Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Cigna Acquisition FAQs
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Cigna Acquisition FAQs
The article below contains a few frequently asked questions regarding the Blue Cross Blue Shield of IL (BCBSIL) acquisition of Cigna.
To see additional questions, please click here to view the original document sent by BCBSIL.
General Questions
How will plans be sold for 2025?
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and Cigna will continue to sell Medicare plans under their respective brands for the 2025 plan year.
If my customer is enrolled in a Cigna Medicare plan for the 2025 plan year, what will happen to that plan when the transaction closes? Will the customer automatically be transitioned to a BCBSIL plan?
Customers will remain enrolled in and covered by their existing Cigna plan upon the close of the transaction in 2025 for the duration of the 2025 plan year. There will be no changes to plan benefits or premiums in plan year 2025.
Will the closing trigger a special election period (SEP) for my customers (Individual Medicare) and Employer Group Waiver Plan (EGWP) clients (Group Medicare)?
No, an SEP will not be triggered. They will remain on their existing plan and coverage, which will transition to BCBSIL at time of close.
After close, will the company of which BCBSIL is a division offer plans – Medicare Advantage, Supplemental Benefits or PDP – in markets where Cigna Medicare operates today, but it currently does not?
Yes, Cigna Medicare plans will continue to be offered in their current service areas. Information will be provided in the future on how to become contracted to sell Cigna products.
How is this going to work since Cigna is in more states than the company of which BCBSIL is a division?
No immediate change will take place. Any adjustments will be communicated in advance.
Will members get new insurance cards?
On day one, members will continue using their current insurance cards. Any changes will be communicated in advance.
When will I learn more about what will happen post-close?
BCBSIL is in the integration process. We are working together to ensure a smooth experience for all our stakeholders, and we are committed to keeping you informed.
Agent & Broker Support
Will there be any changes to broker support services or resources?
We expect all support services and resources to remain separate and consistent in the near term, including your current points of contact at BCBSIL and Cigna.
For those markets where Cigna Healthcare and BCBSIL, BCBSMT, BCBSNM, BCBSOK, and BCBSTX products are available, who will be my contact?
You will continue to use your respective contacts for each product. If there is any change, BCBSIL will inform you with plenty of notice.
I sell both BCBSIL and Cigna plans, should I expect anything different within my workflow?
You should expect your workflows to continue unchanged, with two distinct workflows for BCBSIL and Cigna.
I am new to selling BCBSIL or Cigna plans, how do I sign up to sell BCBSIL and/or Cigna products?
BCBSIL and Cigna sign-ups will continue to remain separate. You may sign up with BCBSIL, Cigna, or both. We will keep you informed of the process and opportunity to become credentialed and contracted.
Will we remain agents of record?
We are not expecting changes to the agents of record as a result of the transaction.
How will Cigna - Producer Service Center Transition to BCBSIL support for online and 800 service work?
On day one, current support structures will remain in place. Any future transitions will be communicated well in advance.
How will my existing client base be protected? How will the broker or agent be protected?
Your existing client base and broker/agent relationships will remain intact. No immediate changes will occur.
What system will we use to do enrollments?
On day one, there will be no change—BCBSIL enrollment will be done on BCBSIL systems
and Cigna product enrollment will use Cigna systems and platforms.
What does this mean in terms of marketing Cigna Products?
There will be no immediate changes to Cigna product marketing. Any updates will be provided well in advance.
What happens to my current book of business (BOB) with Cigna clients? When will a change be made if there's going to be a change?
Your BOB remains unchanged on day one. Any adjustments will be phased in gradually.
Will agent hierarchy change? I am contracted with both entities; which hierarchy should I use?
At this time, there is no plan to change agent hierarchy. Continue using the hierarchy for the product you are selling. For example, if BCBSIL you are under upline A and with Cigna you are under upline B. You should work with upline A when selling BCBSIL. Any hierarchy changes will be evaluated at a later date and communicated in advance.
Member Communication
What is the member communication timeframe? Can we (broker or agents) receive updates before notification is sent to our clients?
Brokers/agents will be informed first before any client communications. No immediate client notifications are planned.
What messages are planned to go to customers?
Communications about the close of the acquisition will be provided to customers/members as needed, and will be available on our websites and in member newsletters.
What is the impact to my Cigna Healthcare customers?
For your Cigna Healthcare customers, there are no changes at this time: same plans – including member ID, benefits, and network structure, tools, and customer service team.
Member service changes—contact information remain the same?
No changes to member service contact information on day one. Any future updates will be clearly communicated.
Members will ask—Can I keep my doctor during the transition?
Yes, provider networks remain unchanged on day one. Any future network changes will be communicated.
Members will ask—Do I still contact my existing agent/broker for service-related issues? My existing client's broker/agent protected?
Yes, members should continue contacting their current agent/broker. No immediate changes are planned.
Members will ask—Do I still contact my existing agent/broker for service-related issues? My existing client's broker/agent protected?
Yes, members should continue contacting their current agent/broker. No immediate changes are planned.
Network
Will there be any network change for 2025 plan year?
BCBSIL is not expecting any changes to your network for the 2025 plan year as a result of the transition. As always, network changes may occur as part of regular business operations.
Which network will remain or will there be joining of providers between the two?
There will be no immediate changes to provider networks. Any integrations will be handled gradually.
How will drug plans be affected?
There will be no immediate changes to drug plans. Any adjustments will be clearly communicated.
For more information, please see the original FAQ sheet sent by BCBSIL, or call us today at (800) 689-2800!
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