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Health Net's Out-of-state PPO network will change to Cigna on November 1, 2023. Health Net has released sample ID cards with Cigna branding: CA PPO card with Cigna logo on the back when the member travels OOS OOS PPO card with Cigna logo on the front OOS PPO card with Cigna logo on the front, and the state's other known network name on the front (ex. Valley Preferred) Please note that the ID cards for some states will have the Cigna logo alongside the regional Cigna network name. For example, one ID card that lists Cigna alongside Valley Preferred. Valley Preferred is the same network as Cigna. Cigna's network simply goes by a different name in some states. Members would still be utilizing the Cigna network in these cases. If you have any questions, please contact your Dickerson Sales Represenative Today!

Anthem will begin transitioning their Life and Disability (L&D) business to StanCorp Financial Group. Migrating L&D groups to a single enrollment and billing system. Some of your clients will move to the new system in December. These are clients with July, August, and September renewal dates. Letters detailing the changes and outlining migration steps based on their in-force coverage were sent out and some of them will need to sign and return a form to Anthem. Click Here for more Details

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California announced that the statewide weighted average rate change for dental coverage in 2024 will be 4.31 percent. The rate increase is the first since 2020 and continues a trend of holding costs steady for consumers. Year 2022 2023 2024 3-Year Average Weighted Average -0.95% -1.7% 4.31% 0.55% Factoring in the rate decreases for 2022 and 2023, the three-year average rate change is just 0.55 percent. The standard health benefits for Covered California enrollees include dental coverage for members under the age of 19, and adults can purchase family dental coverage as an “add-on” to their health plan. While this insurance is not eligible for financial help, the family dental coverage is available to anyone who wants it, regardless of any pre-existing oral health conditions. Click Here to Read More

Alera Group has just released an update on where things stand in California on the Long-Term Care proposal. LTC Task Force Committee reviewed the preliminary Actuarial Analysis report by OliverWyman. The actuarial assumptions include employers paying 50% of the LTC tax, with no waiver on the first $30,000 of an employee’s income and no cap on the income. Employees would not pay the tax on the first $30,000 of income and would only pay on income up to $400,000. They are assuming that the taxes held in reserve will be invested in bonds, stocks, and other equities. However, they cannot use those investments unless there is an amendment to the state constitution which would have to approved by voters. Without the amendment, the estimated rates would need to be increased by 20% to 25% depending on the Design option. If they reduce the employer contribution or remove it, then the tax rates would need to be increased significantly. No legislation has been passed in California. As updates are released, we will keep you informed. Click Here to go to the CA Long Term Care Task Force website. See the Preliminary Actuarial Report, the commissioner’s letter, meeting notes from prior meetings, etc. If you have any questions, please contact Dickerson Sales Representative Today!

(By Susanna Vogel) Lawmakers are expressing bipartisan frustration over the implementation of the No Surprises Act, a law meant to protect patients from unexpected medical bills after receiving care from out-of-network providers at in-network facilities. In a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Tuesday, Representatives grilled witnesses including payers, providers and arbitration services representatives about the implementation of the NSA, which went into effect in January 2022. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., ranking minority member and the law’s author, called the implementation a “disappointment.” An overloaded and contentious dispute resolution process has strained relations between providers and payers and impeded access to quality care for other patients, particularly those in rural areas, according to testimony given on Tuesday. Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., said implementation had strayed far from congressional intent and had “made the very problem it intended to fix worse.” “It has created a tilted dispute resolution process that has left medical providers paying more to participate in a process that often forces them to accept artificially low payments with no enforcement guarantee,” Smith said. “It has also led to legal challenges that have resulted in significant backlogs and left the process clouded in uncertainty.” Click Here to Read More