Health Net Medicare Changes to Billing Option

As detailed on www.gnazhealth.com, effective July 10, 2010, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have made changes to how they are processing Enrollments and Plan Changes for MA and MA-PD where deduction from the beneficiary’s Social Security Administration (SSA) check is chosen as the billing option. Health Net will be modifying their enrollment processes in order to accommodate these changes as follows:

  1. All new enrollees who elect SSA as their billing option will be initially set up on the default bill type (CA/OR-Direct Paper Bill, AZ/CT-Coupon Bill), until SSA has confirmed their Premium Withhold. This process also applies to current Health Net SSA Withhold members who are changing plans.
  2. These members will be sent a letter, or receive a call, advising them that they will be on the default bill type until SSA has confirmed their Premium Withhold.
  3. The Social Security Deduction may take 2 or more months to begin.
  4. Health Net will send the member the default bill type for the premiums owed and the member will need to pay those premiums directly to Health Net.
  5. Social Security will NOT deduct premiums retroactively once it begins.
  6. SSA will send a letter to members advising when and how much premium will be deducted from their SSA Benefit Check.
  7. Once the Social Security deductions start, the member can discontinue paying Health Net directly.

Additionally, the Premium Payment Option Section of the Online Enrollment form will be updated with the following information:

"I want Social Security to directly deduct the premium cost from the monthly Social Security benefit check. The Social Security Deduction may take 2 or more months to begin. Until that time, you will need to pay your premiums directly to Health Net as Social Security will NOT deduct for premiums retroactively once it begins. You will be advised by Social Security when your deductions will start. Once your Social Security deductions start, you can discontinue paying Health Net directly. We will send you a monthly bill or coupon book for your initial premiums owed."

For additional information on Health Net Medicare insurance plans, visit www.gnazhealth.com.