We realize changes to health plans impact decisions you make during Open Enrollment. We also understand that changes to health plans during a pandemic can be especially hard and that members may be concerned with how the plan changes may impact their health benefits.
View the Health Plan Changes for 2022 page on our website for details on health plans, service areas, and benefit design changes for next year.
We’re working to give members like you more choices, such as adding HMO plan options in Lassen, Shasta, Humboldt and Stanislaus counties, where in some areas only PPO plan options were available. We also worked with our health plans to add and expand Medicare plans so members have more choices to remain with their health carrier for combination plans or as they age into Medicare.
What’s Next?
There’s no action for you to take now. This information is to help you make an informed decision for you and your family during Open Enrollment, which will be held September 20 through October 15.
The preliminary 2022 health premiums for all our health plans will be presented to the Pension & Health Benefits Committee on June 15. On July 13, the board will adopt the final premiums, which will take effect January 1, 2022. The preliminary and final health premiums will be posted to the CalPERS website.
Plan Changes for 2022
Basic HMO and EPO Plans
- Blue Shield Access+: Reenter into eight Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma, and Solano.
- Blue Shield EPO: Expand into Lassen and Shasta counties.
- Blue Shield Trio: Expand into Orange, Santa Cruz, and Stanislaus counties.
- UnitedHealthcare SignatureValue Harmony: New plan to be available in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties.
- Western Health Advantage: Expand into Humboldt County.*
*Contingent upon approval by the Department of Managed Health Care.
Basic PPO Plans
CalPERS’ three PPO plans, PERSCare, PERS Choice, and PERS Select, will transition to two plans, PERS Platinum and PERS Gold. The two PPO plans will offer more distinction in benefit design, networks, and premium pricing.
- PERSCare: Transition to PERS Platinum. Retains the same 10% coinsurance benefit design and network as PERSCare/PERS Choice.
- PERS Choice: Transition to PERS Platinum. Offers a 10% coinsurance benefit design and retains the network of PERSCare/PERS Choice.
- PERS Select: Transition to PERS Gold. Retains the same 20% coinsurance benefit design and network as PERS Select.
Medicare Plans
- Anthem Blue Cross Medicare Advantage: Expand into 21 additional counties for coverage in all 58 counties with new supplemental benefits:
- 12 telephone nutritional counseling sessions
- 1 monthly shipment of recommended healthy non-perishable staples
- 12 Non-emergency medical transportation one-way trips
- Blue Shield Medicare Advantage: New nationwide plan with additional supplemental benefits:
- Quarterly $80 over-the-counter drug benefit
- Personal emergency response system
- Post-discharge meals
- 24 non-emergency medical transportation one-way trips
- PERSCare Supplement to Medicare Plan: Transition to PERS Platinum Supplement to Medicare Plan. No changes to benefit design or network.
- PERS Choice Supplement to Medicare Plan: Transition to PERS Platinum Supplement to Medicare Plan. No changes to benefit design or network.
- PERS Select Supplement to Medicare Plan: Transition to PERS Gold Supplement to Medicare Plan. No change to benefit design or network.
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Edge: New nationwide plan.
- Western Health Advantage (WHA) MyCare Select Medicare Advantage: New plan to be available in nine counties: Colusa, El Dorado, Marin, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo.
Stay Up to Date
Visit our website for the latest information on our health plans and to view the June and July board meetings. You can also subscribe for newsletters and alerts using your email address.