The Broker Beat

Keeping a pulse on Essence news and resources

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Save $50 on AHIP Certification

AHIP is required for all producers—including agency principals—to be ready to sell with Essence Healthcare. Complete it early using our discount link, which includes up to 3 test attempts.

Get Started

Costco Now Accepts the Essence Flex Card

Members can now use their Flex Card at Costco for vision, hearing and OTC items (if included in their plan).

Key details:

  • A PIN is required. Members must call WEX at 833-647-9633 to set it up.
  • For OTC items, members can use the Essence Flex Spend app to scan products for eligibility.

Essence Customer Service is available to help with any questions.

Get a head start on AEP 2026!

Join us at your local rollout event to connect with fellow agents, review plan updates, and prepare for the upcoming season.

Look for your market’s dates and locations listed in the Mark Your Calendar section.

Introducing the Essence Broker Appreciation Program

Essence Broker Appreciation Program Starts June 1.

We’re celebrating the hard work you put into every application this summer with exciting raffles June–August! Explore the highlights of this new program today.

See Program Details

Support Available for Those Impacted by Recent Storms

To all affected by the recent storms in Kentucky and the St. Louis area, our thoughts are with you. If your members need help accessing care, filling prescriptions, or have other needs, please reach out to your producer support team at 1-877-259-8657—we’re here to help.

Essence Enrollment Just Got Easier!

We’ve added new tools and partnerships to simplify your process:

  • HealthSherpa: Ready-to-sell producers can quote and enroll directly on the platform.
  • Provider Data Integration: Connecture and Medicare Center now include provider info for faster, clearer quoting.

For questions, contact your Market Leader or Producer Support.

Personalized SEP Marketing Materials for No Cost

Essence offers a variety of customizable items—wall clings, table tents, flyers, postcards, and posters—to help promote your events and outreach.

Order up to 25 items per request at no cost. Log in to the Producer Portal to personalize materials on Storefront. For larger orders, contact your market manager.

Producer Portal

Hosting a Medicare 101 event?

We’d love to support your efforts with our educational materials. Log in to the Producer Portal to access Storefront to get these resources today.

  • Savvy Shopper Presentation: A slide deck covering key Medicare concepts to organize your session.
  • Savvy Shopper Guide: A take-home resource for beneficiaries that summarizes the main ideas from the meeting.

Get Resources

Member Corner and New Member Resources

Find the New Member Guide (available for all plans), member meetings and everything in between for your clients on this page. Scroll down to the “Member Corner” section to learn more.

Registration is now open for all new member meetings! Sessions will be recorded.

The meetings will cover everything your clients need to know to get started with Essence, including the new member checklist, Member Website, benefit highlights and more.

Customer Quick Start Guide—Easy as 1, 2, 3!

Help your Essence members get the most out of their plan membership, using these three steps.

  1. Visit the New Member Welcome Page and sign up for a Member Website account.
  2. Go paperless.
  3. Sign up for a member event.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
July 10, 2025 Chicago
Essence Chicago Broker Training: Why sell the $0 HMO

No registration required.
Join via Zoom  | 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Central Time
Meeting ID: 881 8899 1619
Passcode: 193969

July 17, 2025 Chicago
Essence Chicago Broker Training: Which plan to sell?

No registration required.
Join via Zoom  | 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Central Time
Meeting ID: 881 8899 1619
Passcode: 193969

July 24, 2025 Chicago
Essence Chicago Broker Training: Provider Search

No registration required.
Join via Zoom  | 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Central Time
Meeting ID: 881 8899 1619
Passcode: 193969

July 31, 2025 Chicago
Essence Chicago Broker Training: Navigating Producer Portal

No registration required.
Join via Zoom  | 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Central Time
Meeting ID: 881 8899 1619
Passcode: 193969

August 20, 2025 Little Rock
Broker Rollout Event

10 a.m. - 12 p.m., Central Time
Top Golf
5 Top Golf Wy, Little Rock, AR 72210

August 26, 2025 MO/IL
Broker Rollout Event

10 a.m. - 12 p.m., Central Time
Norwood Hills Country Club
1 Norwood Hills Country Club Dr, St. Louis, MO 63121

August 28, 2025 Southwest MO & Northwest AR
Broker Rollout Event

10 a.m. - 12 p.m., Central Time
Crystal Bridges - Heartland Whole Health Institute
850 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712

September 3, 2025 SWMO
Broker Rollout Event

10 a.m. - 12 p.m., Central Time
Hilton Garden Inn
4155 S Nature Center Way, Springfield, MO 65804

September 8, 2025 Mid MO
Broker Rollout Event

9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m., Central Time
Hampton Inn & Suites Columbia
1225 Fellow's Pl, Columbia, MO 65201

September 8, 2025 Mid MO
Broker Rollout Event

9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m., Central Time
Hampton Inn & Suites Columbia
1225 Fellow's Pl, Columbia, MO 65201

September 9, 2025 Chicago
Broker Rollout Event

11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Central Time
Maggiano's Little Italy
1847 Freedom Drive, Naperville, IL 60563

September 10, 2025 Chicago
Broker Rollout Event

11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Central Time
Maggiano's Little Italy
4999 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr Ste. A28, Skokie, IL 60077

September 16, 2025 Louisville/Lexington
Broker Rollout Event

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Central Time
Top Golf
301 Oxmoor Lane, Louisville, KY 40222

September 18, 2025 Louisville/Lexington
Broker Rollout Event

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Central Time
Double Tree Hotel
2601 Richmond Rd, Lexington, KY 40509

Member Corner

Quick access to member materials. Everything you need for your customers.

Help Your Members Get Started
How-To Guides

Use the Producer Portal tools to manage your business with us. We make it easy to:

  • Complete applications online.
  • Track applications.
  • View your book of business.
  • Check your commission statements.
  • Review your Ready to Sell (RTS) status, certifications and license information.
  • Watch training videos.
  • Access Storefront to order sales materials.
Producer Portal

Storefront marketing and enrollment materials can help you achieve your selling goals with Essence.

Get ready for AEP with these items you can’t pass up.

  • Enrollment Kits
  • Giveaways
  • Sales Presentations

Log in to the Producer Portal to customize, order and print/download materials from Storefront today.

25_BrokerBeat_SalesMaterialCollage_2@2x
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Essence has a goal to help members with their overall health. Choosing a primary care physician (PCP) can be the first step in a health plan. HMO and PPO plan members can benefit from establishing a relationship with a PCP to:

  • Keep their health on track.
  • Ask health-related questions and get advice.
  • Coordinate their care with other physicians.

Essence plans cover many preventive services for $0 copay, including primary care visits. The Member Website, EverythingEssence.com has a provider search tool to see a list of in-network providers. There are options to filter by distance, gender, spoken language and more. As an agent, you also have access to the provider search tool on the Producer Portal to help your clients find a PCP. The enrollment form includes a section to add PCP information.

When it comes to member resources for prescription drug information, Essence has it covered.

After logging in to the Member Website, EverythingEssence.com, members can navigate to the "Pharmacy" page to:

  • Search for covered drugs with the Formulary Search Tool.
  • Find a preferred pharmacy close to home.
  • Sign up for mail-order delivery.

Members can use our new and improved Formulary Search Tool to find costs for covered drugs. They can also learn about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, getting Extra Help for prescription drug costs, and covered diabetic testing supplies at retail pharmacies. Help your clients get the most out of the prescription drug benefit by sharing all the resources available on the Member Website.

The Flex Card is a preloaded debit card that’s available with most plans to use for:

  • Non-Medicare-covered dental, vision and hearing items and services. Some plans also include the option to use it for medical copays.
  • Eligible health-related over-the-counter items (OTC). Examples include pain relievers, vitamins and first aid products. OTC is not available with every plan.
How it works:

Members with the Flex Card benefit receive the entire annual allowance to use in-network and out-of-network in any of the allowed categories (see above) when membership begins. Members in plans that include the OTC benefit will receive a quarterly allowance that’s separate from the Flex Card allowance (if available on their plan). The OTC allowance expires at the end of each quarter. The allowance is valid at eligible physical retail locations or the online Essence OTC store.

The Member Website, EverythingEssence.com, includes FAQs and additional information about:

  • How to use the Flex Spend Mobile app
  • What can be purchased with the Flex Card
  • Where to use the Flex Card
  • How to check the Flex Card balance
  • How to access the online Essence OTC store

Essence members can sign in to learn more about their Flex Card.

Dental

Dental coverage for Essence members varies by plan.

  • All plans include Medicare-covered dental services.
  • Most plans have a Flex Card for additional dental coverage.

DentaQuest® is the dental benefit administrator for Essence. Contact information is on the back of the Essence member ID cards. Locate in-network providers on the DentaQuest.com website or call 1-800-214-9881 (TTY: 711).

Vision

Vison coverage for Essence members varies by plan.

  • Most plans include coverage for routine checkups and visits with a vision specialist. Plus, an allowance for things like glasses.
  • Members in plans with a Flex Card, can use it for additional eyewear coverage.

EyeMed® is the vision benefit administrator for Essence. To find a provider, visit [EyeDocLocator.EyeMedVisionCare.com/Essence/en] or call 1‑833‑918‑0475.

Note: Essence suggests calling the provider office (dental and vision) to confirm the office participates with DentaQuest or EyeMed and accepts Essence plan members. PPO plan members may see out-of-network providers if they agree to treat Essence members.

Visit EssenceHealthcare.com/Welcome to find virtual meetings and recorded webinars with more details on dental and vision benefits.

Essence plans offer:

  • Built-in hearing coverage.

Note: HMO plan members must see a qualified audiologist or provider in the Essence network. PPO plan members may go outside the network if the provider accepts Medicare and agrees to treat them.

All plans include hearing exams and screenings as well as an allowance to help with the cost of hearing aids.

Essence partners with Amplifon Hearing Healthcare for hearing aids, but there are no network restrictions.

Website: AmplifonUSA.com/Essence

Phone: 1-877-846-7076 (TTY: 711)

  • Free fitness membership.

SilverSneakers® is the fitness and well-being program included at no extra cost. Participating locations can be found on their website.

Website: SilverSneakers.com/Locations

Phone: 1-888-423-4632 (TTY: 711)

What do I need to know about the Oura Ring?

The Oura Ring is available with some PPO plans.

  • Members in a plan with this benefit can order an Oura Ring free of charge and have free access to the Oura App.
  • Oura Ring is a wearable wellness tracker that translates your body’s most meaningful messages to transform how you feel every day. Track heart health, activity, skin temperature, sleep patterns, SpO2 (blood oxygen), stress indicators and much more.
  • More information is available on the Member Website.
CALL GUIDE:

Customer Service vs. Producer Support

Customer Service

Toll-free: 1-866-597-9560 (TTY: 711)

8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

Producer Support

Toll-free: 1-877-259-8657

Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., CST
Saturday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., CST during the AEP

Click each example below to reveal if you should contact Customer Service or Producer Support.

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