Emblem COVID-19 Premium Grace Period Policy

Posted on April 21, 2020

See below from Emblem

Affordable solutions for challenging times.

EmblemHealth is committed to making sure you and your small group clients have the care, support, and resources you need during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Our Mission as a Nonprofit – Your Health Comes First.
If your clients are experiencing financial hardship, EmblemHealth can help them find a new plan that may be a better fit. Low-cost and free individual and family plans may also be available for your small group clients’ former employees who are no longer part of the group.

Let’s keep your clients covered. Call our Broker Services team at 866-614-6040. We will help you find a plan that makes sense for them.

See this Finding the Right Health Coverage resource that’s also available in Chinese and Spanish . It may be helpful to your employees, too.

Extension of Premium Payment Periods.
If your small group clients are suffering financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, they can request that we extend their time to pay the premium for their policy until June 1, 2020.

This extension of time to pay their bill applies to premiums that were due on April 1, 2020 and those that will come due on May 1, 2020. Once the extension expires, they will have to pay the full amount of past-due premium that they owe.

As of the date the small group requests an extension and until June 1, 2020, EmblemHealth will not terminate their plan for non-payment, and will not charge them a late fee or report their past status to a credit agency. If they do not pay their entire premium balance by June 1, 2020, EmblemHealth may terminate their plan on June 2, 2020, and they will remain responsible for any unpaid premium at that time.

If your small group client would like to request an extension, explore other options, or terminate coverage, please have them contact our Broker Services team at 866-614-6040 to speak with us about their premium bill, attest to their business’s COVID-19 financial hardship, and make other payment arrangements. If you are acting as their agent, you may request this extension on your client’s behalf through our Broker Services team.

Producer Requirements.
As an EmblemHealth appointed agent, we expect that you will comply with the producer obligations set forth in the recently issued New York State Department of Financial Services emergency regulation at 11 N.Y.C.R.R. Section 52.63.

Everyone Deserves Help. Relief Programs for Small Business.
This is an uncertain time and we know many small business owners are struggling. We’re here for you and your small group clients, just as we’ve been for over 80 years.

At emblemhealth.com, we’ve pulled together a variety of small business resources that may be helpful. Go to our dedicated Small Business Resources & Support During COVID-19 page. You’ll see different Small Business Administration, New York State, and City of New York loans and programs.

We are committed to providing access to information, care, benefits, and services for all our members, and ensuring they can access the care they need during this outbreak.

Please continue to go to emblemhealth.com for more information and regular updates.