Important Benefit Update for CareFirst Members

Effective Jan. 1, 2023, MCPS will offer Cigna instead of CareFirst as a Point-of-Service (POS) or Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) benefit plan provider. MCPS benefits-eligible employees will choose between one of the Cigna medical plans or Kaiser Permanente’s HMO during this fall’s Employee Benefits Open Enrollment. There will be no changes to dental, vision or prescription plans in 2023.
MCPS anticipates minimal disruption to current CareFirst members as a result of this change. Cigna has a nationwide network of providers and will provide in-network coverage of between 92-95 percent of providers currently being used by MCPS employees. There are, however, a small number of in-network CareFirst medical providers who will not be considered in-network with Cigna.
Those currently enrolled in a CareFirst plan do not need to do anything now. Coverage with CareFirst will continue through Dec. 31, 2022. More details about the Cigna medical plan will be available this fall during Employee Benefits Open Enrollment.