News Archive
All News
| Title | Issued Date |
|---|---|
2026 - January - Pharmacy Updates From Mona ChitreA Message from Mona Chitre As we enter 2026, we’re reflecting on the progress we made through collaboration and partnership, and we’re looking forward to the exciting developments 2026 has in store for pharmacy care. 2025 Pharmacy Updates - A Year In Review The past... |
January 26, 2026 |
How Small Businesses Can Get The Most Value From Their Health PlanHealth and wellness benefits are an important employee attraction and retention driver for many businesses. With the ongoing rising costs of health care, small businesses are looking for ways to continue offering comprehensive benefits to their teams. Learn how small... |
January 23, 2026 |
Expanding Access To Behavioral Health Care: What Employers Need To KnowThe rapidly growing need for mental health services and the limited availability of service providers has been well-documented. In addition, those same providers are experiencing burnout at higher levels than ever before and many are leaving or limiting their... |
January 23, 2026 |
Excellus BCBS Earns #1 Spot In NY For Medicare Advantage Customer Satisfaction—Three Years RunningFor the third year in a row, Excellus BCBS has been named #1 in New York for Medicare Advantage Plan Customer Satisfaction and Most Trusted by J.D. Power. This wouldn’t have happened without our members, who recognized us for our product and coverage offerings and ease of... |
January 23, 2026 |
Gag Clause Certificate Of Attestation Now AvailableOn December 30, 2025, Excellus BCBS completed the Gag Clause Attestation on behalf of our fully insured and minimum premium groups who have our Rx. A Gag Clause Certificate of Attestation is available to groups, upon request. Please reach out to your Broker or Account... |
January 23, 2026 |
Excel Your Well: January - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsHelp your groups stay engaged and inspired—our monthly webinars offer fresh, practical insights to support our members' health and wellbeing. Monthly flyers are available below to share with your groups. January Topic: "Rewire Your Routine: The Psychology of Building... |
January 23, 2026 |
Preventive Care: Better Health Today, Lower Costs TomorrowPreventive care is one of the simplest ways to support employee health while helping manage long-term costs. In our latest blog, we share four practical ways employers can encourage preventive care—from clear communication to wellness incentives. The best part?... |
January 23, 2026 |
February Wellbeing Tip: Heart DiseaseHeart disease is a broad term for conditions affecting the heart, most commonly Coronary Artery Disease. One of the most serious outcomes of heart disease is a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is severely reduced or blocked. Managing... |
January 23, 2026 |
Season’s Greetings From Our Team To YoursAs the year draws to a close, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation for trusting us with the health and wellbeing of your employees. It’s an honor to partner with you. Wishing you and your team a joyful holiday season! Have a safe and happy holiday! ... |
December 17, 2025 |
Enhancing Our Commitment To Improving The Prior Authorization ProcessIn support of our ongoing mission to help members access quality, affordable health care, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has joined the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Prior Authorization Pledge. The Pledge supports the federal government’s efforts to improve the prior... |
December 17, 2025 |
Rx News - The Future Of Prescription Drugs: 5 Trends Shaping BenefitsPrescription drug costs continue to rise, and many organizations are feeling the pressure. As we look toward 2026, several key trends are reshaping how pharmacy benefits are designed. From specialty drug growth to cost management, these shifts will influence how employers... |
December 17, 2025 |
Updated Forms For Commercial Medical And Healthy New York ProductsUnderwriting has recently updated several forms for our Commercial Medical and Healthy New York (HNY) products. The new group instructions, new group checklist, and new group applications have been updated for our commercial medical and HNY products. HNY recertification... |
December 17, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: December - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsHelp your groups stay engaged and inspired—our monthly webinars offer fresh, practical insights to support our members' health and wellbeing. Monthly flyers are available below to share with your groups. December Topic: "Healthy Holidays: Eat, Drink & Be Mindful"... |
December 17, 2025 |
Save The Date: Upcoming ThriveWell Webinars For Employees!ThriveWell℠, in partnership with Personify Health, is a digital home base dedicated to engaging our members in their health and wellbeing. Through ThriveWell, eligible members have access to a certified health risk assessment, digital health coaching modules, a variety of... |
December 17, 2025 |
January Wellbeing Tip: Building A Healthier YouA new year brings new opportunities to focus on your health and wellbeing. While resolutions can be exciting, they often feel daunting—and it’s easy to get discouraged if things don’t go to plan. To build sustainable behavior change, start small. Bite-sized goals make... |
December 17, 2025 |
Why You’re Paying More For Health Insurance — And What Impacts CostsRising costs and the growing demand for health care — especially for hospital services and prescription drugs — are challenging patients, doctors, businesses, health plans, and the entire health care system. These difficulties are causing higher premiums and higher... |
November 14, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: November - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsHelp your employees stay engaged and inspired—our monthly webinars offer fresh, practical insights to support our members health and wellbeing. Monthly flyers are available below to share with your employees. November Topic: "Diving into Diabetes" November 25:... |
November 14, 2025 |
2026 Wellbeing ResourcesMany members are not aware of the programs, resources, and tools available to them through Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. We want to help close that gap. Below are two resources that describe many of the programs and benefits available to members through their health... |
November 14, 2025 |
December Wellbeing Tip: Healthy Eating During The HolidaysNavigating food choices during the holiday season can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to maintain balance. If you’ve ever felt guilt or anxiety around holiday eating, you’re not alone. Balancing indulgence with intention can be difficult, but there are... |
November 14, 2025 |
ACTION REQUIRED: Multi-Factor Authentication Launching In The Coming Days For Employer Web AccountsTo improve account security, multi-factor authentication (MFA) will be enabled in the coming days. What you can do to prepare for this change: Log into your employer web account and go to Account Settings in the upper right corner. Verify that your email address and... |
October 22, 2025 |
Leadership Announcement: Dr. Martin Stallone To Join Excellus BCBS Executive TeamWe’re pleased to announce that Martin Stallone, M.D. has been appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Healthcare Services Officer for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and its parent company, The Lifetime Healthcare Companies. Dr. Stallone currently serves as CEO of... |
October 22, 2025 |
2025 Gag Clause Attestation Process & Separate Letter NotificationAs part of our ongoing support for the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) gag clause attestation, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) will continue to attest on behalf of our fully insured and minimum premium groups in 2025, unless the group instructs us otherwise. ... |
October 22, 2025 |
2026 Individual Market PlansIf you have an employee who is not eligible for an Employer Group Plan, Medicare or COBRA, we are here to help connect them with Qualified Health Plans (metal level plans), stand-alone dental plans and NY State sponsored Safety Net coverage, including plans for children. ... |
October 22, 2025 |
3 Practical Ways Small Businesses Can Help Manage Rising Health Care CostsAt Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, we understand the pressures small businesses face in today’s economic climate. Rising costs and growing demand for health care - especially for hospital services and prescription drugs – are driving up premiums, making it harder for... |
October 22, 2025 |
Donate Life Registry Question Added To Health Plan ApplicationsA new question regarding the New York State Donate Life Registry has been added to select health plan enrollment forms and online tools. This update is in response to a new state mandate and applies to both paper and digital enrollment processes. This requirement applies... |
October 22, 2025 |
2026 Medicare Star RatingsThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its 2026 Medicare Star Ratings. These ratings measure our plan’s performance in areas such as quality of care provided to our members, clinical outcomes and preventive care, member satisfaction and... |
October 22, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: October - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsWe are excited to host the following upcoming wellbeing webinars, geared toward helping our members learn about various topics that can support and improve their health and wellbeing. Please share the following webinar flyers and registration links with your employees. ... |
October 22, 2025 |
November Wellbeing Tip: DiabetesType 2 diabetes is one of the most common – and preventable – chronic conditions. There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), type 2 accounts for about 90% to 95% of all... |
October 22, 2025 |
Rx News - Watch the Recording: August Pharmacy Webinar Featuring OncoHealthThank you to everyone who joined us live! If you missed it—or want to revisit the insights—the recording is now available. (VIDEO) This session explores how our strategic partnership with OncoHealth is transforming oncology management and delivering real value to our... |
October 22, 2025 |
2026 Annual Rate Notices Being MailedThe New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has finalized the 2026 rate adjustments for the following products: Small Group Individual Large Group HMO Medicare Supplement Annual Rate Notices (ARNs) will be mailed to groups by the end of October. ... |
October 21, 2025 |
ANSI Submission DeadlineAs we prepare for the upcoming Open Enrollment season, we want to ensure a smooth experience for your organization and employees. To help us manage volume and maintain service quality, we ask that all ANSI file implementation requests be submitted no later than September... |
September 29, 2025 |
Legislative Updates – September 2025With Federal officials back from their summer recess, we’re closely monitoring upcoming budget and policy negotiations and awaiting further guidance on recently enacted legislation. Attached are some key highlights we believe you’ll find relevant and informative. As... |
September 29, 2025 |
Formulary Updates - EmployerWith the rising costs of health care, we are committed more than ever to identifying opportunities for group savings. We also know it is our responsibility to balance quality and cost of care while offering access to the treatments our members need to get and stay... |
September 29, 2025 |
ACTION REQUIRED: How To Prepare For Multi-factor AuthenticationAs previously communicated, multi-factor authentication (MFA) will soon be required to access your Excellus BlueCross BlueShield employer web account. This added layer of security helps protect your data and ensures safe access. MFA is scheduled to launch for brokers and... |
September 25, 2025 |
Introducing Teledermatology – Powered By MDLIVE®We are proud to partner with MDLIVE to offer convenient telemedicine services for Acute Medical and Behavioral Health needs. Starting January 1, 2026, we’re expanding this partnership to include Teledermatology services—bringing even more care options to our members,... |
September 25, 2025 |
Request For Missing Social Security NumbersUnder the Affordable Care Act, the Internal Revenue Service requires health insurers to request missing subscriber and dependent Social Security numbers from their members. In September, we will send Social Security number request letters to individuals who had health... |
September 25, 2025 |
Last Chance to Register: Making the Most of Your Health Plan for Small Groups!Many Small Group members are not aware of the various programs, resources and tools available through their Excellus BlueCross BlueShield membership. We want to help close that gap. That’s why we are hosting a live “Making the Most of Your Health Plan” webinar for our... |
September 25, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: September - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsWe are excited to host the following upcoming wellbeing webinars, geared toward helping our members learn about various topics that can support and improve their health and wellbeing. Please share the following webinar flyers and registration links with your employees. ... |
September 25, 2025 |
A Message From Medical Governance And Healthcare EngagementAs we progress through 2025 and into 2026, we’re pleased to share our collective efforts to engage members, enhance outcomes, and expand services for all stakeholders. As we navigate a fast-changing healthcare landscape, our commitment remains rooted in the people we... |
September 25, 2025 |
The Power Of Communication: Maximizing Employee Engagement In Your Workplace Wellness ProgramYou have 2.7 seconds to catch someone’s attention with your message. So, if you want your employees engaged in your workplace wellbeing program, it is critical to have an effective communication strategy. Clear, consistent, and engaging messaging helps build awareness,... |
September 25, 2025 |
October Wellbeing Tip: Menopause & Midlife WellnessMost women experience menopause between ages 45 and 55. Whether you’re approaching menopause, currently experiencing it, or have already gone through it, this stage of life often aligns with other significant life transitions. You may be expecting or raising a new child,... |
September 25, 2025 |
Small Group Rates And Plans For 2026 Are Now AvailableAt Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, we recognize the pressures small businesses face in today’s evolving health care landscape. Rising costs, coverage changes, and provider shortages can make it difficult to feel confident in your choices. We understand how challenging this... |
September 15, 2025 |
REMINDER: Multi-factor Authentication Coming Soon For Employer Web PortalStarting in September, we will be enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) for our employer portal. Implementing MFA will not only prevent cyber threats and weaknesses for our company, but it will also protect your information and data within the web portal. It is also... |
August 20, 2025 |
Legislative Updates - One Big Beautiful Bill ActOn July 4th, 2025, following months of Congressional negotiations, President Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into law. Included in the wide range of domestic policy priorities are sweeping changes to the overall healthcare landscape. The attached PDF... |
August 20, 2025 |
Rx News - REMINDER: Register For Our August Pharmacy Webinar Featuring Our Oncology Management PartnerTopic: Beyond the Buzz: The power of partnership with OncoHealth Date: August 26, 2025 Time: 2:00 – 2:40 p.m. ET This is your opportunity to explore how a strategic partnership is transforming oncology management and delivering real value to your business and employees. ... |
August 20, 2025 |
New Community Rated Subgroup ApplicationSmall group underwriting has a new community rated subgroup application available for groups looking to combine related businesses under one plan. This should allow for greater ease in capturing the required information for each related business. The new form is available... |
August 20, 2025 |
Excel Your Well: August - Join Us For Our Upcoming Wellbeing WebinarsWe are excited to host the following upcoming wellbeing webinars, geared toward helping our members learn about various topics that can support and improve their health and wellbeing. Please share the following webinar flyers and registration links with your employees. ... |
August 20, 2025 |
Attention Small Groups, Upcoming Member Webinar – Making The Most Of Your Health Plan!Looking to educate your Small Group employees on the benefits, tools and resources available through Excellus BlueCross BlueShield?* Encourage employees to register and attend this upcoming live webinar* to: Explore the Excellus BCBS website and mobile application... |
August 20, 2025 |
September Wellbeing Tip: Mental Health And Substance Use DisordersA substance use disorder (SUD) is a medical condition (not a character flaw) that affects both the brain and behavior. It can impact people of all ages and walks of life. Individuals with a SUD may struggle with work and relationships, lose interest in activities they... |
August 20, 2025 |
2025 - August - Pharmacy Updates From Mona ChitreA Message from Mona Chitre As we move through 2025, I want to take a moment to reflect on the work we’re doing together to support access to care and improve health outcomes. We take the trust you place in us seriously. From simplifying our processes to navigating the... |
August 6, 2025 |
