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Important Anthem Small Group Updates

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Anthem Blue Cross provided the following important information regarding California small groups.

 

Anthem is extending coverage for COVID-19 Care and Telehealth

Anthem is extending coverage for COVID-19 care through December 31, 2020

If your employees or anyone on their health plan needs to be treated for COVID-19, Anthem will cover the care with no copays or cost-sharing as long as they receive treatment from doctors, hospitals, and other health-care professionals in their plan's network. 

 

Anthem is extending coverage for care from home

Telehealth doctor visits give your employees access to health care without leaving their home. Telehealth visits with health-care providers in their plan's network are covered at no cost through September 30, 2020, including visits that are not related to COVID-19. Encourage employees to ask their doctor if they offer telehealth visits.

 

The Virtual Care text feature on the Sydney Care mobile app allows your employees to chat with a doctor. Their first two text sessions are free through December 31, 2020. Additional text visits are $19 each.

 

 

The extended coverage applies to Anthem's Fully Insured groups and self-funded groups that have opted to provide the extended benefits to their members.

 

Anthem issues premium credits to employer groups

Anthem continues to look for ways to provide support and financial relief to their employers and members during the COVID-19 emergency. 

 

Shelter-in-place orders across the country have caused significant disruption to traditional patterns of care. As a response to these challenges, Anthem is supporting their customers by issuing premium credits to their Fully Insured employer groups based on their April 2020 invoices. 

 

The credits will appear on employers' August 2020 invoices (issued in July 2020):

  • 15% of the April premium for Anthem Small Group medical plans
  • 50% of the April premium for Anthem Dental plans

 

Q4 Dental and Vision Renewal Rate Hold

Small group specialty renewal rates aren’t changing in Q4!

 

It’s been a challenging year for small businesses and Anthem wants to help them. That’s why they’re holding your clients’ 2020 renewal rates steady for dental and vision during Q4. What does that mean? No rate increases. No benefit changes. No action required on your part. Anthem has taking care of everything automatically as long as your clients renew.

 

Rate holds are locked in

This automatic rate hold applies to all small group dental and vision renewals from October 1, 2020 to December 15, 2020. Anthem will automatically roll all applicable 2020 small group specialty rates back to 2019 pricing. It’s Anthem's way of helping you and your clients through these challenging times.

 

Playback of Broker/Employer Webcast from 5/28 and 6/2

Broker/Employer Webcast Playback from 5/28/2020

To listen to the playback from the 5/28 webcast that includes legislation updates, a clinical briefing, return to work tools, reporting enhancements and a general business update, please click the link below.

 

Broker/Employer Webcast Playback from 6/2/2020

Click the link below to listen to the playback from the 6/2 webcast that includes important updates about COBRA, additional options for furloughed or part-time employees, and information about Health Access: a new plan for Large Group employers. 

 

 

For questions, please contact a member of your B&P Sales Team - 888.722.3373.