Most Premera members will be receiving new ID cards in 2022. This is due to 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 ID cards 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.