SFHSS previews open‑enrollment changes, Health Net push and expanded flu clinics

San Francisco Health Service System staff previewed open enrollment plans for plan year 2023 and a concurrent schedule of health fairs and flu clinics. Chief Operating Officer Ray Guillen said open enrollment will run Monday, Oct. 3 through Monday, Oct. 31, and outlined outreach that combines mailed materials (more than 76,000 packets), targeted emails and webinars, a dedicated website, six weekly focus emails and expanded virtual question‑and‑answer sessions.

Staff highlighted several benefit changes for 2023: an increase in the maximum pretax health‑care flexible spending account (FSA) contribution to $2,850 (up from $2,750); Kaiser Permanente senior Vantage members’ individual out‑of‑pocket maximum for certain tiers falling from $1,500 to $1,000; VSP network additions including Walmart and Sam’s Club; a Delta Dental change removing diagnostic and preventive services from counting toward a $2,500 annual maximum for actives; and ancillary UnitedHealthcare retiree services additions such as a personal emergency response system and behavior‑change coaching programs.

Staff also described the planned transition for many split Medicare families (where one family member is on Medicare and another is not) from Blue Shield plans to UnitedHealthcare EPO options. For most affected employees the alternative plans match prior premiums, but staff said approximately seven hundred members will be transitioned and some split‑family cases will face an increased cost (staff cited $37.79 per month for an employee plus one dependent in certain cases) if they retain the same doctors. Ray Guillen said the member‑services team and UnitedHealthcare will provide outreach, training and targeted calls beginning the week of Sept. 19 to assist impacted families.

Well‑being Manager Carrie Beshears presented flu‑clinic logistics: 24 clinics across worksites from Sept. 27 through Nov. 3 with 10 health‑and‑benefit fairs running concurrently, eight open clinics accessible to all members and the remainder restricted to specific worksites; Kaiser Permanente will assist with vaccine administration. Clinics will be drop‑in (no appointment system) and staff will provide on‑site vendor support for member questions. Staff said COVID booster administration is not currently planned at SFHSS flu clinics but the Department of Human Resources may facilitate boosters separately.