Notable Plan and Administrative Enhancements for 2027

All Peoples Health plan members receive a new member ID card for 2027.

Additionally, ID cards are changing from a UnitedHealthcare UCard® (containing member identification and any benefit credits) to a standard ID card. This change affects all plans except group plans, which already use a standard ID card.

Members enrolled in a plan offering benefit credits will receive two cards in separate mailings: the standard ID card for accessing health care services and a new UCard benefit award card for eligible transactions, such as OTC purchases.

Starting Jan. 1, ask your Peoples Health patients to present their 2027 ID card at the time of service. We encourage you to check the contract number to confirm the plan.

Peoples Health Essentials (HMO-POS), formerly Peoples Health Choices Gold (HMO-POS), offers an enhanced focus on medical coverage. The plan retains the same service area as the former plan. Your patients enrolled in Peoples Health Choices Gold for 2026 will automatically be moved to People Health Essentials for 2027.

Peoples Health Extras (HMO-POS) offers a rich package of ancillary benefits (not covered by Original Medicare), including substantial coverage for routine dental and routine vision care and a credit for over-the-counter health and wellness items. The plan is designed for beneficiaries most interested in extra benefits.

We are also establishing or updating plan segments and service areas.

• Peoples Health Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx LA (HMO-POS) – This popular plan is expanding across the state to encompass all Louisiana parishes.

• D-SNPs  – Each of our three D-SNPs is being split into two segments. Segment eligibility depends on parish of residence and Medicaid status.
  • Your patients currently enrolled in a Peoples Health D-SNP are being mapped to the appropriate plan and segment for Jan. 1 based on current location and Medicaid status.
    • Segment one covers parishes in the greater New Orleans, Baton Rouge and River Parishes areas.
    • Segment two covers the rest of the state.
    • Plans have slightly different Medicaid eligibility requirements for 2027, which means patients could be moved to a different D-SNP.

• Peoples Health Complete Care LA-7 (HMO-POS C-SNP)
  • This plan is being split into two segments.
  • The service area varies by segment, and your patients in these plans are mapped to the appropriate segment based on parish of residence.

• Peoples Health Choices 65 (HMO-POS) Rural Southeast is being combined with Peoples Health Choices 65 (HMO-POS) Northshore and River Areas (formerly Northshore). Your patients in Peoples Health Choices 65 Rural Southeast for 2026 are being automatically moved to Peoples Health Choices 65 Northshore and River Areas for 2027.

All Peoples Health plans require referrals for certain specialist visits. Referrals do not apply to physical therapy, occupational therapy or speech/language therapy. 

• EDI: Use the EDI 278 transaction. Go to uhcprovider.com/edi278 for more information.
• Online: uhcprovider.com > Sign In > Referrals

For more information, visit uhcprovider.com/en/patient-eligibility-benefits. View Medicare Advantage referrals under Resources and the Referrals Interactive User Guide under Education & training.

We are discontinuing preferred provider organization, or PPO, plans for 2027 and instead focusing on administering the plan types most desired by the communities we serve. Read more about service area changes.

We continue to offer a rich healthy food credit benefit to your Peoples Health patients enrolled in a C-SNP or in a D-SNP, which additionally offers the option to spend the credit on utility bills. These benefits are provided through the CMS Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill program, and we’ve updated how we verify eligibility to better align with CMS guidance.

To use the benefits, patients must have a provider- or plan-verified qualifying complex chronic condition, as well as meet required criteria for hospitalization risk and need for intensive case management—which the plan will verify. Benefits only begin after eligibility is confirmed.

• Select SSBCI (Special Supplemental Benefits) through the tool.
• To review all patients pending verification, select Date Range Search, choose Last 90 days, then select the Attest needed filter and click Apply.
• Click Attest for each patient. Based on your records, indicate the qualifying chronic condition or note if none apply.

For more information, see the TrackIt Interactive Guide at uhcprovider.com/en/resource-library/provider-portal-resources/trackIt.