LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Health Net, Inc. reminds California consumers that they have until January 31, 2016, to enroll in new Covered California health insurance coverage, or renew or change their existing coverage.
Covered California, the state’s health insurance exchange, allows most enrollment, renewals and changes each year during its open enrollment period, which began on November 1 this year.
“Health Net wants to help spread the word that this is the time of year to get Covered California coverage,” said Jennifer A. Moore, Health Net vice president, Individual Market and Health Care Exchanges. “If you don’t sign up for coverage by the end of January, you’ll be unable to enroll in Covered California coverage for 2016, unless you qualify for a special enrollment.”
Helping Spread the Word
To help educate consumers about the importance of having health insurance coverage, Health Net held an educational program on Oct. 30, 2015, at its Community Resource Center in East Los Angeles. Click here to see a video of the event.
Participants in the program learned about Health Net on the Move, in which licensed, certified enrollment counselors travel throughout Southern California in specially outfitted RVs to help individuals make informed decisions about their health insurance – whether it’s through Covered California, Medi-Cal, Medicare or the Cal MediConnect program for those who are dually eligible for Medi-Cal and Medicare.
Health Net: Making Coverage Easy
Moore said Health Net works to help make health insurance coverage and service easy, including through these features:
- An online Welcome Center where members may pay their first month’s premium, schedule subsequent payments and view educational videos on how to get the most out their Health Net coverage. The educational videos are available in English and Spanish;
- Convenient premium payment locations at participating Walmart stores (plus the ability to pay online, over the phone or by automatic bank draft);
- Up-to-date company news and health and wellness tips on Health Net’s member blog; and
- A comprehensive website providing a wide range of capabilities that allows members to find contracting doctors and pharmacies, determine their copayments and deductibles, download medical forms, view claims and authorizations, learn about their Health Net benefits, and much more.
“We pride ourselves on listening to our members and providing them with culturally sensitive materials and options,” said Moore. “Whether it’s convenient payment choices, easy access to forms and benefit information, educational videos or news they can use in their daily lives, we strive to put much of it right at their fingertips.”
About Health Net
Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT) is a publicly traded managed care organization that delivers managed health care services through health plans and government-sponsored managed care plans. Its mission is to help people be healthy, secure and comfortable. Health Net provides and administers health benefits to approximately 6.1 million individuals across the country through group, individual, Medicare (including the Medicare prescription drug benefit commonly referred to as “Part D”), Medicaid and dual eligible programs, as well as programs with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Health Net also offers behavioral health, substance abuse and employee assistance programs, and managed health care products related to prescription drugs.
For more information on Health Net, Inc., please visit Health Net’s website at www.healthnet.com.
Cautionary Statements
The company and its representatives may from time to time make written and oral forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act (“PSLRA”) of 1995, including statements in this and other press releases, in presentations, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), reports to stockholders and in meetings with investors and analysts. All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical information provided herein, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements and as such are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for “forward-looking statements” provided by PSLRA. These statements are based on management’s analysis, judgment, belief and expectation only as of the date hereof, and are subject to changes in circumstances and a number of risks and uncertainties. Without limiting the foregoing, statements including the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “estimate,” “intend,” “feels,” “will,” “projects” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by the forward-looking information and statements due to a number of factors, variables or events. Certain of these factors relate to the company’s proposed business combination with Centene Corporation (“Centene”), including, among other things, the expected closing date of the transaction; the possibility that the expected synergies and value creation from the proposed merger will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; the risk that unexpected costs will be incurred; the possibility that the merger does not close, including, but not limited to, due to the failure to satisfy the closing conditions, including the receipt of approval of both Centene’s stockholders and Health Net’s stockholders; the risk that financing for the transaction may not be available on favorable terms; and certain other risks associated with the merger, as more fully discussed in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus that is included in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 that has been filed with the SEC on September 21, 2015, in connection with the merger. Other factors include, among others, health care reform and other increased government participation in and taxation or regulation of health benefits and managed care operations, including but not limited to the implementation of, and subsequent modifications to, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 and the regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “ACA”) as well as any related fees, assessments and taxes; the company’s ability to successfully participate in California’s Coordinated Care Initiative, which is subject to a number of risks inherent in untested health care initiatives and requires the company to adequately predict the costs of providing benefits to individuals that are generally among the most chronically ill within each of Medicare and Medi-Cal and implement delivery systems for benefits with which the company has limited operating experience; the company’s ability to successfully participate in the federal and state health insurance exchanges under the ACA, which involve uncertainties related to the mix and volume of business that could negatively impact the adequacy of the company’s premium rates and may not be sufficiently offset by the risk apportionment provisions of the ACA; increasing health care costs, including but not limited to costs associated with the introduction of new treatments or therapies; the company’s ability to reduce administrative expenses while maintaining targeted levels of service and operating performance; the recompetition of the company’s T-3 contract for the TRICARE North region; negative prior period claims reserve developments; rate cuts and other risks and uncertainties affecting the company’s Medicare or Medicaid businesses; trends in medical care ratios; membership declines or negative changes in the company’s health care product mix; unexpected utilization patterns or unexpectedly severe or widespread illnesses; failure to effectively oversee the company’s third-party vendors; noncompliance by the company or the company’s business associates with any privacy laws or any security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information; the timing of collections on amounts receivable from state and federal governments and agencies; litigation costs; regulatory issues with federal and state agencies including, but not limited to, the California Department of Managed Health Care and Department of Health Care Services, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and state departments of insurance; operational issues; changes in political, economic or market conditions; investment portfolio impairment charges; volatility in the financial markets; and general business and market conditions. The factors described in the context of such forward-looking statements in this press release could cause the company or Centene’s plans with respect to the proposed merger, actual results, performance or achievements, industry results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risks discussed in the “Risk Factors” section included within the company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC and the other risks discussed in the company’s filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to address or publicly update any of its forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.
This release contains references and links to other websites that may contain content that is not owned or controlled by Health Net. Please be aware that references or links to other websites are provided for the user’s convenience and that Health Net is not responsible for any such content that is not owned or controlled by Health Net. Health Net does not express an opinion on any such content and disclaims any liability in connection therewith.
