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Anthem Blue Cross Network Update: County of Santa Clara

Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that they have successfully renewed their Commercial and Medicare Agreements with County of Santa Clara, comprising the below-referenced entities. The fully-ex...

Anthem Blue Cross Network Update: Optum-Beaver Medical Group

Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that they have successfully renewed their Commercial HMO Agreement with Optum-Beaver Medical Group, located in San Bernardino County. The fully executed agr...

Anthem Blue Cross Network Update: Huntington Memorial Hospital

Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that Huntington Memorial Hospital has rescinded its notice of termination. The current contract remains in full force and effect. Huntington Memorial Hospit...

Anthem Blue Cross Network Update: Eisenhower Medical Center

Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that Eisenhower Medical Center’s notice of termination, comprising the below-listed entities, has been rescinded. The current contract remains in full force an...

DOL Offers Guidance for Brokers on Fee Disclosure Enforcement

The U.S. Department of Labor announced a temporary enforcement policy for those who provide brokerage services and consulting to ERISA group health plans. It applies to the new fee disclosure requ...

Blue Shield of California Rate Update, April 2022

Blue Shield of California has issued a medical rate update for Q2 2022. There are no changes to plan designs or underwriting guidelines. Quoting is now available. Statewide average change in rate i...

CaliforniaChoice® Offers New Out of State Options with Cigna + Oscar

CaliforniaChoice® is offering new options for out of state employees. Effective 4/1, Cigna + Oscar’s LocalPlus network within CaliforniaChoice® will allow out of state employees! Out of State employee...

UnitedHealthcare Rate Update, April 2022

UnitedHealthcare has issued a rate update for Q2 2022. There are no changes to plan designs or underwriting guidelines. Quoting is now available. Statewide average change shows a 2.5% increase per ...

The Key to Effective Employee Communications

Employers will see maximum impact when they tailor health and well-being communications to the scenario and sometimes to the employee. Employees are generally more motivated by peers and managers ...

Will Fertility Benefits Become Commonplace?

For many years, there was no upward trend in health plan benefits for infertility. But that’s changing, according to a survey by Mercer. Over the past five years, more large employers have been of...

HHS Proposed Rule Addresses Discrimination & Access

The HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters 2023 Proposed Rule would prohibit health insurance issuers from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Restoring th...

Aetna Southern CA Network Negotiations with Optum

Recently, Aetna notified you that they are in active contract negotiations with the Optum Group for the following medical groups for HMO members: AppleCare, Monarch, and PrimeCare Medical Group. They ...

Health Net Q2 2022 Update

Health Net is available to quote for Q2 2022; please note, rates are pending approval. There is a moderate rate change with HMOs seeing a slight decrease and EPO plans seeing a slight increase. There ...

Sharp Health Plan Releases Q2 2022 Rates

Sharp Health Plan has released their Q2 2022 rates. All HMO plan rates will increase by 0.7%. There are no changes to plan designs or underwriting guidelines. Quoting is available now. Contact your...

Guidance for CAA Drug Cost Reporting Requirements

Guidance for Drug Cost Reporting Requirements Contained in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department ...

VSP Response to Tornadoes

VSP® Vision Care cares and wants to do everything they can to help those affected by the recent tornadoes that swept across the U.S. They’re working directly with our network doctors, business partner...

A Surprising Shift in Benefit Plans

There’s been an unexpected reversal in cost-sharing trends with health plans, according to a survey by Mercer. Sixty percent of employers say they won’t make plan changes to reduce expected health...

Benefit Communications That Resonate

Employers often worry that employees don’t pay attention to their employee benefits communications. A survey published by the Business Group on Health reveals what resonates with employees: ...

CaliforniaChoice® Introduces New Plans for March 2022

CaliforniaChoice is offering even more choice by adding two new plans! Effective 3/1/22, Anthem’s Priority Select HMO network will be available in their portfolio. These rich gold and silver plans wil...

Anthem Blue Cross of California Offers Additional Network Flexibility through June 2022

For groups effective January 2022 through June 2022, Anthem Small Group will be allowing additional network flexibility. Employers can select one of the following pairings: Any 2 HMO networks...

Cigna + Oscar: Easy Underwriting

Cigna + Oscar is serving up easy underwriting! Start-ups have access to flexible payroll requirements and no DE-9C is needed for groups of 3+ enrolled. With the nation-wide Open Access Plus PPO...