Kaiser: SB 78 Open Enrollment

Due to California law requiring state residents to maintain qualifying health coverage beginning in 2020, Kaiser Permanente is allowing a special open enrollment period to small group employees and their dependents who previously declined coverage to enroll effective January 1, 2020.

The special open enrollment period for these employees runs from October 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019 and is only valid for January 1, 2020 effective dates – it is available to all groups regardless of their normal open enrollment month.

What you need to know

• Only employees and their dependents who previously declined coverage are eligible for this special open enrollment period. Employees who are already enrolled in a plan can’t make plan changes at this time.
• Employers may choose to add to their plan offerings a downgraded plan, which may be offered only to these newly eligible participants. A Plan Add/Change Request form is required.
• All eligibility requirements for enrollment in the group health plan continue to apply.
• A Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) must be provided by the group to each employee as part of the group’s annual open enrollment. A separate 60-day advance notice is not required.

To take advantage of this special open enrollment period on behalf of your small group clients, please contact your Kaiser account manager or the Small Business Services Customer Connection Team at 1-800-790-4661, option 3.

See Kaiser's news post for more information.

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