January 8, 2024
Circular Letter: 600-004-24
Topic: Health Benefits

To: All Health Benefits Officers, Assistant Health Benefits Officers, Health Enrollment and Health PA Billing Contacts for Contracting School Districts and Public Agencies

Purpose

The purpose of this Circular Letter is to provide information on the 2024 health billing cutoff dates and how your payments are applied.

Health Billing Cutoff Dates

As your agency health benefits officer, you are responsible for ensuring all health enrollment transactions are keyed and uploaded in myCalPERS by 11:59 p.m. on the cutoff date for each billing month. You are also responsible for correcting and resubmitting any failed transactions returned to you. Any transactions, including corrections, you key in after the cutoff date will appear on the following month’s Health Premium Statement.

Attached is a copy of the 2024 Health Billing Cutoff Dates for contracting public agency and school employers.

Statement Availability

Typically, statements are available on the 15th of each month. However, when the 15th is on a state holiday or weekend, the availability of statements will be at a later date. Refer to the “Statement Available” date on the attachment.

Payment Submission

Log in to myCalPERS and follow the prompts on the Payment Summary page.

Typically, payments are due on the 10th of each month. However, when the 10th is on a state holiday or weekend, the payment due date will be an earlier date. Refer to the “Payment Due” date on the attachment.

Employers are mandated to submit payments via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Refer to Circular Letter 200-044-17 (PDF) and Circular Letter 200-042-15 (PDF) for information regarding EFT.

Underpayments

An underpayment occurs when the entire amount invoiced is not paid on or before the 10th of each month. If you underpay, interest will be assessed.

If you discover a billing discrepancy, pay as billed and report the discrepancy to us as soon as possible. An adjustment will occur on a subsequent statement.

Refer to Circular Letter 600-026-15 (PDF) for additional information on interest and delinquency.

Overpayments

If you overpay, the current receivable will be paid and closed. A credit will be applied to a future receivable.

Key Points to Ensure Billing Accuracy

We strongly encourage you to conduct a monthly reconciliation of your statement to ensure it correctly reflects all enrollments for employees and annuitants. Reconciliation ensures you are accurately billed and that only eligible members are receiving benefits.

Some helpful reminders for a successful reconciliation are:

• Submit approved resolutions for contract changes timely.
• Report health enrollment transactions accurately and timely to ensure they will be reflected on the statement. Retain Health Benefits Plan Enrollment and Declaration of Health Coverage forms on file for all employees.
• Confirm health enrollment changes by reviewing the Monthly Employer Billing Roster in myCalPERS. Ensure coverage of eligible members only, plus the accuracy of their retirement system and medical group enrollment.
• Process permanent separation dates for members or deletion of dependents into myCalPERS timely to allow for the maximum refund (six months) of health premiums. For more information, refer to Circular Letter 600-215-05 (PDF).
• Update the Health PA Billing contact in myCalPERS and select Primary Contact to ensure delivery of the monthly statement to the appropriate staff.

Questions

If you have questions, call our California Public Employees’ Retirement System Customer Contact Center at 888 CalPERS (or 888-225-7377888-225-7377).

 

Yesenia Croft, Chief
Health Account Management Division

Attachment: 2024 Health Billing Cutoff Dates, Contracting School Districts and Public Agencies (PDF)