverage, and get a 6 percent discount on the life premium (but no 6 percent discount on the existing dental). Existing $25,000+ in life coverage and dental: Sell health, and get a quality product with outstanding service (but no discounts). BeneFits Is Now Available! New health care plans that target the uninsured small group market Combines three new products with two EmployeeElect plans Lower employee participation requirements Lower employer contribution requirements To find out more, please join me for the July 11 seminar. BeneFits Blue Shield s new BeneFits portfolio, designed especially for uninsured small businesses. Date: July 11, 2006 New Individual Products Blue Shield s new Individual products, including RightPlan PPO 40. Date: August 8, 2006 Date: August 21, 2006

3 Donna Wilson RightPlan PPO 40 It s All About Choice In addition to our current Individual product portfolio for your clients, we re pleased to introduce RightPlan PPO 40 three new plans designed for a range of life stages and priorities that allow for immediate benefits without a medical deductible. RightPlan PPO 40 is all about choices, with a $40 copayment for doctor s office visits and three levels of prescription coverage. Individual Bonus Program Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield s 2006 Grand Slam Individual bonus program is here! Earn money on health plan sales to individuals who are new to Anthem with effective dates between May 1 and December 31, You must sell a minimum of 10 new Individual members in a month to qualify. Bonuses on qualified sales are as follows: Sell new Individual health members in a month and earn $30 per member. Sell new Individual health members in a month and earn $50 per member. Sell 60+ new Individual health members in a month and earn $60 per member. Tonik and RightPlan PPO 40 sales earn an additional $10 per member. Ask me for details about how you can increase your compensation through this new program. Reminders Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield accepts Small Group (2-50 lives) applications up to the last day of the month for an effective date on the first of the next month. We accept business group of one applications up to the 10th of the month for an effective date on the first of the next month. For quicker application processing, please submit new groups to our underwriting department, rather than to our sales support unit. The address is Donna Wilson Region 1: Colorado South Donna.M.Wilson@anthem.com Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Small Group Underwriting, P.O. Box , Denver, CO To help us process renewal changes, continuations, etc., more quickly, please send them to our membership department, rather than to our sales support unit. That address is Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Small Group Membership, P.O. Box , Denver, CO SpecialOffers@Anthem Have you checked out the exclusive special offers recently that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield makes available to our members? This program offers ways for members to improve their health, along with savings opportunities on gifts for everyone in their life. From books to flowers to health and beauty products, members will be surprised at what they ll find. Take some time now to explore SpecialOffers@Anthem by clicking the link at anthem.com. Don t Forget About Our Online Tools Our ehealth tools and resources can help your clients manage their health care activities and expenses and become more informed about their health care options. Through MyAnthem SM, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield s personalized website, members have quick and easy access to claims, benefits, and customized health and wellness information all in one convenient place. MyAnthem allows members to: Check eligibility, claims and benefits; use the Healthcare Advisor TM to learn about health conditions and medical procedures and to select a hospital; order a replacement health plan ID card; select or change their PCP; and review the list of drugs on our formulary all through MyServices. Search our online directory for a provider or pharmacy through MyProviders. Find health and wellness information through MyHealth. Look for health-related merchandise discounts through MySpecialOffers. July Seminars Introducing RightPlan PPO 40 and Earn One CE Credit for HIPAA Blue Shield s three new RightPlan PPO 40 Individual health plans, plus earn one continuing education credit for HIPAA. Date: July 21, 2006 Location: Marriott South Denver Park Meadows Drive Littleton, Colorado Date: July 25, 2006 Location: Pueblo Convention Center 320 Central Main Street Pueblo, Colorado Date: July 27, 2006 Location: Wyndham Hotel 5580 Tech Center Drive Colorado Springs, Colorado None are scheduled at this time.

4 Rob Kosick Avoid Processing Delays on Small Group Submissions When submitting Small Group applications, please ensure they are complete to avoid processing delays. Information that s commonly missing with employer applications: The UITR is not reconciled completely. For example, when an employee is listed as a new employee, the reason for ineligibility must be provided, or when an employee is listed as part-time with $25,000 in wages for the quarter, an hourly/wage breakdown is required. The owner eligibility statement from a CPA is not submitted when it s required, i.e., when the owner is not on the UITR or if the group needs to submit an eligibility statement from a CPA rather than the applicable Schedule C or K. Waivers aren t fully completed, e.g., if the group offers multiple products and only one product is checked, the reasons are often omitted or incomplete. If coverage is being waived because the employee or a dependent has other coverage, the name of the carrier and the ID number are required. Prior carrier bills aren t provided or only the cover sheet is submitted. The last bill from the prior carrier is required so we know who was covered. Groups of 10+ don t indicate whether they want age or composite rates. Information that s commonly omitted on employee applications: Date of birth, date of hire, hours worked and salary On health statements, the prescription name and dosage information is omitted. Stating on blood pressure meds is not sufficient. Rob Kosick Region 3: Metro Denver East and North Rob.Kosick@anthem.com Help Us Help You! When you receive final rates for a small group from underwriting, please have the group sign the sheet and return it to underwriting within two business days to help ensure the proposed effective date. After underwriting approves a group, you ll receive an approval letter via within three business days. Please don t call underwriting for your group number unless more than three business days have passed after submitting your final rates. Avoid the bottleneck! Submit your Small Group business before the end of the month. Additional Ways to Contact Us Below are additional addresses to use when you have questions or need help resolving an issue related to your Individual and Small Group (ISG) clients: For any ISG question or issue: ISGSalesSupport@anthem.com For Individual membership/billing questions and issues: anthemwestindmembers@anthem.com For Individual underwriting (prescreens, issues, status, etc.): anthemwestunderwriting@anthem.com. For Small Group quotes: isgquotes@anthem.com For Small Group membership: sg@anthem.com BeneFits Blue Shield s new BeneFits portfolio, designed especially for uninsured small businesses. Date: July 11, 2006 New Individual Products Blue Shield s new Individual products, including RightPlan PPO 40. Date: August 8, 2006 Date: August 21, 2006

5 Tammy Banich BeneFits Is Now Available! Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield s new BeneFits portfolio is designed especially for uninsured small businesses. This new package throws out the old rules to give small businesses more room to control monthly costs, making health care coverage more affordable than ever. We ve carefully designed the five BeneFits plans with the lowest possible rates and have cut employer contribution requirements in half. For each employee each month, the employer can contribute 25 percent or more (in 5 percent increments) or $50 or more (in $5 increments). Plus, we lowered employee participation to 60 percent. BeneFits makes it easier then ever for your small group clients to offer coverage to their employees. Persistence Will Get You Everywhere Call on good prospects as many times as it takes to sell them. About 80 percent of sales are made on the fifth call or later, yet studies have shown: Up to 50 percent of America s salespeople call on a prospect just one time, then quit. Eighteen percent call on a prospect twice, and then give up. Seven percent call three times, and then call it quits. Five percent call on a prospect four times before quitting. Only 20 percent call on a prospect five or more times before they quit. Tammy Banich Region 7: Outlying Areas Tammy.Banich@anthem.com Here s what is interesting: It s that 20 percent who close 80 percent of the sales in America! You don t have to be a dynamic personality to sell. You don t have to put pressure on prospects or out-talk other salespeople to sell. The most effective thing you can do is to apply your own selling savvy, which adds strength to your persuasion, and then just keep selling! Introducing RightPlan PPO 40 and Earn One CE Credit for HIPAA Blue Shield s three new RightPlan PPO 40 Individual health plans, plus earn one continuing education credit for HIPAA. Date: July 21, 2006 Location: Marriott South Denver Park Meadows Drive Littleton, Colorado Date: July 25, 2006 Location: Pueblo Convention Center 320 Central Main Street Pueblo, Colorado Date: July 27, 2006 Location: Wyndham Hotel 5580 Tech Center Drive Colorado Springs, Colorado None are scheduled at this time.

6 Troy Muckerheide Renewal Reminder Please remember that small groups currently on a plan we ll be discontinuing (everything but our PPO A, F, I and J plans) will automatically be mapped at renewal to the EmployeeElect plan that most closely matches their current plan. These groups also may choose any plan or plans in our EmployeeElect product portfolio. Blue MedicareRx SM Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has contracted with Medicare to provide three Medicare prescription drug plans, effective January 1, These plans are designed to fit different needs and budgets so your clients have more options. For more information, go to bmedicarerx.com, select Colorado from the state drop-down menu and click Enter. SpecialOffers@Anthem Have you checked out the exclusive special offers recently that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield makes available to our members? This program offers ways for members to improve their health, along with savings opportunities on gifts for everyone in their life. From books to flowers to health and beauty products, members will be surprised at what they ll find. Take some time now to explore SpecialOffers@Anthem by clicking the link at anthem.com. Troy Muckerheide Region 4: Colorado North Troy.Muckerheide@anthem.com BeneFits Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield introduces BeneFits, a new solution designed especially for Colorado s uninsured small businesses: Five targeted plans priced right for costsensitive groups Lower employer contribution levels as low as 25 percent or $50 per employee Lower employee participation requirement reduced to 60 percent Please join me Thursday, July 13, to learn more about this exciting new health plan portfolio. I look forward to seeing you there! Date: July 13, 2006 Location: The Ranch Country Club Tejon Street Westminster, Colorado Agent Assistant Software/New BeneFits Small Group Product Portfolio Please join me Wednesday, July 19, for a live demo of the Agent Assistant quoting and database management software. This free CD will provide you with a way to track your Individual sales from start to finish. It also provides an instant quoting and proposal generation tool and contains all the forms you need to help with your Individual business sales. This seminar will also include an introduction to BeneFits, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield s new Small Group portfolio designed especially for Colorado s uninsured small businesses: Five targeted plans priced right for costsensitive groups Lower employer contribution levels as low as 25 percent or $50 per employee Lower employee participation requirement reduced to 60 percent Date: July 19, 2006 Location: Morgan County Community College 920 Barlow Road Fort Morgan, Colorado None are scheduled at this time.