NEWSROOM

Here is an overview of updates and news you can use from our California carrier, health plan, and administrator partners. For details, click on the related link (if any), or contact your Word & Brown representative.
 

Bonus Updates

• Delta Dental​
  • Broker Rewards: Delta Dental’s ongoing Small Business Broker Rewards Program offers both a sales bonus and a retention bonus when selling eligible groups of 2-99 lives. Earn a sales bonus of up to 5% plus a retention bonus of up to 3%. Download the Delta Dental flyer for details.
• Health Net
  • Large Group Incentive: Your Health Net Large Group business with an effective date through 12/1/2025 could earn you an incentive of 2% of paid premiums for 12 months on new cases. Download the Health Net flyer for details.
• Kaiser Permanente ​
  • Small Group Bonus: Kaiser Permanente has announced a new Small Group bonus for groups effective September 1, 2025, through January 1, 2026. Earn $1,000 when you enroll 25 new members – and unlock $25 for each additional member past 25 with the ongoing Group Production Reward. Earn up to $15,000 more in level-up bonuses. Visit this Newsroom post for more information.  

Medical​ Coverage

• W&B Updates
  • Q4 Quoting: Most of our California carrier and administrator partners are now quoting for the fourth quarter. Get a jump on peak season business; contact your W&B rep or login and start quoting today.
• ​​Anthem Blue Cross​
  • Select HMO Network Update: Providence Health (Orange County) joined the Anthem Select HMO network in July. Added medical groups as part of this expansion include Providence Affiliated Physicians Mission; Mission Heritage Medical Group; Providence Affiliated Physicians St. Joseph; St. Joseph Heritage Medical Group; Providence Affiliated Physicians St. Jude; St. Jude Heritage Medical Group; and St. Mary High Desert Medical Group.
• Blue Shield of California​
  • Member Health Assessments: Blue Shield has begun an outreach campaign to promote preventive care and encourage members to utilize their annual health assessments. Some BSC members will receive calls, emails, letters, and text messages as part of the outreach. You may wish to make your groups aware of this potential planned outreach to members. Gift card incentives are a component of the outreach campaign.
  • Member App Update: The Blue Shield of California app has been updated to add a push notification feature that directs members to real-time drug prices and lower-cost prescription options. The July Blue Shield Group Broker Update provides details.
  • Virtual Care Flyers: Three new collateral pieces focused on virtual care benefits are now available from BSC; download your copies: DispatchHealth® in-home medical care; Teladoc® mental health and other services; and Wellvolution®, BSC’s digital platform.
• CaliforniaChoice​
  • Q4 Quoting: CaliforniaChoice is now quoting all participating health plans for the fourth quarter. Contact your CHOICE representative, preferred GA partner, or login to quote now. 
• CalCPA​
  • Health Rate Change: New rates for CalCPA have been entered into W&B’s quoting system and are available for groups effective 9/1/2025 through 12/31/2025.
• Health Net​
  • Underwriting Promo: Health Net’s Underwriting promotion has been extended into Q4 for groups with 10 enrolling subscribers. No DE 9C, no payroll, and no ownership docs are required. No waivers. No participation percentage required. Contact your W&B rep for details.
• ​UnitedHealthcare​
  • Alliance Reminder: UHC reminds brokers that the Alliance HMO is only available to employers with 1-100 employees in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties.
  • Employer App: UHC will only accept its latest Employer Application for Small Business for coverage effective in September (or later). “Old” forms will no longer be accepted. Download your copy today, and be sure to throw away any prior employer apps in your files or storage areas.
  • Small Group HMO Service Updates: Beginning 10/1/25, UHC is expanding to deliver an enhanced, modernized experience to new and renewing California Small Groups with HMO plans (excluding CaliforniaChoice). For renewing clients, these changes will become effective at upcoming renewal. Download the UHC flyer for details.

Ancillary & Other​ Coverage​

• Blue Shield of California​
  • 2026 Dental Plan Withdrawal: Blue Shield of California (BSC) is withdrawing two small business Dental plans from Smile^SM effective 1/1/2026. Clients with the In-Network Only Dental Plan 50/1500/Endo-Perio 80%/Ortho and In-Network Only Dental Plan 50/1500/Endo-Perio 80%/No Ortho will need to move to different plans for 2026.
• ChoiceBuilder​
  • Q4 Quoting: Quoting for 10/1 is available for ChoiceBuilder. Contact your CHOICE representative, preferred GA partner, or login at ChoiceBuilder.com. 
• Colonial Life​
  • New Flyer: W&B’s Marketing department has recently developed a flyer touting the value-adds offered by Colonial Life. Help your clients deliver more to employees without spending more. Download the flyer and share it with your clients or contact your W&B rep to start your group quote.
• Landmark Healthplan​
  • 2026 Rates: Landmark Healthplan will increase its rates effective January 1, 2026, by 8.5% for all new and renewing businesses on fully insured employer-contributory and group voluntary plans. ASO fee changes are unchanged. Quoting is now available. Contact W&B for more information.