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PR26-0366 • 2025

Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc. d/b/a CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc. Health Benefits Contract Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc. d/b/a CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc. Health Benefits Contract Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Healthcare Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
at the request of the Mayor
Last action
2025-11-21
Official status
Approved
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Emergency Declaration for CareFirst Health Benefits Contract

This resolution declares an emergency to approve a multiyear contract with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc., allowing them to provide health benefits to District of Columbia employees, their dependents, and retirees.

What This Bill Does

  • Declares the need for an emergency declaration regarding a multiyear contract with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc.
  • Approves Contract No. CW130184 between the District of Columbia and CareFirst to provide health benefits
  • Estimates the cost of the 5-year contract at $769 million
  • Requires Council approval for the District to receive these health services in a timely manner

Who It Names or Affects

  • District of Columbia employees, their dependents, and retirees who will receive health benefits through CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc.

Terms To Know

Emergency Declaration
A declaration that allows for quick action to address urgent situations
Multiyear Contract
An agreement that lasts for more than one year, in this case between the District of Columbia and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The resolution does not specify how the contract will be funded beyond stating the estimated cost
  • It is unclear what happens if Council approval is not granted

Bill History

  1. 2025-11-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Resolution R26-0236, Effective from Nov 04, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 012925

  2. 2025-11-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council with comments from the Committee on Executive Administration and Labor

  3. 2025-11-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  4. 2025-11-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Approved with Resolution Number R26-0236

  5. 2025-10-27 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    PR26-0366 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc. d/b/a CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc. Health Benefits Contract Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL

1

A RESOLUTION

26-236

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

November 4, 2025

To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to approve multiyear
Contract No. CW130184 with Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc.
d/b/a CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc. to provide and
administer fully insured health benefits to District employees, their dependents,
and retirees in accordance with the rules of the D.C. Employees Health Benefits
Program.

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That
this resolution may be cited as the “Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc.
d/b/a CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc. Health Benefits
Contract Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025”.

Sec. 2. (a) The Office of Contracting and Procurement, on behalf of the
Department of Human Resources, proposes to enter into the following multiyear contract
to provide and administer fully insured health benefits to District employees, their
dependents, and retirees in accordance with the rules of the D.C. Employees Health
Benefits Program: Contract No. CW130184 with Group Hospitalization and Medical
Services, Inc. d/b/a CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc
(“Carefirst”).
(b) The estimated price for the 5-year term of the contract is $769,361,993.67.
(c) Council approval is necessary to allow the District to receive the benefit of
these vital goods and services in a timely manner.
(d) These critical goods can only be obtained through an award of the multiyear
contracts with CareFirst.

Sec 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances
enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the
Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc. d/b/a CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield,
CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc. Health Benefits Contract Emergency Approval Resolution of
2025 be adopted on an emergency basis.

ENROLLED ORIGINAL

2

Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.