Written by Denise Civiletti
Vanie Tuthill of the Amethyst East Group in Riverhead says as the comptetion narrows, the other carriers are going to narrow their plan offereings and/or raise their premiums to levels on par with the more expensive products Empire will continue to sell in New York. Those products will be more expensive for consumers, if a rate increase application Empire filed is approved. "Several factors are driving our need to increase rates," Kweskin said. "Health provider charges have gone up. Fewer small-group employers and employees are purchasing coverage, so those remaining face higher costs, and we are experiencing the effects of adverse selection in our risk pool," she said, referring to New York's coverage mandate. Also, there have been reductions in state subsidies that previously lowered premiums for certain mandated products, Kweskin said. Though Empire will continue to offer a Healthy New York plan to low-income New Yorkers, it is eliminating its standard plan, Tuthill said. As of Jan. 1, it will only write the high-deductible plan, which carries a $1,200 per year deductible. That means the first $1,200 per year in medical expenses are paid by the consumer out of pocket — except preventive care costs, which are covered, pursuant to a mandate of health care reform.Health Insurance Epo And Ppo - News
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The city's Dallas-based consultant, Holmes Murphy, was able to do that, but only by changing the city's insurance plan from a PPO plan to an EPO plan, which means there are a more limited numbers of providers but bigger savings.
Written by Denise Civiletti
The company will continue to offer a "smaller number of PPO, HMO and EPO plans," according to Sally Kweskin, corporate communications director for Empire BlueCross BlueShield. Empire will continue to offer its HMO and Healthy New York plans,