AUGUST 1, 2013
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler
has approved the individual health plans
and rates of four
health insurance companies to sell in Washington’s new health insurance
Exchange, the Washington Healthplanfinder, starting Oct. 1, 2013. In most
counties, people will have a choice of two dozen plans.
The
approved rates are 1.8 percent lower than what the companies originally
requested.
Many of the companies
will look the same, but they’re going to sell all new plans with much better
benefits.
The
following list includes the approved companies and the counties where they
intend to sell:
Bridgespan – King, Kitsap, Pierce, Skagit,
Snohomish, Thurston, and Spokane
Group
Health Cooperative
– Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Island, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason,
Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom,
Whitman, and Yakima
Lifewise – All 39 counties
Premera
Blue Cross– All
counties except Clark
Three
of these insurers – Group Health Cooperative, Lifewise and Premera – now also
have approved individual plans for sale outside of the Exchange. Six additional
insurers (Asuris, Regence Blueshield, Regence Blueshield of Oregon, Group
Health Options, Time and Moda) have filed individual health plans for sale
outside of the Exchange. Kreidler has until the end of September to approve
these plans and their rates.
The board of
the Washington Health Benefit Exchange will now review the approved Exchange plans to
determine if they meet their Qualified Health Plan standards. A final
announcement is expected at the Aug. 21 board meeting.
All
of the approved plans include the 10 essential health benefits such as prescription drug coverage
and maternity coverage. Also, annual out-of-pocket costs including deductibles
and copays are capped at $6,350 for an individual and $12,700 for a family.
How
much someone pays will depend on their age, where they live, whether or not
they smoke, and which plan they select. Premium and cost-sharing subsidies are
available for plans sold through the Washington
Healthplanfinder,
depending on your income.
Only
Kaiser applied to sell small employer plans inside the Exchange and only in
Clark and Cowlitz counties. The Exchange has granted Kreidler an extension to
Aug. 6 to complete his review.
Nine
insurance companies originally filed individual health plans for sale in the
Exchange. Those not approved include: Moda Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation
Health Plan of the Northwest, Community Health Plan of Washington, Coordinated
Care Company and Molina Healthcare of Washington, Inc.
“Unfortunately
not all of the insurers who applied were approved,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. “Several of
them struggled to guarantee access to certain providers and hospitals. It’s our
duty to make sure that if you buy a health plan, you can actually see the
doctor or hospital that provides the service you need. This was a challenge for
some of the insurers new to the commercial market. We’re committed to working
with these companies to help them get ready for 2015. Getting to this point has
been challenging, but the end result will be worth it. For too long, people
have struggled to find affordable coverage. If they have insurance, they’ve
continued to pay more, yet seen their benefits dwindle. The new plans for sale
starting this October provide meaningful coverage and will give people peace of
mind and financial security.”
###
No comments:
Post a Comment