Broker Buzz May 2026
Michael Cole named President of Sentara Health Plans
We are pleased to announce that Michael Cole will join Sentara Health as Executive Vice President and President of Sentara Health Plans on June 15. He most recently served as President and CEO of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon and Regence BlueShield of Washington and brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience across the healthcare industry. Michael has led complex payer organizations spanning commercial, Medicare, and ACA markets, with deep expertise in strategy, growth, affordability, and operational performance.
With Regence, Michael’s scope served 2.5 million members across the Pacific Northwest with approximately $5.5 billion in revenue. Prior to Regence, he served as President of Aetna’s North Atlantic Territory and as President and CEO of Aetna Keystone, where he led operations across eleven states, supporting 6 million members and $20 billion in revenue. His leadership responsibilities have included commercial markets, Medicare, exchange business, network strategy, specialty services, and compliance.
Michael earned his MBA in Finance and Marketing from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. He is deeply engaged in community and industry leadership, serving as a long-time board member of Erie Family Health Centers in Chicago, a federally qualified health center providing care to underserved communities. Michael is also on the board of Trillium Family Services in Portland, Oregon, an active mentor within the healthcare startup ecosystem, and a longstanding member of the Economic Club of Chicago.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to Chris Schmaltz for his interim leadership. He has performed exceptionally in a short period and helped the division keep focus on its turnaround plan. Chris is committed to staying and working with Michael for a seamless transition.
Please join us in thanking Chris and welcoming Michael.
New Business Enrollment Spreadsheet update
We’ve made updates to the New Business Enrollment Spreadsheet! You’ll now find added instructions and guidance to support a smoother implementation process—making the process clearer, faster, and easier to navigate.
What’s new:- Guidance on entering subgroup numbers and member plan elections.
- Clarification on the relationship field and dependent type notation.
Small group renewal notifications
Starting in the third quarter of 2026, brokers will receive a single notification when fully insured small group renewals for a specific month become available in the portal.
Please check that you can access your portal and contact brokerrelations@sentara.com if you experience any connectivity issues.
Continuing education opportunities
Sentara Health Plans is committed to supporting your professional growth and long‑term success. We’ve partnered with Cape School to offer a series of convenient, high‑quality continuing education classes designed to help you earn credit towards your Virginia Resident License.
Don’t miss the final class in the series—Ethics and Civility on July 22 at 9 a.m.
A Broker Alert with registration information will be sent before the class. When it arrives, simply click the registration link to sign up, it’s quick and easy!
Sentara Well being Rewards for commercial groups
Sentara Health Plans members are turning their wellness journey into meaningful rewards. Sentara Well being Rewards is a voluntary incentive program designed to support and encourage actions that improve and sustain overall wellness. Eligible members can earn up to $250 each year by completing a variety of healthy activities.
The program is available to subscribers enrolled in a Sentara Individual & Family Health Plan, as well as those in fully insured small group, mid market, and large group plans.
Members gain access to the program beginning on their plan effective date, which also establishes their reward year. The program automatically activates at each group’s renewal or enrollment date—no employer action is required.
If you have questions, please refer to the Sentara Well-being Rewards frequently asked questions or connect with your Sentara Health Plans representative.
Learn More
New fitness discount program available: Active&Fit Direct
We are excited to introduce Active&Fit Direct, a new fitness program available to support member health and wellness.
Active&Fit Direct offers members flexible and affordable access to a wide network of gyms and premium fitness studios.
Program highlights include:
- Access to thousands of standard gyms and premium exercise studios.
- 20%–70% discounts at most locations.
- No long-term contracts for members.
- Ability to switch gyms or cancel with ease.
- Option to join multiple gyms with a $5 monthly discount on each additional membership.
- 17,000+ on-demand workout videos available free to registered members.
Active&Fit Direct expands our wellness offerings by giving members more options to stay active in ways that fit their lifestyle.
Please share this new benefit with your clients. Members can register for the program through the on sentarahealthplans.com. Once a member has logged into Sentara Health Plans member portal or mobile app. They simply sign in, navigate to the “Get Healthy” drop down on the left-hand side, and select “Fitness Discounts”. This will send them directly to Active&Fit Direct to join.
If you have any questions or would like additional materials to support your groups, please reach out to your account representative.
D-SNP Alignment Campaign
The Sentara Medicare Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (HMO D-SNP) alignment campaign is ongoing with the rollout of refreshed creative assets designed to connect with prospects who qualify for Medicare and Medicaid, as well as caregivers and unaligned Sentara Health Plans Medicaid members.
Key campaign goals include aligning current unenrolled Medicaid members, winning back past D-SNP members, and driving new enrollment. Messaging emphasizes Sentara Medicare as a trusted local partner, offering members the opportunity to maximize their benefits with providers and facilities they already know.
Highlights include:
- We rolled out updated ads across several channels including online audio, search engines, social media, website banner ads, lead generation campaigns, billboards, and TV/streaming.
- Direct mail piece began dropping to prospects beginning April 14 and will extend over 11 weeks. The objective of this mailer is to inform prospects about Sentara Health Plan’s 2026 Dual Special Needs Plan (D SNP) and ensure they understand the available benefits, resources, and ways to get support. It shares key information such as how to access the plan, where to find additional details, and how to contact the health plan.
With a consistent call-to-action—connect with a Licensed Plan Advisor or visit sentaramedicare.com/DSNP—this campaign positions Sentara Medicare as Virginia’s trusted local partner in health.
SilverSneakers partnership ending June 1, 2026
Sentara Community Complete and Sentara Community Complete Select will no longer be using SilverSneakers, but effective June 1, 2026 will be transitioned to Nations. Members will have access to their fitness benefits through the Nations member portal and their Fitness Wallet.
Sentara Health Plans alerted its members in March of 2026, through a letter of this change.
Through Nations, eligible members will receive $50 a month loaded on their Flex Card. This can be used for qualifying fitness memberships, such as:
- Traditional gym memberships
- Fitness studios
- Personal training programs
- Group fitness classes
Meet members of our team
We are excited to welcome Jocelyne Vasquez to our team as our new Senior Broker Relations & Client Development Specialist on the Strategic Engagement team.
Q&A with Jocelyne-
What's your favorite thing about Sentara Health Plans? My favorite part so far at Sentara Health Plans has been the team culture. Everyone has been very welcoming and collaborative, and it's clear there's a strong sense of pride in the work, which makes me excited to be here!
- What is a fun fact about you? I have been to two out of the Seven Wonders of the World. I have been to Machu Picchu twice and Chichen Itza once!
- What are you most excited about at Sentara Health Plans this year? I'm excited to assist the team with all upcoming strategic meetings, events, and sponsorships!
Sell a plan, earn a reward. Enjoy. Repeat. Simple.
Make a wish list and set a goal toward your favorite rewards! Broker Rewards points are earned in addition to the already-competitive commission plan. Start accruing as soon as you complete the opt-in process. There is no limit to what you can earn, and points never expire once enrolled in the rewards program.