With AgentLink, you have easy access to the carriers you want and the tools and resources you need to offer the best to your clients.
We’ve created this page for agents to reference for the latest news and resources from carriers regarding the coronavirus. This page will be kept up-to-date as carriers release new information.
United HealthCare’s Response
United HealthCare’s Broker FAQ
United HealthCare’s Employer FAQ
Caresource’s Response
Aetna’s Response
Aetna Funding Advantage for Small Groups
Cigna’s Response
Mutual of Omaha’s Response
Principal’s Response
MetLife’s Response, Resources, & FAQ
Responses from the major Life carriers
Delta Dental Broker FAQ
Updates from NAHU
Updates from Kentucky Department of Insurance
Updates from the CDC
Updates from the White House
In addition to frequently updating their web page, Anthem has release helpful documents for reference:
Utilizing LiveHealth Online
Guide to understanding benefits
Employer FAQs
COVID-19 FAQs
Anthem recently hosted a call to cover information agents need to be aware of and what Anthem is doing to address the current situation. You may access the playback of the call by dialing 855-859-2056 and using the conference ID “5292043”.
For your clients and your clients’ employees, Anthem is eliminating cost-sharing expenses for COVID-19 treatment from doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals from April 1 through May 31, 2020, including the cost of the test. There will also be no cost for telehealth visits with a doctor in their plan through June 14, 2020.
Here is the Humana Members’ FAQ and Coverage FAQ.
To help customers work through the many challenges they are facing, Humana will be:
*Employers offering level-funded premium plans can opt-out of the limited plan modification to waive member co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance for COVID-19 treatment by calling Humana at 1-800-592-3005 by 5 PM E.T., Tuesday, March 31, 2020.
Additionally, Humana has shared this resource specifically for small businesses to help during this time.
Special Enrollment period: March 23 – April 15
Effective Date: April 1
Anthem is allowing Fully Insured groups and ChamberAdvantage Groups a Special Open Enrollment period to enroll employees who were eligible as of the group’s last open enrollment period but waived coverage at that time.
This special enrollment period is for all product lines. It is also open to eligible spouses and dependents of covered employees.
The employer would follow standard processes of sending updated enrollment to Anthem as they would for any qualifying event or enrollment period.
At this time, Humana is not offering a special enrollment period due to COVID-19 for those that previously waived coverage to come onto the group policy. If something changes, we will be sure to share updates via continued communications.
Special Enrollment Period: March 23 – April 13
Effective Date: April 1
UHC is providing its fully-insured employer customers with a special enrollment opportunity to enroll employees who previously did not enroll in coverage. The opportunity is limited to employees who previously did not elect coverage for themselves (spouses or children) or waived coverage
Dependents can be added if they are enrolled in the same coverage or benefit option as the employee.
Customers are not required to adopt this special enrollment period, and therefore, no opt-out action is required. Standard waiting periods will be waived; however, existing eligibility and state guidelines will apply.
For small employers (2-50), a wage and tax statement will be needed to validate the employee’s eligibility.
Principal is removing renewal conversations that are going on right now. For employers with less than 500 employees and policy anniversary dates of May 1, 2020 through Aug. 15, 2020, there won’t be any rate increases. Though, Washington small group dental and all cases with scheduled vision coverage could be subject to an increase.
Below is CareSource’s policy regarding premium payments/terminations for non-payment during the current crisis.
There are different policies depending on the state that the member lives in.
Ohio & West Virginia: 60-day premium extension for members impacted by the pandemic, this 60-day extension begins the day the member requests it. However, they will continue to be billed and the premium amount will accumulate.
Indiana: Members have until 07/17/2020 to pay their premium. Premiums will continue to accumulate and will be due 07/18/2020.
Georgia: Georgia DOI has instructed that insurance companies suspend terminating coverage until further notice. This applies to any Marketplace member in Georgia. All premiums will become due once this bulletin has been lifted.
Kentucky: Members have until 04/30/2020 to pay their premium. Premiums will continue to accumulate and will be due 5/1/2020.
NAHU recently shared this summary of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which will help provide relief to those impacted by the coronavirus.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, includes several provisions to protect American workers and assist employers in providing emergency paid sick leave, as well as paid family leave in the case of school closures, for working families impacted by COVID-19.
The FFCRA requires employers with up to 500 employees to provide paid sick leave and paid family leave while providing a refundable payroll tax credit to employers to cover 100% of the cost of wages. There is also a refundable income tax credit made available for self-employed individuals. Employers with less than 50 employees must apply for a hardship exemption in order to qualify.
Employers must offer two weeks (10 days) of paid sick leave for COVID-19-related reasons (existing leave offered can count toward the 10 days). If the sick leave is for an employee who is sick or seeking a diagnosis, the benefit must replace all of the employee’s wages up to a maximum benefit of $511 per day. If an employee is caring for another individual who is sick, the benefit must replace at least two-thirds of the employee’s wages up to a maximum benefit of $200 per day. The paid sick leave credit offsets 100% of employer costs for providing mandated paid sick leave. The credit also offsets, uncapped, the employer contribution for health insurance premiums for the employee for the period of leave.
Employers must offer 12 weeks of paid family leave for employees who have been employed for at least 30 days with a minor child in the event of the closure of the child’s school or place of care. The first 10 days are unpaid, but the employee can overlap this with the 10 days of paid sick leave. This benefit must replace at least two-thirds of the employee’s wages up to a maximum of $200 per day. The paid family leave credit offsets 100% of employer costs for providing mandated paid family leave. The credit also offsets, uncapped, the employer contribution for health insurance premiums for the employee for the period of leave.
Under FFCRA, self-employed individuals are provided similar credits as refundable income tax credits in an amount of what self-employed workers would have received if they had been an employee receiving paid leave benefits pursuant to the mandates. For a given day that a self-employed worker could not work, they can claim a “rough justice” tax credit in the amount of their average daily self-employment income for the year.
This action taken by Congress follows several pieces of emergency guidance released by the Trump Administration. We are expecting more action from Congress and the Administration to address other aspects of the coronavirus pandemic. Be sure to regularly check your email, NAHU’s social media channels and website for any updates. Should CDC or WHO guidance change, NAHU will act accordingly and immediately update you. You can find links to pertinent information from WHO, CDC the Department of Labor and CMS on our website. We also encourage you to contact insurance carriers, check plan documents and state law, and consider the needs of your clients as coverage decisions are being made.
Both Principal and Prudential announced changes to make accelerated underwriting more accessible, including increasing the face amount limit of eligible policies and eliminating the medical exam and lab requirements for accelerated underwriting.
Find details about Principal’s full changes here.
Find details about Prudential’s full changes here.