News

Allstate Benefits is providing three-way protection, with Group Whole Life (GWL) Complete . It helps employers offer comprehensive life coverage and helps employees get the financial protection they need to make the journey a little easier. The GWL Complete portfolio offers a "complete" experience for employees and their families no matter what path life takes: • Traditional life insurance that provides a death benefit for beneficiaries when a covered person dies, or • Long-term care benefit that sends the insured a monthly death benefit advance to help pay for long-term care services if needed, or • Cash value that a covered person may access if needed for an emergency With GWL Complete from Allstate Benefits, employees can expect broad permanent life protection and employers can expect customizable plan options to suit the needs of their workforce. Best of all, rates are guaranteed for the life of the policy. GWL Complete portfolio of products and optional riders: • Group Whole Life with Accelerated Death Benefit for Long Term Care Rider • Group Whole Life with Accelerated Death Benefit for Long Term Care with Restoration of Benefits Rider • Group Whole Life with Accelerated Death Benefit for Long Term Care with Extension of Benefits Rider • Group Whole Life with Accelerated Death Benefit for Long Term Care with Restoration of Benefits and Extension of Benefits Rider For More Information or Help Quoting Allstate, Please Contact Your Dickerson Sales Rep.

Anthem has reached an agreement with Optum Care Network, and also successfully renewed a multiyear agreement with PIH Health. Optum Care Network continues to be part of the Anthem Blue Cross commercial HMO Network and PIH Health will remain in the Anthem network, ensuring uninterrupted healthcare for our members. OPTUM CARE NETWORK ( OPTUM ) APPLECARE MEDICAL GROUP – SELECT (ZUD) OPTUM CARE NETWORK–NORTH COUNTY SD (0WD) MONARCH HEALTHCARE MEDICAL GROUP (0UW) OPTUM CARE NETWORK–REDLANDS (0UA) OPTUM CARE NETWORK–CITRUS VALLEY (ABK) OPTUM CARE NETWORK–RIVERSIDE (0LH) OPTUM CARE NETWORK - ARTA HEALTH (0WL) OPTUM CARE NETWORK–SAN BERNARDINO (ABJ) OPTUM CARE NETWORK - CENTRAL LA (0CS) OPTUM CARE NETWORK–SW VALLEYS (0HY) OPTUM CARE NETWORK – GREATER BAY AREA (0UK) OPTUM- HARBOR (0UL) OPTUM CARE NETWORK - NORTHRIDGE (0DF) OPTUM REDLANDS FERN CAJON (0K3) OPTUM CARE NETWORK - SGV/GLEN/BEV (69U) OPTUM- WILLOW (0P0) OPTUM CARE NETWORK–CORONA (0LJ) OPTUM-0T2-MEMBER SERVICES ADMIN (0T2) OPTUM CARE NETWORK–DESERT CITIES (0MY) OPTUM-7KJ-EAST ADMIN (7KJ) OPTUM CARE NETWORK–HUNTINGTON (YS8) OPTUM-SB 2150 WATERMAN (0FB) OPTUM CARE NETWORK–INLAND VALLEY (0TX) ST. VINCENT IPA MEDICAL CORPORATION (0JI) OPTUM CARE NETWORK–MORENO (0NN) PIH Health - Commercial Hospitals Medical Groups GENERAL ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS PIH Health Downey (050393) PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital (050471) PIH Health Whittier (050159) HMO PIH Health Physicians – Group (0AF) PIH Health Systems Long Beach (0LK) PIH Health Physicians IPA (0XM) PPO PIH Health Physicians MEDICARE Senior Secure Medicare + Choice (FKA* Pioneer Provider Network) For More Information or Help Quoting Anthem, Please Contact Your Dickerson Sales Representative.

Blue Shield has shared a list of small business enrollment form changes and version acceptability. The Small Business Enrollment forms have been revised for January 1, 2026. Version Acceptability: • The January 2026 version of the enrollment and refusal forms are required for January 1, 2026, and later effective dates • Please note that some forms such as COBRA & continuation of coverage may have an effective date prior to 2026 and that is because there were no material changes in the content of the forms, therefore they are still valid. Form Changes: • Changes to enrollment forms included plan name updates and logo updates per the organization’s new logos. • Please be aware that logo updates have not yet been applied to all forms. The marketing team will implement these updates gradually, in conjunction with material content changes to the forms. For More Information or Help Quoting Blue Shield, Please Contact Your Dickerson Sales Representative.

Health Net has shared that Salud HMO y Más (Health and More) Facility Deductible plans will expand to San Diego. To support your clients with more meaningful healthcare solutions and to help improve price competitiveness, Health Net will expand their portfolio in 2026. Effective January 1, 2026, all 10 Large Group Salud HMO y Más Facility Deductible plans will be available in San Diego County. This expansion provides more choice and freedom for your clients who want more cost-friendly healthcare coverage. For More Information or Help Quoting Health Net, Please Contact Your Dickerson Sales Representative.

You can now cover employees inside and out with Kaiser Permanente Plus™ (KP Plus). With KP Plus, not only do employees benefit from the true value-based care, they also have the flexibility to keep their favorite out-of-network, doctors with up to 10 physician visits or outpatient medical services, and 5 prescription fills or refills annually, without the need for referrals or prior authorization. Effective January 1, 2026, Kaiser Permanente will be offering these new plans which will include Kaiser Permanente Plus in the plan name. Kaiser Permanente will still have their regular plans that do not include this out of network benefit. Balancing Affordability, Provider Flexibility, and Quality Care KP Plus uniquely addresses these needs through: Ten covered out-of-network services and five prescription refills annually without referrals Convenient, all-under-one-roof access to high-quality care Generally lower monthly rates compared to typical PPO plans A focus on accessible, often $0 copay preventive services that reduce chronic conditions and higher-cost treatments Through their unique care-and-coverage model, payers and providers work together to prioritize health outcomes for patients. This means less time and money on unnecessary tests or treatments and an emphasis on preventive and proactive care – translating to a healthier workforce and savings in the long run. With the added simplicity of working with one provider for all your employee health benefit needs, KP Plus is a competitive and great option for employees. More Information Click Here For Help Quoting Kaiser Permanaete, Please Contact Your Dickerson Sales Representative.

(By Emily Olsen - Healthcare Dive) Dec. 8 - The enhanced subsidies were first enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing many low-income ACA beneficiaries to pay little or nothing for health plans while improving affordability for middle-income enrollees. However, the more generous financial assistance is set to expire at the end of the year without action from Congress, likely causing premiums to more than double and pushing millions to become uninsured. Lawmakers have clashed over the issue for months. The subsidies were at the center of a historically long government shutdown earlier this fall, though the funding impasse ended last month without a deal. As part of an agreement to reopen the government, Republicans agreed to vote on a bill on the subsidies. Democrats are pushing to extend the enhanced premium tax credits for at least one year to avoid a spike in costs, and some Republicans are open to the idea. But other conservative lawmakers have railed against the financial assistance, noting its high cost and potential for fraud. However, lawmakers have limited time to address the problem. Open enrollment for marketplace plans began last month and runs through Jan. 15 in most states. Beneficiaries have to choose a plan by next week to get coverage on Jan. 1. Nearly 90% of respondents to the KFF survey said they’d make a decision about their coverage this year. One in four said they had already made a decision, according to the survey, which fielded responses in the first weeks of November. Meanwhile, allowing the subsidies to expire could be politically dangerous for Republicans. More than 80% of respondents — including 7 in 10 Republican voters — said they wanted to see the tax credits extended. If they lapse, 41% of those that supported an extension said President Donald Trump deserved most of the blame, while 35% pointed the finger at Republicans in Congress. And allowing the subsidies to lapse could put increased financial pressure on Americans — already a major concern for voters worried about rising costs. To Read More Click Here