Important News

Back to Index

New Requirements for Group Size and Employer Tax ID

Dear BCBSNC Group Administrators,

Federal law (Section 111 of the Medicare Modernization and SCHIP Extension Act) requires the following:

Employer Tax ID Numbers (EIN)
BCBSNC must collect and provide to CMS the EINs for all employer groups reported.
For multiple-employer groups, we will need an EIN for each group within it.

Group size
BCBSNC must collect, maintain and report on the group size for each group, and for each group within a multiple-employer group. CMS defines group size as the total employee population (full-time, part-time, etc.), not just those eligible for insurance benefits.

To obtain the required information, we will be using The Rawlings Company to collect this information from our groups. The Rawlings Company will begin mailing questionnaires to our groups on Monday May 11^th. If we do not receive a response from a group within 30 days, a follow-up questionnaire will be sent. A third request letter will be sent if no response is received in 30 days.

To ensure our full compliance with Section 111, we need groups to complete the questionnaire even if their coverage with us has ended.

See below for samples of the questionnaire and letters.

If you have questions regarding Group Size and Tax ID requirements, please contact your BCBSNC representative.

Thank you.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
Your Plan for Better Health.

Attachments:

• employer_group_questionnaire.pdf
• 1st_request_letter.pdf
• 2nd_request_letter.pdf
• 3rd_request_letter.pdf