NEWSROOM

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: Delta Dental continues to offer its Small Business Broker Rewards Program 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%. Download the flyer for details.
• Health Net
  • 2025 Large Group Incentive: Through 12/1/2025, you can earn 2% of paid premiums for 12 months for each new Health Net Large Group case sold. Read our Newsroom post and download the Health Net flyer for details. 

Medical​ Coverage

• Multiple Carrier and W&B Updates
  • Q3 Quoting: We are quoting many California carrier partners for the third quarter. Login and quote now – or contact us for quoting assistance. We are here for you.
  • 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.
• Anthem Blue Cross​
  • EmployerAccess Link: The Anthem EmployerAccess Interactive Guide offers clients a step-by-step guide for managing health benefits online. Be sure to share the link with your customers.
  • Contract Termination Possible: Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) is continuing its contract negotiations with Anthem. If they fail to reach an agreement this month, the current contract will terminate April 22, 2025. Also affected are CHLA Medical Group, CHLA Pathology, and CHLA Teaching Clinics.
• ​​​​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.
  • Contract Renewal: Health Net has announced its continued partnership with Scripps Health for all participating products in-network. 
• 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 is 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.
  • New Level-Funded Plan: Watch your email for your opportunity to register for a UnitedHealthcare Surest® Level-Funded Plan webinar in May. Reps from W&B and UHC will share information on a dynamic copay plan combining transparency, flexibility, and predictability.

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). Don’t forget Ameritas forms are no longer part of the Word & Brown Insurance Forms Library 
• Lincoln Financial Group​
  • Reduced Group Size: If your clients are interested in Accident, Critical Illness, or Hospital Indemnity, you should know that Lincoln Financial now writes down to 50+ eligible lives. Coverage must be paired with two core lines of coverage (Life, Disability, Dental). Minimum 5+ lives participation. Ask us for details.