« Flash News September 2025

YIKES... there's so much news to share that a Flash News seemed better than a bunch of emails.

Next Meeting - October 8, 2025

Montello Heights

Lewiston

Start Time - 10:00 AM - AUCTION!

Making Life Easy- You are welcome to give this a try in order to pay for lunch - no envelopes or stamps required

Go to - The Exchange
Under Product Type, select "Meal."
Under Organization, select "AREA."

The price of the meal is $14.00.

Then complete the payment information and submit. You can use your Amazon account or any of the other methods to make a payment. The system uses Stripe secure payments - kind of like Paypal but way way better. Enough people have tested this. We know it works, and it's easy.

Quick SURVEY for MEA

Four MEA-Retired members completed the Six Weeks to Power training presented by AROS (The Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools). We acknowledge the mission of our association, policies and overall structure are solid. The Committee deemed two areas for consideration: complete a process to revitalize the organization and to present a process to increase member engagement consistent with our stated mission.

A vital component for moving forward is to collect data from our members through a survey. This information will be used to inform MEA-Retired leadership about the needs of our members and what to focus on as an association.

Survey LInk

MEA RETIRED SURVEY

From Crystal

Dear MEA-Retired Members,

The below letter is the latest information from MEA Benefits Trust updating the Anthem and Northern Light Health contract situation. It does clarify a few issues regarding coverage, deadlines and the status of contract negotiations.

Update from the Maine Education Association Benefits Trust Statement on the Anthem/Northern Light Health Contract Negotiations

The MEA Benefits Trust was pleased to learn that Anthem and Northern Light Health (NLH) have agreed to bring in a mediator to assist them with their negotiation and those meetings began on September 11, 2025. The Trust remains highly concerned about the potential impact to our members if NLH withdraws from the Anthem provider network.

If a new contract hasn’t been reached by September 30, 2025, all Northern Light Health doctors, specialists, hospital-based physicians, other professionals, outpatient clinics, and other non-hospital facilities will exit Anthem’s Commercial (non-Medicare) Network on September 30, 2025.

It’s important to note that these providers will remain in Anthem’s Medicare Advantage Network until December 31, 2025. If an agreement hasn’t been reached by December 31, 2025, all NLH professionals, providers and facilities will be considered out of network on January 1, 2026, for our Medicare Advantage members.

While we are optimistic that both parties will reach an agreement, preparations for a September 30, 2025, termination from the Commercial Network must be made and implemented. Below is a timeline of member transition of care notices

Proactive Continuity of Care (PCOC): Anthem has identified members that would qualify for Proactive Continuity of Care. This means that they have reviewed claims and identified members that have seen a NLH provider within the past 6 months (4 months for maternity) for specified diagnoses including maternity, hematology/oncology, radiation oncology, dialysis, etc. Members identified for PCOC will receive a letter directly from Anthem indicating that they are preapproved to keep receiving care from NLH through December 29, 2025. The preapproval is only for certain medical and behavioral health conditions and is for a defined period of time. Benefits approved through PCOC will be paid at the in-network level, at the current contracted level, and members will be protected from balance billing above the contracted amount. These letters began mailing to members on August 29, 2025.

Continuation of Care: There are many unique situations where a member may be eligible to continue care with a NLH provider for a defined period through federal Continuity of Care regulations. Members should contact Anthem’s Customer Service Department to inquire about Continuity of Care. Members can also find the Continuation of Care Q&A on the MEABT website for additional information on continuing care after September 30, 2025. https://meabt.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/NLH_Continuity-of-Care-QA-updated-8_4_2025.pdf

Redirection Process: On August 25, Anthem began outreaching to members who have scheduled services with a NLH provider on or after 10/01/2025 to recommend alternative in-network providers.

Primary Care Physician Reassignment: Anthem has had discussions with non-NLH providers regarding their capacity to accept new patients and the onboarding process for new patients. Beginning the week of September 22, MEA Choice Plus members with a NLH PCP will be automatically reassigned to an in-network PCP. Once a new PCP has been assigned, a new ID card will automatically be issued. Members can accept the new PCP or change their PCP at any time by calling the Anthem customer service number on the back of their ID card.

It would be unprecedented for NLH to be an out-of-network provider with the largest insurer in Maine, and it would be nothing short of devastating to our membership, as well as a substantial percentage of Maine’s people. While decisions regarding balance billing are dependent upon network adequacy determinations made by the Bureau of Insurance, we note that any balance billing of Northern Light Health services would be a significant financial hardship to our members. Additionally, our members have real concerns about the possibility of having to change physicians to support their ongoing and future health care needs.

We have faith that despite their differences, both Anthem and Northern Light Health appreciate their mutual responsibility to the communities that they serve. A solution will require compromise and an awareness and appreciation for each side’s perspective.

We continue to expect our carrier to work towards mitigating costs and trend to provide our members the best care at the most appropriate price. We also note, however, that it is important for providers to be paid fairly, correctly, and promptly to support the delivery of ongoing, quality care. Additionally, network adequacy is of paramount importance to our health plan and its members. We continue to encourage compromise and flexibility by both Anthem and Northern Light Health, so they may reach a resolution that is in their mutual best interests and, most critically, the best interests of their patients and members.

Time is of the essence to resolve these differences. Having Northern Light Health out-of-network is not a viable long-term solution for either Northern Light Health or Anthem. We are confident that both sides recognize this and have the ability to find common ground and negotiate a workable contract.

We will continue to share information as we are updated.

Lewiston Recreation - If you are bored in Maine....

Check out the October calendar for Lewiston Recreation

October

A view from the Acadian Villages living museum - from a recent trip to Nova Scotia.