diff --git a/apps/SeleniumService/selenium_BCBS_MA_eligibilityCheckWorker.py b/apps/SeleniumService/selenium_BCBS_MA_eligibilityCheckWorker.py
index 3c7cc314..31039ebf 100644
--- a/apps/SeleniumService/selenium_BCBS_MA_eligibilityCheckWorker.py
+++ b/apps/SeleniumService/selenium_BCBS_MA_eligibilityCheckWorker.py
@@ -278,12 +278,27 @@ class AutomationBCBSMAEligibilityCheck:
 
             # 7. Click New Eligibility Request in dropdown
             print("[BCBS MA step1] Clicking New Eligibility Request...")
-            new_elig = self._wait(10).until(
-                EC.element_to_be_clickable((By.XPATH,
-                    "//a[@ng-click='newEligibility();']"
-                ))
+            NEW_ELIG_XPATH = (
+                "//a[contains(@ng-click,'newEligibility')] | "
+                "//a[contains(normalize-space(text()),'New Eligibility Request')] | "
+                "//a[contains(normalize-space(text()),'New Eligibility')]"
             )
-            new_elig.click()
+            try:
+                new_elig = self._wait(8).until(
+                    EC.presence_of_element_located((By.XPATH, NEW_ELIG_XPATH))
+                )
+            except TimeoutException:
+                # Dropdown may have closed — re-open Verification and try again
+                print("[BCBS MA step1] New Eligibility Request not found, re-clicking Verification...")
+                verification.click()
+                time.sleep(2)
+                new_elig = self._wait(8).until(
+                    EC.presence_of_element_located((By.XPATH, NEW_ELIG_XPATH))
+                )
+            try:
+                new_elig.click()
+            except Exception:
+                self.driver.execute_script("arguments[0].click();", new_elig)
             time.sleep(3)
             print("[BCBS MA step1] New Eligibility Request clicked — on Eligibility Identifier page")