The Special Enrollment Period Ends December 15th

The Special Enrollment Period (SEP) is your solution for clients that do not meet carrier participation or minimum employer contribution requirements. Act fast, the annual SEP is closing! All applications must be submitted by December 15th.

SEP By The Numbers

• 4 business days to submit an application until the December 15th deadline.
• $0 employer contribution requirement.
• 0 participation requirement (at least 1 employee must enroll).
• 1 coverage effective date – January 1, 2025.
• Small group (1-100 employees).

SEP only comes around once a year so don’t delay! To see how SEP coverage can help your clients, contact us today at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com

2025 Pharmacy and Network Updates

Blue Shield continues to provide accessible, affordable, high-quality health benefits for small businesses and their employees. Key updates for 2025 include:

Pharmacy Updates

• Retail pharmacy network: Navitus will manage Blue Shield’s retail pharmacy network starting January 1, 2025. Impacted members will receive advance notice and in-network retail and Amazon Pharmacy home delivery options.
• Amazon Pharmacy home delivery: Prescription drug home delivery will shift from CVS Caremark Mail Service Pharmacy to Amazon Pharmacy on January 1, 2025.
• New Member ID Cards: Members with plan effective dates of October 1 or later received updated ID cards with new pharmacy information.

Tandem Network Updates

• The UCSD hospital joins the Tandem network in 2025, completing statewide UC hospital access and adding 1,800 value-based primary care providers across California.
• Effective January 1, 2025, Stanford and Cedars-Sinai facilities will no longer participate in the Tandem network.

Reminder

• New Small Business Incentive Program - February 1, 2025 - January 31, 2026.
• Specialty Bundled Savings Program - perpetual program.
• Relaxed Participation - extended through December 31, 2025.

Learn more and take advantage of the bonus programs and Relaxed Participate promotion. Contact us today for a Blue Shield quote.

2025 Contribution Limits for Tax-Advantaged Plans

The IRS has released the 2025 contribution limits for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and commuter benefit plans. For a summary of the 2025 amounts and plan limits, check out BASIC's overview and access the IRS official announcement.

Learn more and contact us today for help enrolling your groups in a BASIC specialty account.

Claremont's Holiday Office Schedule

Christmas

• Closed at 3:30 pm on Thursday, December 12, 2024
• Closed at noon on Tuesday, December 24, 2024
• Closed on Wednesday, December 25, 2024
• Open on Thursday, December 26, 2024

New Year's

• Closed at noon on Tuesday, December 31, 2024
• Closed on Wednesday, January 1, 2025
• Open on Thursday, January 2, 2025

We wish you a joyous and festive holiday season with your family and friends!

Get The Latest News with Text Messaging!

Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.

As always, we'll keep you informed about healthcare issues and news affecting you and your clients. Our knowledgeable team is here to help you succeed.

Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.