Journey Plan
Coverage for Today + Wealth Building for Tomorrow
Wherever life’s adventures lead, CalVEBA’s Journey Plan offers a unique approach to health care. Journey isn’t just a health plan — it’s a cost-effective strategy that provides the protection that you need and saves you from paying for what you don’t need!
Get the Protection you Need.
Don’t Pay for Coverage You Won’t Use
What is the Journey Plan?
The Journey Plan is an innovative, low-cost health care option offered through CalVEBA. In addition to covering everyday medical expenses, the Journey Plan offers:
- Enjoy First Dollar Coverage for Routine Care which includes office visits, labs, and prescriptions — no deductible required.
- HRA benefits through HealthInvest HRA – a health reimbursement arrangement account which gives you financial flexibility and significant tax savings.
- Freedom to pay only for what you need.
- Support for unexpected events like injuries or emergencies.
*Note: Review all CalVEBA plans to choose what works best for you.
How can the Journey Plan help build wealth?
The Journey Plan’s cost-effective premium means less money out of your pocket every month. Not only does this help you take control of medical costs, but you can then build up these savings using the HealthInvest HRA for long-term protection.
This cost-effective premium is made possible through a deductible on infrequent medical care such as hospitalization and surgery, where your HRA money can be used to reimburse your out-of-pocket medical expenses.
Journey is a great option for you if:
- You are in good health and rarely need to see a doctor
- You enjoy a healthy lifestyle and only expect to use your plan for basic coverage – prescription drugs, small injuries (e.g. sprained ankle), or an illness (e.g. strep throat)
- You want affordable care in case you have an unforeseen medical emergency.
- You are interested in essential coverage for unexpected events and are okay with using your HRA to cover out-of-pocket costs if something major happens.
- You want to build up an HRA (savings account) for current and future medical care expenses. The money from the HealthInvestHRA is yours to keep even if you leave the plan or change jobs.
Plan Features
Freedom for Your Lifestyle
Not everyone needs frequent medical care. Some just need help with an occasional illness or the bumps and bruises of an active lifestyle. With the Journey Plan, you get the protection you need, but you don’t pay for coverage you might not use.
HRA Overview
A Different Kind of HRA
What is a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)?
- CalVEBA adds funds annually to reimburse qualified medical expenses.
- Use the funds to cover medical care expenses such as deductibles, copays, prescriptions, vision, dental, and medical premiums.
- This account offers a triple tax advantage: tax-free contributions, investment earnings, and reimbursements.
Using your HRA is easy!
- Visit HealthInvestHRA.com or download the HRAgo® app
- Use your Benefits Card to pay for benefits directly without filing claims
- Get automatic premium reimbursement
Questions?
Contact Customer Care: 844-342-5505, 6 am – 5 pm, Monday – Friday
[email protected]
Find a Provider
Enrolling in the Journey Plan is as easy as 1, 2, 3.
Step 1: Confirm which network plan your district offers, either Alliance, Harmony or Performance.
UHC HARMONY JOURNEY MEDICAL GROUPS
Optum Care (formerly HealthCare Partners)
Optum – Orange County
Optum Care Network – AppleCare Select
Optum Care Network – Arta Health Optum Care Network – Monarch HealthCare
Optum Care Network – Southcoast Optum Care (formerly PrimeCare)
Beaver Medical Group
MemorialCare Medical Group
Optum Care (formerly Valley Physicians Network)
UHC CS VEBA ALLIANCE JOURNEY MEDICAL GROUPS
Edinger Medical Group
Greater Newport Physicians – Long Beach
Greater Newport Physicians – Orange Coast
Greater Newport Physicians – Saddleback
Optum Care (formerly HealthCare Partners)
Optum Care Network – Monarch HealthCare
Tri-Valley Medical Group
Lakeside Medical Group
Regal Medical Group
Torrance Memorial IPA
SignatureValue Harmony UHC Harmony Journey Medical Groups
Optum Care Network
Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group
Sharp Community Medical Group
UC San Diego Medical Group
SignatureValue CS VEBA Alliance
Mercy Physicians Medical Group
Rady Children’s Health Network
Scripps
UC San Diego Medical Group
UHC Performance HMO Medical Groups
Optum Care Network
Sharp-Palomar Health Medical Group
Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group
Sharp Community Medical Group
Rady Children’s Health Network
Key Benefits
- Retain funds even if you change jobs or plans.
- Your funds roll over annually: Your funds roll over annually: No ‘use it or lose it’ restriction.
- The account is exempt from FICA taxes (7.65%), Federal Income Tax (9.25%), and California State Income Tax (9.3%).
- Choose how your balance is invested.
- A user-friendly platform lets your keep track of your funds/progress.
This HMO plan offers cost-effective premiums and low, predictable co-pays—helping you save with first-dollar coverage for everyday care, including office visits, lab tests, and prescriptions. Choose a provider with plan designs available on UnitedHealthcare’s CS VEBA Alliance, Harmony and Performance HMO networks.
This plan is another great benefit for those members that have dual medical coverage. You can use your Gallagher HealthInvest HRA to reimburse out-of-pocket medical expenses. The Gallagher HealthInvest HRA can be used on any tax-deductible medical expense — even if you have additional coverage, for example, through your spouse.
Easy Access |
Freedom |
Convenience |
| to a broad network of doctors and hospitals through UnitedHealthcare’s CS VEBA Alliance, Harmony and Performance HMO networks. | to deal with short-term illness and injury with set copays for routine expenses like doctor visits, lab work, X-rays, and prescription drugs. | with online scheduling, same-day appointments and handy urgent care centers in many areas. |
Full Coverage |
Annual Deposits |
| with out-of-pocket limits that cap the total amount you might have to pay if you become seriously ill or injured. | to a portable HRA to help pay for any major or unexpected medical expenses. Any unused funds stay with you for use in future years—even if you leave the plan or change jobs! |
What is First Dollar Coverage?
First Dollar Coverage means your health plan starts paying for certain services right away—without requiring you to meet a deductible first.
For the Journey Plan, this applies to everyday care like:
- Office visits (Primary Care and Specialists)
- Lab tests
- Prescriptions
- Preventive care
- Urgent care visits
You’ll pay a set co-pay for these services (e.g., $25 for a PCP visit, $10 for generic prescriptions), and the plan covers the rest. Please refer to your plan documents for a full breakdown of costs in the Summary of Benefits and Coverage.
However, First Dollar Coverage does not apply to major medical services like:
- Hospital stays
- Outpatient surgery
- Emergency room visits
For those, you’ll need to meet a deductible first, after which the plan pays a percentage of the cost. You can use your HealthInvest HRA to help cover these out-of-pocket expenses. Please refer to your plan documents for details.
Is It Right for You?
The Journey Plan is designed to be a cost-effective option among CalVEBA’s medical plan offerings. This is made possible by introducing a deductible on infrequent medical care like hospitalization and surgery. Remember, you can use your HRA money to reimburse your out-of-pocket medical care costs.
This innovative design is a great option if you:
- Are enjoying a healthy lifestyle and only expect to use the plan for prescription drugs or a random illness or injury like strep throat or a sprained ankle;
- Are most interested in essential coverage for unexpected events and are okay with higher out-of-pocket costs if something happens; and
- Want to build up an HRA (savings account) for current or future medical care expenses. The money is yours to keep—even if you leave the plan or change jobs.
Learn More About Your HealthInvest HRA
Visit the HealthInvest HRA FAQ page to understand how your HRA works—including what expenses and insurance premiums may qualify for reimbursement, how to file claims, and ways to manage your account.
Additional Benefits
This sounds interesting. What should I do now?
- Review your district enrollment information for detailed plan design and benefit information.
- Visit WhyUHC.com/CSVEBA to search your network and select your PCP.
- Submit your final plan selection to your employer during Open Enrollment.
- Your new coverage will be effective on January 1 with the full deposit to your HRA in March.