General News
Published June 10, 2019
If there’s a year to start planning early for open enrollment, this is it. LifeWise Health Plan of Washington has big things in store and you’ll want to get a jump on it when you find out what we have planned. (Hint: a new LifeWise commission schedule is coming!)
The following information is subject to approval from the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC).
Expanded counties
We’re growing! LifeWise will be in 33 counties next year, compared to 12 this year.
Residents in all 33 counties can purchase LifeWise medical and dental plans on the exchange. Additionally, to give your clients even more options, we’re offering two new plans direct from LifeWise in select counties.
Check out the 2020 county map to see where LifeWise plans will be available.
Lower rates
LifeWise has filed lower rates for next year – an average decrease of 5.9% across all individual plans. Check out the OIC news release about the 2020 rate filing for the individual market. The nine geographical rating areas in Washington state will remain the same in 2020.
LifeWise Primary Network
We’ll have a provider network with access to major hospital systems, including Swedish Medical Center, Providence Health, and CHI Franciscan.
In 2020, we’ll highlight the community-based providers in our network and the integrated, whole-health experience that many of these health centers offer. Over the next several months, we’ll tell you more about what we’re doing to improve how our members receive care.
New medical plans
You’ll have more plan options to share with your clients for next year. All of them will be exclusive provider organizations, which means no referrals are needed to see a specialist.
Our Essential portfolio includes a new catastrophic plan for individuals under age 30 or who otherwise meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) eligibility requirements. We’re also introducing a low deductible silver plan and a bronze health savings account (HSA) plan.
Also new for next year are two off-exchange plans you can offer clients who live in Snohomish, Pierce, or Spokane counties – LifeWise Primary gold and silver plans. These direct plans will be sold exclusively through producers appointed to sell LifeWise.
Great benefits
In addition to the 10 essential health benefits, most LifeWise plans will offer:
- Lower copay for visits to a designated primary care provider
- Unlimited primary care and specialist visits
- $15 copay for telehealth video or phone consultations
- Low copay and no deductible for preferred generic drugs
Keep an eye out for our benefit summaries – coming soon! – so you can easily view our 2020 plan options.
New family dental
Because oral health is critical to overall health, we’ll offer a new family dental plan on the exchange in counties where LifeWise medical plans are available. Having the option to purchase both medical and family dental plans from LifeWise will provide a more seamless, integrated experience for your clients.
Commission
There’s more good news! Because we value your business, we’re launching a new LifeWise commission schedule in 2020. You’ll hear more about this closer to open enrollment.
What you can do now
You can count on us to keep you informed about what’s ahead for LifeWise. Get engaged early: read our producer newsletters, familiarize yourself with the LifeWise producer pages, participate in webinars, and ensure you understand what’s ahead so you can effectively help your clients.