Service updates impacting Massachusetts Small Business Health Options Program clients

Beginning August 1, 2024, we are expanding to deliver an enhanced, modernized experience to your new and renewing UnitedHealthcare group clients that are part of the Massachusetts Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP).  For the renewing clients, these changes will become effective upon their upcoming renewal.

An important informational guide (attached pdf) for employers and brokers will be included in the renewal package available on uhceservices.com.

This guide contains information for your clients that they will need to know for their transition to the modernized experience. 

1. Employer groups will receive a new group number at renewal.

• The new group number will be listed in the renewal package.
• The new group number will facilitate new health plan ID cards. This flier (pdf) can be sent to members enrolled encouraging use of new ID cards. Brokers should consider working with impacted employer groups to send this information to their members.
   

2. If clients use Optum Bank to administer their health savings account (HSA), UnitedHealthcare will transition all plan details automatically for enrolled members. New member debit cards are not necessary. To administer their plan, employer groups will receive an email from Optum Bank, including instructions on how to re-register with their new group number.

3. If clients work with third party administrators (such as payroll and eligibility vendors), they must notify them of their new group number.

4. The only impact to members is that they will receive a new ID card.

• All members will still use myuhc.com®. If a member is already registered on myuhc.com, they can continue to use the same HealthSafe ID® they use today.
• Prior authorizations, accumulators and primary care provider elections will automatically transition with the member.
   

Because of the complexity of managing health benefits, UnitedHealthcare will introduce products, group size segments and funding types to these new tools in thoughtfully planned and sequenced stages. Throughout the process, anything not yet supported on the new tools will continue to be supported on existing UnitedHealthcare systems until they are transitioned.

For more information, please contact your UnitedHealthcare representative.

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