Recent news you can use. Look for the type of health plan you have (Individual, Group, Medicare) and read the updates for your type of plan.

Individual/Family plans purchased via Covered CA

• Renewals for 2018 should be available to see as of October 11th says CoveredCA
• Anthem Blue Cross pulling plans in most of California. If you take no action, you will be migrated to the lowest cost plan in your metallic plan level. Example: Anthem Silver 70 will likely migrate to Kaiser Silver 70 HMO.
• In Monterey County, you have only one carrier left offering coverage in Covered CA. Blue Shield of California. Contact us to see if your providers will take this plan and to see if you wish to change plan levels.
• Health Net EPO will no longer be contracted with Stanford in 2018 and mental health providers will be the MHN network.

Individual/Family plans purchased outside of assistance from Covered CA 

Rates for 2018 should be available by 11/01/2017

• Anthem Blue Cross is pulling out of most of CA. If affected, you will need to apply to a new health plan in your area that is still available. YOU WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY MIGRATE TO A NEW PLAN. YOU MUST TAKE ACTION BETWEEN 11/01/17 AND 12/01/17 IN ORDER TO HAVE MEDICAL COVERAGE ON 01/01/2018.
• Those with GRANDFATHERED plans purchased from Anthem Blue Cross before 2010, your plans will continue with a rate increase. Please open your mail and make sure you read all correspondence from your health insurance carriers.
• Health Net EPO: No Stanford   Health Net PPO includes Stanford  Both will change mental health provider networks to MHN.
• Blue Shield Grandfathered plans: Some will be withdrawn and you will need to apply for new coverage. This pool of people is very small now but open your mail to see if you are affected. Grandfathered plans were sold before 2010.
• Blue Shield ACA plans: PPO includes PAMF (Palo Alto Medical Foundation/Sutter) but no Stanford.
• Blue Shield HMO: less expensive than the PPO, Uses Dignity Health Doctors in our local area, Must have a primary care doctor in that system. Premiums are on par with Kaiser for Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels. HMO plans not available in Monterey County.
• Some Blue Shield plans will be withdrawn including the very popular Silver Seven and Bronze 5500 plans. If you have one of these plans, you will be migrated to another remaining Blue Shield PPO plan if you do not request a change at renewal time. AGAIN, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU OPEN YOUR MAIL. Never the the government or an insurance carrier Automatically do anything for or to you without your review.
• Kaiser: Must use your Kaiser providers except in an emergency. Not available in Monterey County. Uses three clinics in Santa Cruz County, and Watsonville Hospital.

Medicare Prescription Drug plans (Part D)

• Open Enrollment to change plans for 2018 is October 15th to December 7th.
• Please return this form to use with all your CURRENT medications listed so we can research the best plan for you. It may or may not be the one that you are currently on. Due to the short cycle for this work and high volume, and the research required, we do need these forms completed in order to advise you. Form
• There are no Medicare Advantage (all in one) plans in Santa Cruz County for 2018 again.

Keep checking in for more updates at they become available.

 http://mytime.com/lowcostcahealth or call us at 831-423-8542