Claremont Welcomes Rebecca Hernandez

Claremont is excited to welcome Rebecca Hernandez as the newest member of the Service Team. Rebecca brings with her 6 years of industry experience. Most recently she held the position of Small Business Senior Renewal Specialist with eHealth Insurance, where she provided service in all 50 states, to over 9,000 groups. “Rebecca is the perfect addition to help round out our team,” says Laura Hogsed, Service Manager. “Her experience in renewal analyzation is a great asset which will take our ability to provide wholistic service to our brokers to a higher level.”

In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys taking Zumba classes, gem collecting or listening to self-improvement books. Learn more.

Q1-2024 Updates

Here’s a summary of the changes for the first quarter of 2024:

Rates

• Rates are now available through PRISM, our free and easy online quoting system.
• The Q1-2024 rate action is a statewide average of 3%.

Medical Plans

• 2 new Virtual Blue^SM plans are available:
  - Virtual Blue Platinum Tandem PPO 250/20
  - Virtual Blue Silver Tandem PPO 2700/75
  Virtual Blue plans are now offered on all 4 metal tiers.
• There are minimal portfolio and plan changes for 2024.
• The 2024 medical plan names have been mapped to the 2023 plan names.
• More information is available in the Medical Plans at a Glance, Medical Plan Cheat Sheet, and Medical Sales Guide.

Dental and Vision Plans

• 13 DPPO plans and one DINO plan will be withdrawn from the Specialty portfolio.
• EyeMed is the new vision network provider, replacing MES Vision.
• Portfolio changes include optometric out-of-network (OON) visits that match ophthalmologic cost share, increased eyeglass frame allowance for OON and updates to contact lens benefits.
• For details, download the Specialty Sales Guide.

Bonus Programs and Promotion

• Small Business Incentive Program is in effect from February 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025.
• Renewal Rewards Program is through January 2024.
• Bundled Savings Program is a perpetual program.
• The Relaxed Participation Promotion has been extended through December 31, 2024.

Learn more and access additional resources. Contact us today for a Blue Shield quote!

Q1-2024 Updates

Rates

• CaliforniaChoice and ChoiceBuilder Q1-2024 plans are now available through PRISM, our free and easy online quoting system.

What's New

• Kaiser Permanente added a new full network Platinum HMO C plan.
• Cigna + Oscar is consolidating their plan offering within CaliforniaChoice to include four new plans with the Open Access Plus network.
• ChoiceBuilder has no plan changes, but a couple of benefit enhancements to the VSP and EyeMed plans.

Reminders

• Effective July 1, 2023, CaliforniaChoice introduced the Anthem Platinum PPO plan, making Anthem available on all 4 metal tiers and 2 networks: Prudent Buyer PPO Full Network and Select PPO.
• ChoiceBuilder is available to groups with up to 500 employees.

Learn more, view the October 11th webinar on demand, and get a CaliforniaChoice and/or ChoiceBuilder quote today!

The Critical Role for Disability Insurance

The demand for disability insurance (DI) is surging, with 60% of employees considering it a "must-have" benefit. It's a crucial element in creating inclusive benefits packages, particularly for marginalized groups like women, Black, and Hispanic employees, and LGBTQIA+ members.

Despite this demand, there remains a significant gap between interest and access, with only 35% of employees having DI, a decrease from 58% in 2019.

This must-have benefits gap directly impacts talent management. Employees with DI access report greater benefits satisfaction, improved financial and mental health, and enhanced loyalty, compared to employees without access to DI. To bridge this gap, employers should:

• Offer Access to DI: It's the first crucial step in meeting employee demand.
• Educate Employees on All Options: Clear communication ensures employees understand their available benefits.
• Champion Work-Life Balance: Show holistic support for employees, both on and off the job.

In today's competitive job market, offering DI not only boosts recruitment, retention, engagement, and loyalty but also gives your clients a competitive advantage.

Don't miss this opportunity to offer valuable DI coverage and help your clients demonstrate their commitment to the well-being of their employees, thereby fostering a more loyal and productive workforce. Learn more and contact us today for a MetLife disability insurance quote.