California Carrier Partner Updates
Here is an overview of updates from our California carrier, health plan, and administrator partners. For details, click on the related link (if any).
Bonus Updates
- Delta Dental
- 2025 Broker Rewards: Download your copy of Delta Dental’s Small Business Broker Rewards Program flyer to see how you can qualify for additional compensation when you sell and retain eligible groups of 2-99 lives. You can earn a new sales bonus of up to 5% plus a retention bonus of up to 3%.
- Health Net
- 2025 Large Group Incentive: Health Net brokers can earn 2% of paid premiums for 12 months for each new Large Group employer sold. Download the Health Net flyer for details by linking to our Newsroom post.
Medical Coverage
- Multiple Carrier and W&B Updates
- Q2 Quoting: We are quoting all carrier partners for Q2 2025. Login and quote now – or contact us for quoting assistance. We are here for you.
- Portfolio Updates: New product portfolio and broker commissions summaries for California are now available. Download the Small Group edition or Large Group edition today.
- New Carrier Pre-Sale FAQ: An updated Carrier Pre-Sale FAQ document is available for California in the online Insurance Forms Library. Download your copy today.
- CAA Reporting Reminder: Don’t overlook the upcoming April deadlines (which vary by carrier) to report prescription drug and health care spending as required under the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA).
- Aetna
- IPA Updates: Aetna has several new IPAs in Southern California: Alliance Health Systems (HMO, HMO Ded., and AVN); Blue Zones Marina, formerly Access Medical Alamitos, Lakewood IPAs (HMO, HMO Ded, and AVN); and Blue Zones Health of CA (HMO, HMO Ded, and AVN).
- Anthem Blue Cross
- Contract News: Anthem and Scripps Health Network have successfully negotiated a new contract, retroactive to January 1, 2025. Anthem members who were previously assigned a Scripps Primary Care Physician (PCP) must contact Anthem Customer Service (at the number of the back their ID Card) to request reassignment to Scripps.
- Contract Termination Rescinded: Adventist Health has rescinded its contract termination with Adventist Health. The current agreement remains in force while they negotiate a new multi-year contract, expected to be effective 5/1/2025.
- Blue Shield of California
- 2025 Rx Updates: Blue Shield has added Amazon Pharmacy to its member benefits, replacing CVS Caremark Mail Service Pharmacy for Rx Home Delivery. Navitus is now managing the Blue Shield retail pharmacy benefit; some independent pharmacies may no longer be available with the modified network pharmacy criteria under Navitus.
- CaliforniaChoice
- Plan Updates: A few CaliforniaChoice participating carriers are making changes. Health Net’s Salud HMO y Mas Network is adding 20 ZIP Codes. Kaiser Permanente’s Full Network is adding 14 ZIP Codes. UnitedHealthcare is making additions to its Alliance Network – with one ZIP Code added. Harmony Network added one ZIP and removed 437 ZIP Codes in Areas 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. SignatureValue Network added one ZIP Code. Ask you CHOICE or W&B rep for details.
- Health Net
- Rx Benefits: Health Net offers members two ways to save on prescription drugs: the Maintenance Choice Program at CVS Pharmacy and the Mail Service Program through CVS Caremark. Download the flyer today.
- Enhanced Choice Portfolio Changes: Health Net’s Enhanced Choice Solutions (ECS) program is no longer available to California Large Groups. However, Large Groups now have a choice of 220 plan design options from Health Net with as low as 33% participation. Download the guide for details.
- Nippon Life Benefits
- International Coverage: Nippon’s benefit package includes Aetna International Medical coverage for travel outside the U.S. with 165,000+ providers, access to the Aetna Signature Administrators network, Active&Fit benefits, customizable PPO plans, bundled discounts, and more
- UnitedHealthcare
- Choice Simplified/Relaxed Participation: Ask us about the UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Choice Simplified Package and a staff model carrier relaxed participation promo available through 7/1/2025. There’s a minimum of 25% participation between carriers and five employees enrolling with UHC required, excluding COBRA participants. Download the Choice Simplified flyer for network and plan details.
- ACEC Life/Health Trust Returns: The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Life/Health Trust plan is back. If you have clients engaged in the engineering and design services industry, you owe it to them to check out the coverage options, bundling discounts, and White Glove service model from UHC. Ask us for details.
Ancillary & Other Coverage
- Ameritas
- Forms Update: The Ameritas microsite for Word & Brown brokers offers the most up-to-date Ameritas forms for California Small Group (2-100). Ameritas forms are no longer part of the
- Word & Brown Insurance Forms Library
- ChoiceBuilder
- Landmark Healthplan Chiro: Effective 3/1/2025, fee schedules are changing for Chiropractic and Acupuncture. The New Patient Evaluation & Management benefit is changing to $80 per visit. Benefits are also changing to $65 per visit for Established Patient Re-Examination & Management, Modalities, Therapeutic Procedures, Chronic Manipulative Treatment, and Special Services.
- Lincoln Financial Group
- Reduced Group Size: Lincoln Financial now writes down to 50+ eligible lives for Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity. Coverage must be paired with two core lines of coverage (Life, Disability, Dental). Minimum 5+ lives participation. Ask us for details.
- MediExcel Health Plan
- Dental Plan Updates: MediExcel Dental Plan D100 has been discontinued for new business, but it remains available for renewals.
- UnitedHealthcare
- Dental and Vision Rate Cards: UnitedHealthcare has published five new Dental Rate Cards and a Vision Rates Card for 2025; click below to download your regional edition(s).
- Level Funded Bootcamp: The second of two UHC Level Funded bootcamps is happening on April 9, starting at 11:00 a.m., Pacific. Register today.
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