My Insurance Info is Not Correct!

When insurance companies, such as Blue Cross, change their software or platforms, RENEW your existing insurance policy, move you to a new plan, or do anything; it can create a scenario similar to changing insurance providers. This often results in a “health insurance blackout period,” which I discuss in more detail [HERE]. During this period, there is a lag between when insurance changes are supposed to take effect and when those changes are fully updated in the insurance company’s systems.  Also keep in mind, invoices for the next month are generated about 25 days in advance, so most likely you will NOT see any changes you requested in a timely or comfortable manner.

This situation can cause significant concern, often carrying a lot of emotional weight, as things appear incorrect. I have written about how insurance companies operate on a “retroactive” basis [HERE], which can be frustrating given the critical importance of health insurance to many people. Unfortunately, we are often subject to the insurance company’s timelines when implementing these changes.

Generally, it is reasonable to expect updates to appear in the system within 7-8 days into the new month. However, as I discuss in the “New to Group Health Insurance” article, this process can sometimes take up to 21 days. Timelines can vary depending on the insurance company and the type of coverage, but 7-8 days is typically a reasonable expectation.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

Keep notes in your task management software or calendar. Check back with us 7-10 day before the effective date if you’d like. And lastly, the change should definately appear on the NEXT invoice.  That is the first red flag, the change has NOT appeared on the invoice when plenty of time has passed for the change to process. If that happens, contact us immediately and we’ll take care of it.