News from the Blues

Feb. 5, 2025

2024 Average Employee Count Data Collection Begins
Applies to small, mid-market, large groups

What you should know: Email solicitation for active and cancelled Fully Insured groups with 15-250 employees begins this week. A letter will be mailed to groups without a valid email address.

The Affordable Care Act set Medical Loss Ratio standards for health insurers. We must report annually on whether the Small or Large Group market coverage we offer meets MLR standards. These standards require us to report annually whether coverage is in the Small or Large Group market segments of a state. Employers are asked to provide their 2024 average employee count so we can classify their coverage for the 2025 MLR reporting year.

Next steps: The Regulatory Data widget on Blue Access for Employers^SM will be available Feb. 5.

BAE^SM is our preferred method of AEC data entry. However, AEC information can also be submitted as a PDF. Groups can call the dedicated phone number below to request the form. Completed forms can be emailed, faxed or mailed to BCBSTX (details are on the form).

The broker (Primary Producer of Record or Delegated Producer with Maintenance Use) can also submit AEC information for their employer groups in BAE.

If a group does not have their account set up in BAE, please encourage them to do so now. 

Get assistance:

• Dedicated phone number for regulatory data assistance: Call 855-804-3635 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. CT.

• BAE Help Desk: Call 888-706-0583 Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. CT, or Saturday between 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. CT.