Update on Blue Cross Blue Shield and Mount Sinai + New Health Plan Offerings for Surgery and Physical Therapy

Update on the interruption in Blue Cross Blue Shield Anthem coverage Mount Sinai.

For those of you who may be in the New York area, we are monitoring the dispute between Blue Cross Blue Shield Anthem and Mount Sinai. Staff from the Health Plan are in regular contact with Anthem about the status of negotiations. At the moment, we are hopeful that the parties will come to a quick resolution that causes minimal disruption for plan participants. PWGA participants can find more information on the Mount Sinai – BCBS Anthem participant coverage status here. We will share more information as we have it.

Lantern and Hinge Health offer new options for medical care with cost savings to plan participants.

Two new health care program offerings are now available through the PWGA Health Plan as of January 1, 2026: Lantern, for surgery, and Hinge Health, for physical therapy.

Lantern gives participants access to no-cost surgical procedures through a curated network of vetted surgeons. Covered surgeries include: joint replacement, spine, bariatric, orthopedic, gynecology, cardiac, ENT, gastroenterology, general, urology, and spine and orthopedic injections. Lantern provides a Care Advocate to help guide participants through their medical procedures, and also covers some travel expenses.

Hinge Health Care provides virtual physical therapy using personalized, expert-developed exercise therapy sessions, and physical therapy plans for pain relief. Sessions are available through a mobile app that uses motion-capture and are overseen by trained therapists. These therapies are no-cost to the participant and don’t require a doctor’s referral.

These programs provide several advantages. For participants, they increase choice, are less expensive, and can be more convenient. They also save money for the Health Plan without sacrificing quality, supporting the overall sustainability of the healthcare writers have fought for, at a time when medical cost increases far exceed inflation.

Utilizing these programs is entirely voluntary; plan participants and their dependents can continue to utilize the providers currently available through the PWGA. Note that these programs are not available to certified retirees whose primary coverage is Medicare.

Learn more about Lantern and Hinge Health Care options or contact the PWGA Participant services for guidance at 818-846-1015 or 800-227-7863.

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