Open Enrollment in CalPERS Health Benefits Ends Friday
The deadline for CalPERS members to select their health benefits is Friday, and Kaiser Permanente is likely to lead enrollment, the Sacramento Business Journal reports (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 10/5).
Background
CalPERS launched its open enrollment period in mid-September. The pension fund is offering 12 plans for next year and has upgraded its website with resources to educate consumers on choosing the best plan (California Healthline, 9/16).
Details of Enrollment
According to the Business Journal, Kaiser already is the leading health plan in the CalPERS program, with 536,800 members, or about 38% of the 1.4 million CalPERS members.
The next-closest health plan is Blue Shield of California, which has more than 344,800 members statewide.
Kaiser's 2016 rate increase for state workers is among the lowest in the program, the Business Journal reports. Kaiser's rate increase for next year is 4.5%, while Blue Shield's statewide HMO rate increases range from 7% to more than 13.5%.
Linda Hunter, Sacramento benefits practice leader for Woodruff-Sawyer & Co., said, "The majority of employers are not happy with any increases," adding, "The majority have Kaiser, which has the lowest level of increase, but a lot depends on the choices people make" (Sacramento Business Journal, 10/5).
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