Case Study
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee®
Improved Productivity & Compliance with Online Certified Mail® System
Background:
For more than 60 years, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) has been centered on the health and well being of Tennesseans. Today, more than 2 million people across the state turn to them for health plan coverage and insurance products. And more than 5 million people nationwide benefit from the services they provide. As healthcare continues to transform, BCBST is redefining the role of a health plan to do more than just pay claims.
Certified Mailing Solutions, Inc (CMSI) based in Birmingham, AL is a software company that provides online Certified Mail® fulfillment services. Their online system, which creates, sends and tracks Certified Mail®, helps streamline the entire process. Their innovative solution helps businesses save time with no trips to the Post Office, avoid errors, and achieve faster access to records.
Situation:
Certified Mail® is a vital tool in the healthcare industry for confirming delivery of contracts, claim disputes, and critical information to providers. BCBST’s mailing needs include but are not limited to:
- Certified mailing of time sensitive legal contract documents up to 30,000 at a time
- Quarterly development and Certified mailing of approximately 20,000 informational CD’s
As is the case with many healthcare companies who struggle with compliance and management issues associated with Certified Mail®, BCBST was having their share of problems with their current process and vendor. One of the biggest issues for BCBST was dealing with tracking of their Certified Mail® and manually filing the return receipts, also known as “green cards”. Even a bigger problem was they did not always receive the cards. “We had to resend about 25% of all Certified Mail® due to the failure of postal carriers to return the traditional green receipt cards. This was more than just expensive, due to the overall cost of Certified Mail®, but was causing duplication of work and slowing down our processes. Other problems were trying to stay compliant with State requirements by keeping track of the mailings delivered and maintaining records for the required amount of time.” says Brady Steele, Provider Contract and Data Management.
Solution:
To help improve productivity & compliance of their Certified Mail® process, BCBST integrated with CMSI’s online mail system which is 100% U.S. Postal Service compliant. BCBST is now leveraging this solution to help improve productivity & compliance of their Certified Mail® process. By accessing CMSI’s system via the Internet, BCBST can now send all their Certified Mail® directly online. Once entered into the USPS mailstream, each letter is tracked and updated on a daily basis. CMSI was also able to help BCBST cut cost be replacing the information CD inserted into the letter with a hyperlink and QR code.
The Post Office’s green cards are replaced with CMSI’s proprietary & patented Electronic Return Receipts (ERR)™. This revolutionary mail receipt system allows for the receipt of mail to be electronically available online (1) day after delivery. All tracking data, USPS reports, ERRs™, and eSignatures are stored indefinitely in one secure portal and kept active for 10 years.
Benefits:
Since the integration 2 years ago this is what Brady Steele had to say about the benefits of using CMSI’s online Certified Mail® solution: “As the State of Tennessee’s largest health benefit plan and servicing more than 5 million people nationwide, we need a company we can depend on and trust to not only meet our crucial deadlines, but meet them with the highest levels of industry standards for business practices, confidentiality, compliance and professionalism. CMSI manages to meet these and provide an unprecedented cost savings. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee estimates $374,000 saved annually and is immensely pleased with the services provided by Certified Mailing Solutions, Inc. Over the years we have worked with many different mailing vendors for multiple needs. Of those, only CMSI has been able to understand and meet all of our needs inclusively with superior results.”
The following trademark is owned by the United States Postal Service®: Certified Mail®
The following trademark is owned by Certified Mailing Solutions, Inc: ERR™
