Is Your Medicare Advantage PBP Bid Process Stuck in the Past?

If your team is still using spreadsheets, manually entering data into HPMS, or scrambling during the final week of submission, it’s time to rethink your approach. This blog outlines five clear signs your current process needs an upgrade—and how automation can help you file faster, reduce errors, and stay compliant.  

For many health plans, the annual Medicare Advantage bid submission process runs on muscle memory. You’ve got your checklist, your team knows the drill, and every task has an owner. But despite the structure, the final stretch often turns into a scramble—last-minute changes, late nights, and a sense of déjà vu. 

If this sounds familiar, it might be time to ask: Is your team still relying on outdated tools and workflows to manage product and benefit data? Here are five signs it’s time to update your approach. 

1. You’re Still Using Spreadsheets to Manage PBP Data 

Spreadsheets are flexible—but they’re also fragile. They multiply quickly, version control becomes a nightmare, and one wrong cell can throw off your entire submission. If your team is constantly toggling between tabs and hunting through shared folders, you’re losing valuable time and increasing the risk of costly errors. 

2. Your Team Manually Keys Data into HPMS 

Manual entry into the HPMS portal is not only tedious—it’s risky. Every keystroke is a potential error, and submission delays can have real consequences. Automation eliminates this bottleneck and ensures accuracy from the start. 

3. You’re Making Last-Minute Changes Before Submission 

If the week of May 1st feels like a fire drill every year, you’re not alone. But it’s also a red flag. Last-minute updates often point to fragmented data and poor governance. A centralized system helps you catch issues early and stay ahead of deadlines. 

4. Compliance Reviews Are Slow and Siloed 

When compliance and product teams operate in different systems, reviews drag and communication breaks down. A unified platform with built-in workflows streamlines approvals and ensures nothing falls through the cracks. 

5. You Can’t Track Plan Status in Real Time 

If you’re constantly asking, “Where are we with that plan?”—your process lacks transparency. Real-time dashboards and audit trails give you instant visibility into every plan, every step of the way. 

What Automation & HPMS Integration Looks Like: Modernizing your bid filing process doesn’t just save time—it transforms how your team works. Here’s what automation can deliver: 

• A single platform for all product and benefit data 

• Real-time validation to catch issues early 

• Direct API submission to HPMS—no manual entry 

• Collaboration workflow for faster, smoother reviews 

Ready to Modernize Your Filing Process? Plans that automate are filing faster, reducing errors, and gaining peace of mind during CMS submission season. 

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