What you and your Connecticut Oxford small business clients can expect in 2024

New and enhanced offerings in our 2024 Connecticut Oxford small business portfolio

Dec. 20, 2023

Today’s rising costs, supply issues and labor shortages can deliver crushing blows to the small employer’s already tight bottom line. For decades, we’ve offered small businesses in the region smart options for health care benefits coverage, designed for affordability, to help lessen the economic squeeze. We would like to take the opportunity to remind you about new and enhanced offerings in our 2024 Connecticut Oxford small business (1–50) portfolio, designed to help today’s small business owners focus on managing costs in an increasingly challenging economic environment.

Making health care simpler

For clients and their employees:

National network access with all plans
Advantage Prescription Drug List included with all plans
Broad pharmacy access (including CVS^®, Walgreens^® and many more)
Nearly 20% of prior authorizations eliminated for most commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid business
Oxford Benefit Management (OBM) continues to offer small businesses a simplified, bundled dental and vision solution — with a basic life coverage option; simplified quoting and installation processes
Consolidated invoicing for Oxford clients who are currently still receiving separate, monthly premium invoices for multiple medical products

For producers:

Benefitter – This small group, multi-carrier sales enablement platform was built by and for producers; it’s available at no cost to help you simplify the quoting and enrollment process
Communication Center in SAMx now includes functionality for alerting you to missing information on Level Funded pending submissions
Employee Navigator – The direct application programming interface (API) connection allows producers to pull client and plan details into the platform to help fully automate the benefit enrollment process

Helping make health care more affordable

$0 cost-share for preferred short and long-acting insulins, and preferred emergency use medications for in-the-moment critical care
$0 cost-share for one adult routine vision exam per year on all fully insured plans
$0 cost-share for 24/7 Virtual Visits; no deductible with a health savings account (HSA) plan
Oxford Level Funded plans – many of the same benefits as traditional self-funding with limited risk; fixed monthly payments, exclusion from many state coverage mandates; lower health plan costs; potential year-end surplus refund; Mineral^TM offers support with HR and compliance issues

Making health care more supportive

5-year average small group single-digit rate increase: 6.8%
Fully insured rate increase overall for 2024: 4.1%
Consistent level funded historical trend
Broad network access and stable product portfolio
Emphasis on behavioral health solutions

Consumer offerings that may help encourage healthier living, and provide additional savings

Care Cash^® – Now available with all non-HSA fully insured plans. This pre-loaded debit card (annually: $200 Ind./$500 Family) helps subscribers pay for health care expenses; new funds added annually; balance carries over
One Pass Select^TM – Included with fully insured plans, members have discounted access to thousands of gyms, with no long-term contracts or annual registration fees
Real Appeal^® – A lifestyle and weight management program that offers encouraging messaging, a Success Kit, online classes, digital support/tracking, personal Health Coach
Sweat Equity^® – Included with fully insured plans, members can earn up to $400 subscriber/$200 covered dependent in a plan year for meeting program’s cardio-based fitness requirements
UnitedHealthcare Rewards – Members earn rewards for reaching daily fitness goals and one-time activities; $300 with fully insured plans and $1,000 with Oxford Level Funded plans

Broad network access and choice

The Oxford networks continue to be the stable foundation for our innovative plan designs and a driving force for transforming the health care delivery system to be simpler, more affordable and supportive. Choose fully insured and level funded plans from the following networks

Freedom:
- 147,558 NY, NJ, CT providers
- 1,713,257 Choice Plus (national network) providers and 7,031 hospitals
- 67,000 pharmacies, including CVS^®, Duane Reade™, Walgreens^®, Walmart^®
Liberty:
- 145,200 NY, NJ, CT providers
- 1,436,907 Core (national network) providers and 5,500 hospitals
- 67,000 pharmacies, including CVS^®, Duane Reade™, Walgreens^®, Walmart^®

Reminder about producer and client incentives ending Jan. 1

For producers:

New sales bonus – $60 bonus for each enrolled employee in a new fully insured or level funded plan with up to 50 eligible employees
Benefitter bonus – $250 bonus for each new, sold case on up to 5 cases; applies to new level funded medical cases with up to 50 eligible employees submitted through Benefitter with utilization of the electronic individual medical questionnaire feature
Conversion bonus – $60 bonus for each employee converted from a fully insured medical plan to a level funded plan with 50 eligible employees

For clients:

Level funded implementation credits – New and migration clients eligible for a $150 one-time implementation credit for each enrolled employee, up to $7,500; credit is applied to client’s billing statement(s)

More information

We are committed to helping employers, providers and members navigate the health care benefits system. With one of the largest datasets in the industry and a quality health care ecosystem under one roof, we’re working to help drive more informed decisions, better health outcomes, lower costs and healthier communities.

Please check our Connecticut-specific site and producer website for more details and other important information to support your 2024 client sales and support efforts. Contact your Oxford sales representative or our Client Services team at 1-888-201-4216 or oxfordgroupservices@uhc.com with questions.

Thank you for your continued business. We wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.

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Disclaimers

The Oxford service area includes Connecticut, New Jersey and the following New York counties: Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

Network provider participation is subject to change. For the most current information, members should refer to myuhc.com® or call us at the toll-free number on their health plan ID cards.

Network Data and Analytics Reporting from E&I Counts Dashboard, June 2023. Provider count includes Physicians (Degree = MD, DO) Advanced Practice Providers (Degree = APRN, NP, PA) and Allied Health Providers (Degree = NOT MD, DO). National network may not be available for all groups. The UnitedHealthcare Core network is available in all states. Networks and provider participation are subject to change. Please go to myuhc.com® to find Oxford Liberty with Core network providers. For the most current information, always refer to the provider search feature of myuhc.com.

24/7 Virtual Visits is a service available with a Designated Virtual Network Provider via video, or audio-only where permitted under state law. Unless otherwise required, benefits are available only when services are delivered through a Designated Virtual Network Provider. 24/7 Virtual Visits are not intended to address emergency or life-threatening medical conditions and should not be used in those circumstances. Services may not be available at all times, or in all locations, or for all members. Check your benefit plan to determine if these services are available.

Telehealth services are available in Connecticut in addition to 24/7 Virtual Visits.

The Oxford Health Savings Account (HSA) is a qualifying high-deductible health plan (HDHP) that is designed to comply with IRS requirements so eligible enrollees may open a health savings account with a bank of their choice or through Optum Bank, Member FDIC. “Oxford HSA” refers generally to the Oxford HSA product, which includes a HDHP, although at times “Oxford HSA” may refer only and specifically to the Oxford Health Savings Account provided in conjunction with Optum Bank and not to the associated HDHP.

Care Cash provides a pre-loaded debit card which can be used for certain health care expenses. If the card is used for ineligible 213(d) expenses, individuals may incur tax obligations and should consult an appropriate tax professional to determine if they have such obligations. The information provided in connection with Care Cash is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be nor should be construed as medical advice. Individuals should consult an appropriate health care professional to determine what may be right for them.

Mineral™ products and services are provided directly by Mineral, Inc., headquartered at 6701 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 430, Pleasanton, California 94566. ThinkHR^®, Mineral™ and Mineral Platform™ are registered and unregistered trademarks of Mineral, Inc. United HealthCare Services, Inc. and Mineral, Inc. are separate entities and independent contractors.

One Pass Select is a voluntary program. For fully insured participants (not available in HI, KS, VT and Puerto Rico) it features a subscription based nationwide gym network and digital fitness. For self-funded participants nationally, it features a subscription based nationwide gym network, digital fitness and grocery delivery service. The information provided under this program is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be nor should be construed as medical advice. Individuals should consult an appropriate health care professional before beginning any exercise program and/or to determine what may be right for them. Purchasing discounted gym and fitness studio memberships, digital fitness or grocery services may have tax implications. Employers and individuals should consult an appropriate tax professional to determine if they have any tax obligations with respect to the purchase of these discounted memberships or services under this program, as applicable. One Pass Select is a program offered by Optum. Subscription costs are payable to Optum.

Sweat Equity Reimbursement is generally limited to the lesser of $200 (subscriber)/$100 (covered spouse/partner/ dependent down to age 13) or the actual amount of the qualifying fitness costs of 50 visits per 6-month period, but the reimbursement may vary by plan. Subscribers should refer to their benefits documents or check with their benefits administrator to find out how much they may be reimbursed. Subscribers should also consult with an appropriate tax professional to determine if there are any tax obligations from receiving reimbursement under this program.

UnitedHealthcare Rewards is a voluntary program. The information provided under this program is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be nor should be construed as medical advice. You should consult an appropriate health care professional before beginning any exercise program and/or to determine what may be right for you. Receiving an activity tracker, certain credits and/or rewards and/or purchasing an activity tracker with earnings may have tax implications. You should consult with an appropriate tax professional to determine if you have any tax obligations under this program, as applicable. If any fraudulent activity is detected (e.g., misrepresented physical activity), you may be suspended and/or terminated from the program. If you are unable to meet a standard related to health factor to receive a reward under this program, you might qualify for an opportunity to receive the reward by different means. You may call us toll-free at 1-866-230-2505 or at the number on your health plan ID card, and we will work with you (and, if necessary, your doctor) to find another way for you to earn the same reward. Rewards may be limited due to incentive limits under applicable law. Components subject to change. This program is not available for fully insured members in Hawaii, Vermont and Puerto Rico nor available to level funded members in District of Columbia, Hawaii, Vermont and Puerto Rico.

Real Appeal is a voluntary weight management program that is offered to eligible members at no additional cost as part of their benefit plan. The information provided under this program is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be nor should be construed as medical and/or nutritional advice. Participants should consult an appropriate health care professional to determine what may be right for them. Results, if any, may vary. Any items/tools that are provided may be taxable and participants should consult an appropriate tax professional to determine any tax obligations they may have from receiving items/tools under the program.

These plans have exclusions, limitations and terms under which the policy may be continued in force or discontinued. For costs and complete details of the coverage, contact your broker or Oxford sales representative.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Oxford insurance products are underwritten by Oxford Health Insurance, Inc. Oxford HMO products are underwritten by Oxford Health Plans (CT), Inc. Administrative services provided by Oxford Health Plans LLC. Stop-loss insurance is underwritten by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or their affiliates, including UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance Company in NJ and UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York in NY.