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Home Blog All COVID-19: Most recent communications from Health Insurance Carriers for New Jersey as of 3/24/2020
COVID-19: Most recent communications from Health Insurance Carriers for New Jersey as of 3/24/2020
By Shayne Bevilacqua, MBA | 03-24-2020

Most recent communications from Health Insurance Carriers for New Jersey:

(Please contact your agent, broker, or insurance carrier for more information.)

AmeriHealth:

As a result of the COVID‑19 outbreak, AmeriHealth New Jersey will honor employer requests to continue coverage for employees furloughed or temporarily laid off as a result of impacts of COVID‑19.
This exception applies to fully insured and self‑funded business, and is contingent upon the following:
  • Full premium payments continue to be made by the employer.
  • Self‑funded employers must continue to remit invoiced amounts in full.
  • The employer is responsible for collecting employee contributions, if applicable.
  • No reductions to employer contributions will be allowed.
  • Only actively at work employees can be added to the plan as new enrollees.
  • Our preferred Stop Loss partner, HM Insurance Group (HMIG), will honor coverage in accordance with the above conditions.
  • Self‑funded employers who do NOT contract with HMIG for Stop Loss/Reinsurance should contact their Stop Loss carrier or broker/consultant for information on how these benefits will be covered under their policy related to the specific Stop Loss contract terms and Plan documents.
This Underwriting Guideline exception is in effect until June 30, 2020. This exception will not be valid on or after July 1, 2020.
Please note: Employers should consult with their legal counsel and/or tax advisor to determine if their benefit offerings meet applicable state and federal requirements.
If you have any questions, please contact your AmeriHealth New Jersey broker representative.

 

CIGNA:

With the COVID-19 pandemic, we understand you may be faced with limiting staff hours, furloughing employees or, in certain cases, having temporary lay-offs.

If an enrolled employee working 30 hours or more per week is furloughed or has hours reduced below 30 hours per week, Cigna will agree, at your formal request, to allow the employee to remain on the plan for the duration of the extended relief period as long as premium payments are made.  “Extended relief period” is defined as the period starting on March 16, 2020 through May 31, 2020.  This period may be extended by Cigna in response to evolving external events as well as Cigna’s financial capacity.

To accept the terms of this agreement, you must confirm that the employees who remain on the plan through these relaxed eligibility guidelines were active and covered by the plan as of March 1, 2020.  We reserve the right to audit.

In order for CIGNA to process this, a formal request must be made.  One formally requested, then the client would need to formally acknowledge and accept their understanding of the above guidelines by replying directly to the email from CIGNA with the insured group’s intent to proceed.

Please find attached CIGNA external release piece.

CIGNA COVID-19 EXTERNAL FAQs

Horizon:

  • No premium grace period
  • Laid-off employees should be removed from coverage and offered COBRA/Continuation.  Broker/Groups should direct these employees to individual coverage with subsidy or Medicaid based on anticipated 2020 income.
  • Pending decision on furloughed employees but they believe directing such employees towards individual coverage/Medicaid is the best option for the employee.

 

United HealthCare / Oxford:

Please find attached UHC & Oxford external release piece.

UHC+Oxford_COVID-19-EXTERNAL-FAQ

Stay tuned for more information as reported.