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Dear Colleagues,
Selecting the University of Maine System’s (UMS) employee health insurance administrator is among our organization’s most important decisions. We understand that healthcare is deeply personal and has a profound impact on our lives and our loved ones.
We take this responsibility seriously and have been thoughtfully working together since January to secure the most comprehensive and affordable health coverage and pharmacy benefits for you and your families after the System’s current contract with Cigna expires on Dec. 31, 2025.
Throughout this 10-month process, we have been in regular communication with our Employee Health Plan Task Force and labor partners. In recent weeks, we have also communicated directly with you regarding the latest developments.
Faced with a deadline to make our final decision, we have chosen to continue negotiating a contract with Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Maine (Anthem) so UMS can transition to them as our employee health insurance administrator, effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Of the four qualified responses to our competitive Request for Proposals, which included Cigna, Anthem overwhelmingly received the highest evaluation score. Here is why:
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Anthem has the largest network of providers in Maine and beyond, comprising more than 6,500 doctors statewide, including in traditionally underserved rural communities.
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Anthem offers the best customer service, including on-campus information sessions during open enrollment, user-friendly digital tools to help you find high-quality care and understand costs, printed cards, and expanded wellness benefits.
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Anthem presented the lowest premium cost increases. For example, when compared to continuing with Cigna, transitioning to Anthem will save most represented employees (AFUM, UMPSA, ACSUM, and Police) with a family plan $279 next year, while the annual savings for UMS employees with an Anthem high-deductible family plan will be $680.
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Anthem has the strongest record of partnership with public employers in Maine, including the State of Maine, the Maine Education Association Benefits Trust, and the Maine Municipal Employees Health Trust. In fact, Anthem is based in Maine and is the largest health insurance carrier in the state, with more than 370,000 members here.
Meanwhile, Capital Rx was selected to provide our prescription drug benefits based on their competitive and transparent pricing, customizable plan options, strong customer support, and projected cost savings. Capital Rx has more than 62,000 in-network pharmacies and 54 million members, including State of Maine employees.
We know that many of you are closely following the ongoing contract negotiations between Anthem and Northern Light Health (NLH). Approximately 15% of individuals covered by our plan rely on NLH for at least one medical service (based on historic claims data), and we understand the importance of your trusted local providers and local facilities remaining in-network.
Anthem shares our System’s commitment to your continuity of care.
In recent weeks, we have been in daily communication with both Anthem and NLH. While it is true that a deal has not yet been reached, we understand that significant progress has been made in their negotiations, which are actively continuing.
Based on the information we are receiving directly from the two parties, we believe that Anthem and NLH will reach an agreement before we transition on Jan. 1 that preserves in-network access to the providers and facilities you rely on. As UMS finalizes a three-year contract with Anthem, we will also be negotiating to protect this level of access for you.
We thank Anthem and NLH leaders for maintaining open lines of communication with us, and Gov. Janet Mills for her direct engagement, which recently resulted in a 30-day extension of their current contract.
Our decision to proceed with Anthem and Capital Rx for our medical and prescription benefits is grounded in a commitment to access to quality and trusted care, outstanding customer service, accountability, and affordability. While we recognize there may be feelings of uncertainty now, we remain confident that this transition to the state’s largest health insurance administrator will be a positive step forward for our employees and their families.
We are committed to continued transparency and collaboration with you and our union partners as we move forward, and our labor relations team is prepared to bargain the impacts of this decision in the weeks ahead.
Upcoming Benefits Webinars and FAQs
To help you better understand why we selected Anthem and continue to believe this is the right choice — even while negotiations between Anthem and NLH are still ongoing — and to help you prepare for the upcoming open enrollment period (Nov. 3-24), we invite you to attend our upcoming virtual benefits transition presentations:
Led by Chief Human Resources Officer Amie Parker and the UMS Employee Benefits Center (EBC) team, these sessions will be livestreamed on the EBC’s YouTube channel, making them accessible to UMS employees and their families. They will also be recorded for those who cannot attend.
During each session, or at any time, please submit your questions — without including your personal medical information — to umshr@maine.edu. This will help us tailor these presentations and our future communications to the topics that matter most to you.
Additionally, you can find further information, answers to frequently asked questions, and the presentation recordings (when available) in our UMS Healthcare and Prescription Benefits Transition Guide.
Thank you for your continued patience and trust as we complete this important transition. From the start, this process has been guided by one goal: to strengthen your access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. We truly believe Anthem and Capital Rx are the best partners to achieve that.
Sincerely,
Dannel P. Malloy, Chancellor
Amie Parker, Chief Human Resources Officer
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