Health Net Transition: Medical Carrier UW Promotions & Bonuses
Updated on: September 23, 2026 | By Word & Brown General Agency | California & Nevada
We want to make it easy for you and your clients to find replacement coverage in response to the planned exit by Health Net in 2027 from the group insurance market in California. Below is a summary, by carrier, of current underwriting promotions. Check back often as we’ll be updating this list with new information as it is released by our carrier partners.
If you have questions or need more details, reach out to your W&B representative.
Small Group Underwriting Promotion
New groups effective 10/1/26-3/1/2027 will have a 25% participation requirement for all groups 2-100 lives - no waivers form needed. No DE 9C is required if prior invoice is received. Without the prior carrier bill, the standard UW guidelines apply.
Existing Anthem groups written alongside Health Net will allow members to come to Anthem as a special enrollment effective 10/1/26-3/1/27.
Groups will be allowed to reinstate within 60 days of leaving Anthem if the group left in good standing. Group will be required to pay the back premium all at once.
Large Group Underwriting Promotion
For Kaiser Permanente participation, Anthem requires 50% minimum participation - (50% Anthem and 50% Kaiser/Waivers combined.
If alongside Kaiser, Anthem can use Pilot40 to quote down to 40% Anthem Participation as long as the anticipated Anthem population is greater than 75 enrolled, and the Kaiser enrollment is less than the anticipated Anthem population.
Small Group Underwriting Promotion
- When writing Blue Shield of Californoa (BSCA) alongside another carrier’s HMO, the minimum enrollee requirement is 3 employees. 65% participation is required between all carriers.
- For groups transitioning from Health Net with 3+ enrolling employees, a prior bill may be used in lieu of the DE 9C/Payroll.
- For transitioning Health Net groups, the 30-day advance submission and six-month BSCA requirements are temporarily waived for renewal date change requests, including eligible off-cycle changes.
- If an existing BSCA group was written alongside Health Net, members losing coverage can transition to a BSCA plan.
- Groups that left BSCA can come back by reinstating their prior coverage within 60 days of the termination date with same group number and same member IDs.
Large Group Underwriting Promotion
BSCA is willing to review groups on a case-by-case basis. If a group is close to meeting the participation requirement (around 50%), BSC can still consider it. If the group needs to stay on a different renewal date, BSCA can consider a short plan year and then move the group to a 1/1 renewal.
The group would be guaranteed a cohort renewal (Blue Shield’s pooled standard renewal) for the upcoming renewal.
Bonus
BSCA is offering a limited time transition bonus for 10/1/2026-3/1/2027 effective dates for eligible Small Groups previously with Health Net that are transitioning to BSCA. Transition bonus applies to Small Business Off-Exchange and Mirror Packages sales only. Bonus will be based on active membership as of 3/31/2027. Producer must be Broker of Record on the effective date and at the time the bonus is paid. Bonus will be paid on or before 6/30/2027.
Bonus for Small Group Medical members:
- 1-50 members = $100 per member
- 51-100 members = $150 per member
- 101+ members = $200 per member
Bonus for Dental members
Bonus for Vision members
Small Group Underwriting Promotion
To support brokers and your Health Net direct groups, CaliforniaChoice is offering a special underwriting promotion for new business effective dates from September 1, 2026, through January 1, 2027.
Eligible groups with 1 or more medically enrolled subscribers may submit their most recent Health Net invoice instead of a DE 9C. To qualify, groups must meet the following criteria:
- Health Net invoices must be fully reconciled.
- A current pay stub is required for any subscriber not listed on the invoice.
- Owners enrolling who are not listed on the invoice must provide a signed Owner/Partner Statement.
- At least 51% of eligible employees must be located in California.
- Owner only groups are not eligible.
- All standard CaliforniaChoice eligibility criteria apply to this promotion.
Bonus
Effective 10/1/2026 to 1/1/2027, you’ll earn $100 for every Health Net member who transitions into the CaliforniaChoice program. There is no cap – and no limit – to this bonus.
Business submitted to Word & Brown as the general agency are eligible for this bonus.
Payment is based on enrolled member count at initial enrollment. The group must be active at the time of the bonus payment. One-time payment will be made 60 days after 1/1/2027.
CaliforniaChoice may modify or cancel the CaliforniaChoice Transition Bonus at any time.
Large Group Underwriting Promotion
Cigna will consider relaxing participation requirements and would consider nothing less than 30% in the non-Kaiser Permanente plans. There is additional flexibility on a case-by-case basis.
Cigna can offer short- or long-term contracts and transition credits on a case-by-case basis.
Small Group Underwriting Promotion
- No DE 9C required for five or fewer subscribers; a Health Net bill is sufficient (does not apply to groups purchasing a Kaiser Permanente PPO plan).
- Existing Kaiser Permanente groups may move to a 1/1, 2/1, or 3/1 effective date to align with another carrier's renewal date.
- Existing groups may request upgrades, downgrades, or plan additions within 60 days of losing Health Net coverage. When adding a Kaiser Permanente PPO, the Health Net bill, Plan Change Form, and DE 9C or payroll will be required.
Small Group Underwriting Promotion
Sutter Health Plan has shared the information below to support Health Net transitions:
- Extend the monthly enrollment submission deadline from the 10th to the 15th of the month.
- Honor existing Primary Care Physician (PCP) relationships with contracted providers in the Sutter Health Plan network.
- Honor approved and pending prior authorizations for services provided by Sutter Health.
- Apply deductible credits toward applicable medical expenses for eligible members.
- Extend plan agreements to 13 or 14 months for Large Group clients transitioning in November 2026 or December 2026.
Small Group Underwriting Promotion
All agencies can work with a GA on transition business (including agencies that are on the GA exclusion list for UHC Large Group business).
Bonus
For agents with groups who currently have a carrier that may be exiting the group health insurance market, UnitedHealthcare will offer a one-time additional compensation payment per enrolled employee that will be made to agents who enroll such customers between 11/1/2026 and 6/30/2027. Groups with up to 5,000 eligible employees in California are eligible for the bonus.
- Bonus for Each Fully Insured and Level-Funded Enrolled Employee: $60
- Bonus for Each Self-Funded Enrolled Employee: $20
The additional compensation will be paid based on the 6/30/2027 enrolled employee count of the eligible group and will be paid after June 30, 2027. |
Check back often as we’ll be updating this table with new information as it is released by our carrier partners.
If you have questions or need more details, reach out to your W&B representative.
