Annual Health Plan Changes

We’re working to give members more choices for affordable health plans and to ensure our benefit coverage provides equitable, high-quality health care. We realize that any changes to health plans impact your decisions during Open Enrollment. We will communicate all changes to plans and premiums to you prior to Open Enrollment.

2023
2022

The Board of Administration approved final health plan premiums for 2023 in July.

The health plans indicated below will have premium increases of 9% or higher, changes to service areas, and benefit design changes in 2023. For a full list of our available health plans and premiums, view our Plans & Rates page.

Log in to myCalPERS to view customized health benefit information. Use the Search Health Plans tool to find health plans available in your area and whether your doctor accepts those plans.

Basic Plans

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO)

Health Plan	Changes
Anthem Blue Cross Select	11.13% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 1 9.08% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 3
Anthem Blue Cross Del Norte EPO	14.48% premium increase for State and California State Universities 13.54% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 1
Blue Shield Access+ EPO	Expansion into 11 counties: Alpine, Calaveras, Inyo, Lake, Modoc, Mono, Plumas, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, and Tuolumne
Blue Shield Trio	Expansion into seven counties: Butte*, Kern, Kings, Monterey, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Tulare New pharmacy shared patient savings program featuring one month of plan savings for using a clinically equivalent, lower-cost drug alternative.
Health Net Salud y Mas	29.88% premium increase for State and California State Universities 27.48% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 2 30.71% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 3
Sharp Performance Plus	9.40% premium increase for State and California State Universities 9.40% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 2

*Pending Department of Managed Health Care approval.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)

Health Plan	Changes
PERS Gold	17.79% premium increase for State and California State Universities 17.74% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 1 18.4% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 2 18.21% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 3
PERS Platinum	14.48% premium increase for State and California State Universities 13.54% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 1 15.03% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 2 14.97% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 3 18.42% premium increase for State and California State Universities and Public Agencies and Schools Out of State

Medicare Plans

Health Plan	Changes
Anthem Blue Cross Medicare Preferred	Copays for acupuncture and chiropractic services to $10 down from $15 14.83% premium increase for State and California State Universities 14.83% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 1 14.83% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 2 14.83% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 3
Anthem Select Medicare Preferred	14.83% premium increase for State and California State Universities 14.83% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 1 14.83% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 2 14.83% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 3
Anthem Select and Medicare Combination	9.04 – 11.41% premium increase for State and California State Universities 11.8 – 13.13% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 1 9.21 – 12.07% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 2 10.52 – 12.76% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 3
California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA) Medicare Supplement	CCPOA is changing from a Medicare Supplement plan to a Medicare Advantage plan.
Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage	Quarterly $70 over the counter (OTC) allowance for OTC medications, vitamins and supplements, and other certain mobility and home care supplies.
Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage Summit	This new plan will offer $0 copay for most services; however, copays for emergency room visits, pharmacy benefits, acupuncture, and chiropractic will remain. Quarterly $70 over the counter (OTC) allowance for OTC medications, vitamins and supplements, and other certain mobility and home care supplies.
PERS Gold and Medicare Combination	10.41 – 14.14% premium increase for State and California State Universities 10.64 – 14.29% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 1 10.33 – 14.29% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 2 10.18 – 14.09% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 3
PERS Platinum and Medicare Combination	11.89 – 13.57% premium increase for State and California State Universities 11.59 -12.88% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 1 12.04 – 13.95% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 2 11.99 – 13.88% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 3 13.35 – 16.57% premium increase for State and California State Universities and Public Agencies and Schools Out of State
PERS Platinum Supplement to Medicare	9.97% premium increase for State and California State Universities 9.97% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 1 9.97% premium increase for Public Agencies and Schools in Region 2 9.97% premium increase for State and California State Universities and Public Agencies and Schools Out of State
Western Health Advantage MyCare Select Medicare Advantage	New supplemental benefit: Meal delivery following hospital stay of up to 56 meals, four times per year

Benefit Design Changes for Basic Plans

Benefit	Changes
Reproductive Health Equity Language	New benefit language providing all persons’ access to reproductive health benefits regardless of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Fertility Care Health Equity Language	New benefit language updating the definition of infertility to provide access to infertility treatment to members regardless of age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status.
Hearing Aids	Hearing aids are covered at 100% in both ears every 36 months when medically necessary to prevent and treat speech and language development delay due to hearing loss.
Match Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Members with Primary Care Providers	New match to a Primary Care Provider (PCP) for PPO members in a basic plan only and doesn’t apply to Medicare. Members will be free to choose a different PCP without affecting the ability to see a specialist anytime. Members with an existing PCP assignment will keep that PCP, unless the member requests a new assignment through their health plan.

The following health plan changes were approved (PDF) in November 2020 by the CalPERS Board of Administration for the 2022 plan year.

These changes took effect January 1, 2022.

Basic Plans

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO)

Health Plan	Changes
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 Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, and Orange 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

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)

CalPERS three PPO plans, PERSCare, PERS Choice, and PERS Select, will transition to two plans, PERS Platinum and PERS Gold. The change is the result of a year-long analysis to stabilize the Basic plan portfolio, including engagement with members, employers, and stakeholders. The two PPO plans will offer more distinction in benefit design, networks, and premium pricing.

Health Plan	Changes
PERSCare	Transition to PERS Platinum. Retains the same 90/10 benefit design, and network as PERSCare/PERS Choice
PERS Choice	Transition to PERS Platinum. Offers a 90/10 benefit design, and retains the network of PERSCare/PERS Choice
PERS Select	Transition to PERS Gold. Retains the same 80/20 benefit design and network as PERS Select

Medicare Plans

Health Plan	Changes
Anthem Blue Cross Medicare Preferred	Expand into 21 additional counties for coverage in all 58 counties New supplemental benefits: 12 telephone nutritional counseling sessions 1 monthly shipment of recommended healthy non-perishable staples Non-emergency medical transportation to medical appointments, SilverSneakers locations, and pharmacies. Twelve one-way trips, up to 60 miles per trip, per year
Blue Shield Medicare Advantage	New plan to be available nationwide 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 with OptumRx pharmacy benefit manager
Western Health Advantage (WHA) MyCare Select Medicare Advantage	New plan to be available 9 counties (Sacramento, Yolo, Solano, El Dorado, Placer, Colusa, Marin, Napa, Sonoma)