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News & Announcements about health insurance in California




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Blue Shield updates, improves Medicare Supplement billing

August 5, 2015 By Kevin Knauss 2 Comments

Subscribers will also receive a new bill with an improved format that includes their new subscriber and group numbers and new billing payment address. Their first bill post-migration will be delayed for two to three weeks. Included with their first new bill, there will be a Bill Quick Guide that outlines the changes.

Filed Under: Blue Shield, HPN, Medicare Tagged With: Blue Shield, Medicare, Supplement

Overview of the Employer Shared Responsibility Provisions

August 4, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

Under the Employer Shared Responsibility provisions, if an applicable large employer does not offer affordable health coverage that provides a minimum level of coverage to their full-time employees and their dependents, the employer may be subject to an Employer Shared Responsibility payment.

Filed Under: HPN, IRS Tagged With: Employer, IRS, Responsibility

Blue Shield introduces MinuteClinics at CVS pharmacies

August 3, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

Blue Shield of California is teaming up with more than 50 CVS Minute Clinics® throughout California to help make access to health solutions easier and more convenient for our Individual and Family Plan members.

Filed Under: Blue Shield, HPN Tagged With: Blue Shield, CVS, MinuteClinic

Covered California announces Navigator grant funding recipients

July 31, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

Enrolling in person is important to many consumers, and Certified Enrollment Counselors in the Navigator Program play a critical role by providing one-on-one assistance to consumers who need it. During the last open-enrollment period, approximately 70 percent of eligible consumers enrolled or renewed with assistance from Certified Insurance Agents or Certified Enrollment Counselors, including Navigators, or received help by phone from Service Center representatives.

Filed Under: Covered California, HPN, Navigators Tagged With: Covered California, Grants, Navigators

Molina Healthcare warns tax credits may be cut off for some members

July 31, 2015 By Kevin Knauss 1 Comment

We want to share with you that your clients who currently receive the Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC) are in jeopardy of losing it IF they do not act by the end of August 2015 to remedy their risk. The IRS has determined that 57% of all who are receiving the APTC have either NOT filed their taxes OR NOT filed the right tax form.

Filed Under: HPN, IRS, Molina Tagged With: ACA, IRS, Molina, Tax Credits

Medicare prescription drug premiums projected to remain stable

July 30, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) projected today that the average premium for a basic Medicare Part D prescription drug plan in 2016 will remain stable, at an estimated $32.50 per month.

Filed Under: CMS, HPN, Medicare, PDP Tagged With: CMS, Medicare, PDP, Premiums, Rates

Anthem Blue Cross on Collecting Social Security Numbers

July 29, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

As required by law, we will file the 1095-B form for our fully insured groups and send a copy to the plan members. When we send the IRS reports, we’ll list all individuals covered under a group’s plan by their Social Security numbers (SSNs). For some of our members and dependents, we are missing their SSNs. In these cases, the IRS requires us to collect them for reporting purposes. That’s why, starting July 24, a staggered mailing will begin and continue through October to gather this data.

Filed Under: Anthem Blue Cross, HPN Tagged With: Anthem Blue Cross, Social Security Numbers

Medi-Cal Payments Ending for Health Agents

July 29, 2015 By Kevin Knauss 2 Comments

Pursuant to the California State budget enacted for fiscal year 2015-2016, however, payments will no longer be made for enrollments in Medi-Cal submitted after June 30, 2015.

Filed Under: Certified Agents, Covered California, HPN, Medi-Cal Tagged With: Agents, Covered California, Medi-Cal

Blue Shield will replace its EPO plans with PPO plans in four Northern California EPO regions

July 29, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

Some Blue Shield highlights for IFP plans include:
•79 percent of Blue Shield members will receive an increase of less than 10 percent
•63 percent of members on a Silver Plan will receive a rate decrease
•Four Southern California regions will experience a decrease on average for the rates for those regions
•Blue Shield will replace its EPO plans with PPO plans in four Northern California EPO regions (Rural North, Wine Country, Alameda, and Monterey) for 2016 which means out-of-network benefits and access to out-of-network providers

Filed Under: Blue Shield, Covered California, HPN Tagged With: 2016, Blue Shield, California, EPO, PPO

Cigna-Anthem merger broker-agent FAQs

July 28, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

Cigna US Individual July 27, 2015 We are pleased to share with you that today Cigna and Anthem announced the agreement to form a premier global health service company, with the right mix of capabilities to deliver greater choice, access and affordability to meet the challenges of a new era. The combination of Cigna and […]

Filed Under: Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, HPN Tagged With: Anthem, Cigna, Merger

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