Given recent industry changes, Agility has valuable resources and guidance from BCBSMI to help agents successfully navigate the ACA Open Enrollment and Medicare Annual Enrollment Periods.
Catastrophic Plan Eligibility
Effective 2026, individuals who do not qualify for federal tax credits are now eligible to enroll in Catastrophic health plans through the hardship exemption pathway.
Enrollment Procedure
All applicants must first apply on the Marketplace to obtain official eligibility determination documentation confirming their qualification for Catastrophic coverage. Upon receiving their eligibility confirmation, members may apply using either of the following channels:
- On Marketplace: Complete enrollment directly through the Marketplace platform.
- Off Marketplace: Complete a paper application and submit it, along with their eligibility results, via email to ibuenrollment@bcbsm.com.
Important Considerations
Applicants applying to Off Marketplace should allow appropriate processing time for application review and enrollment completion. All eligibility documentation must accompany paper submissions to ensure timely processing.
*Please note that all other applications must be submitted electronically.*
HSA Eligibility
All 2026 Bronze and Catastrophic plans are now HSA eligible. This excludes BCBSMI Bronze Plus plans available only off-market.
All other Bronze and Catastrophic plans are HSA-eligible and were purchased both on and off the market.
OFF Market Only Plans
- New 2026 Plus plans offering copays on various benefits before the deductible
- HSA plans offering lower deductibles and a larger spread between the deductible and out-of-pocket max
- Silver Off-Market plans, now named “Silver Secure,” are still available for 2026
Medicare Disenrollment Confirmation Letter Details
BCBSMI recently sent a letter with a heading of:
Notice to Confirm Disenrollment Following Receipt of Transaction Reply Report (DTRR)
to some members enrolled in a plan that will no longer be available in 2026 due to plan cancellation or a reduction in service area.
If your member was enrolled in Essential, Prime Value, or Meijer+ and the plan is no longer offered in the member’s area, or if your member was enrolled in the cancelled plans Part B Credit, Community Value, or Local, this letter confirms the disenrollment from the 2025 plan.
If members are enrolled in a new 2026 plan, this letter can be disregarded; they remain enrolled in their 2026 plan.
The Agility Advantage
With the ongoing evolution of the insurance market, Agility develops success and discipline through our team’s expertise to position you for growth.
With Agility, you get:
- Local market managers who offer regional insight and grassroots intelligence about what’s happening in your markets.
- Dedicated Producer Support at (866) 590-9771 or support@enrollinsurance.com to answer any insurance questions and direct you to our Medicare, ACA, and ancillary experts. They can also add you to our weekly email list for tips and updates.
Let Agility empower you to evolve your capabilities and capture the opportunities in front of you.
