Most Premera Blue Cross
Blue Shield of Alaska members will be receiving new ID Cards in 2022. This is
due new transparency requirements in the No Surprises Act.
Starting January 1, 2022,
the act requires health plans to include the following information on any
physical or electronic plan or insurance identification card issued to plan
participants:
- Any
applicable plan deductible
- Any
applicable out-of-pocket maximum limitation under the plan
- Telephone
number and website through which a participant, beneficiary or enrollee may
obtain information and assistance
This
provision applies to commercial non-grandfathered and grandfathered groups and
individual policies. It doesn’t apply to excepted benefits like stand-alone
dental and vision coverage or Medicare supplement plans. It also doesn’t apply
to government programs such as Medicare Advantage plans or Medicaid coverage.
We
expect further rulemaking to clarify the statutory ID card requirement from the
government, but this information won’t be released prior to January 1, 2022.
Consequently, Premera will implement the ID card requirements using a good
faith, reasonable interpretation of the law.
Beginning
with January 1, 2022 effective dates, as then as group health plans renew, ID
cards will be issued to all impacted members regardless of plan changes. Once updated
ID cards have been issued, any available digital versions of the card will be
updated and available as well.