Highmark | ACA Updates
Important PA updates including: a new SEP form and a product refresher. Read more.
Highmark | Having Second Thoughts About Your Health Plan?
Good news. This year, you have extra time to switch. If you’re discovering that your premium or copays are too high or that your current individual or family plan doesn’t cover as much as you thought it would a limited COVID‑19 Enrollment Period recently opened that allows you to change plans with no eligibility requirements. Read more.
Highmark | HealthNow Affiliation Receives Approval
Highmark Health is now the primary licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield brand in eight western New York counties and 13 northeastern New York counties. These regions will officially be known as Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York and Highmark Blue Shield of Northeastern New York. Read more.
Highmark | In Case You Missed It: Sage Scholars College Tuition Benefit Webinar Recording Now Available
Highmark is committed to providing our producers training and opportunities to learn about new products and services. Last week, many of you joined us for a webinar hosted by our Product Management team to learn about College Tuition Benefit (CTB) : a unique college savings program that is now available to medical (mid/large ASO in PA, DE, and WV and fully-insured in PA and DE) and Blue Edge Dental (small/mid/large group in PA and DE) clients as of 1/1/21. CTB will also be available to small group medical clients as of 1/1/22. Read more.
UPMC Health Plan | Waivers for In-Network Telehealth Visits and Inpatient COVID-19 Treatment Extended
Following Governor Wolf’s extension of Pennsylvania’s Proclamation of a Disaster Emergency, UPMC Health Plan confirmed that it will continue to waive all deductibles, coinsurance and copays for in-network, inpatient COVID-19 treatment for its members enrolled in its Medicare Advantage plans, fully-insured employer group and individual ACA plans, as well as in self-insured employer group plans that do not opt out of this coverage. This policy change is effective immediately and will stay in effect through April 20, 2021. Read more.
Here’s What’s in The $1.9 Trillion American Rescue Plan That Just Passed The House
In an effort to deliver financial relief to struggling families and ramp up vaccination distribution across the country, House Democrats passed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan early Saturday morning. Read more.
SCOTUS Review of Medicaid Work Rules Hinges on Trump-Era Letter
The Trump administration’s eleventh-hour attempt to preserve Medicaid work requirements and circumvent President Joe Biden’s plan to rescind them hinges on the question of whether the effort amounted to guidance or binding contracts, legal analysts say. Read more.
Biden Admin Appears to Withdraw Final Rule Aimed at Streamlining Prior Authorization
The Biden administration appears to have withdrawn a rule finalized last minute by the Trump administration that aims to streamline prior authorization, a major source of provider administrative burden. Read more.
New Incentive for States to Adopt the ACA Medicaid Expansion: Implications for State Spending
As of February 2021, 12 states have not adopted the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision to expand Medicaid to adults with incomes through 138% of poverty. Millions of people in these states remain without an affordable coverage option. Currently, the federal government covers 90% of the cost of Medicaid coverage for adults covered through the ACA expansion, a higher share than it does for other Medicaid enrollees. Read more.
Pennie: What effective date will my client receive?
Check out this Special Election Period Quick Reference Chart. Read more.
Pennie News & Updates
Find out what's new with Pennie on our resources page, including downloads, links, and events. See more.
3/18 Changes & Opportunities for Families & Employers Within President Biden's COVID-19 Relief Package
Join Pennie and URL for a webinar on March 18th at 2pm EST to take a closer look at the changes and opportunities for individuals and employer groups associated with President Biden’s COVID-19 Relief Package.
We'll discuss:
- New Pennie COVID-19 open enrollment from February 15th to May 15th
- Increase in APTC (subsidies) based on the change in percentage of income considered
- New APTC benefits for those consumers on unemployment compensation in 2021
- COBRA subsidies vs. Pennie subsidies
Register Now.
3/19 Central Penn Business Group on Health | Virtual Networking Event
How will the COVID Vaccine be distributed locally? Have this question answered and more at the CPBGH Networking Event on Friday, March 19th. Register Now.
Highmark SEP Bonus
Check out this incentive program for new to Highmark ACA individual market enrollment with March – June effective dates. Payment will apply to total members, not contracts and will pay in July, 2021. There is no minimum requirement to be eligible and no cap to the incentive. Payout will apply to any SEP submitted with March – June effective dates. Read more.
Kansas City Life | Group Benefits Helping You Grow
There's a wonderful stroke of good luck in store for you again this year when you combine your hard work and loyalty with Kansas City Life Insurance Company's Group Benefits Bonus Incentive Program. Read more.
UPMC Health Plan | We Introduce “The Better Option” Producer Incentive for Individual Sales
UPMC Health Plan has two ways to help you earn incentives during Pennie’s COVID-19 special enrollment period (SEP). Enroll qualifying individuals between February 15 - May 15, 2021, with March - June 2021 effective dates, to qualify for the incentives below. Read more.
