• Home
• it.unipi.di.acube
• bat-framework
• 1.3
• source code
• yn_08Oct08_file_66

×

Project download

Many resources are needed to download a project. Please understand that we have to compensate our server costs. Thank you in advance.
Project price only 1 $

You can buy this project and download/modify it how often you want.

datasets.iitb.crawledDocs.yn_08Oct08_file_66 Maven / Gradle / Ivy

      All Classifieds Automotive Employment Real Estate 43°F Search | Advertisement Joseph Cress Reporter Share Feeds Article Rating Current Rating: ( 0 /5) (Rated 0 times) Low High FYI Written comments on the proposed rate hikes can be sent to the departments Bureau of Accident and Health Insurance at this address: Pennsylvania Insurance Department, Office of Insurance Product Regulation and Market Enforcement Bureau of Accident and Health Insurance RE: Highmark Rate Filings 1311 Strawberry Square Harrisburg, PA 17120 Or comments may be e-mail to RE: Highmark Rate Filings. Local Highmark Blue Shield proposes plan rate hikes By , Sentinel reporter, October 6, 2008 Last updated: Tuesday, October 7, 2008 5:59 AM EDT Highmark Blue Shield is asking the state Insurance Department for permission to increase rates on 19 individual plans. The increases would generate $28.5 million in revenue for Highmark and affect 231,114 members statewide, including about 2,540 Cumberland County residents. We will try to make our case, said Highmark spokesman Michael Weinstein. We agree this is going to be a bite on some people, but health care costs have been increasing double and triple the rate of inflation. Highmark is requesting the rate hikes be effective Jan. 1 and that they apply to ClassicBlue Comprehensive Major Medical, Special Care, MedigapBlue and High Deductible Health Plan programs. The rate increases range from 5.7 percent for MedigapBlue Plan C to 9 percent for the HIPAA $750 deductible and $1,500 deductible plans under the ClassicBlue program. About 14 of the 19 individual plans listed in a Highmark ad call for a 8.9 percent increase. The ad ran in the Sept. 29 edition of The Sentinel as required by state law. The ad reports monthly increases for the single rate would increase anywhere from $7.15 for MedigapBlue Plan A to $48.35 for the HIPAA $750 Deductible plan. All the plans are guarantee-issue, meaning disclosure of medical history is not required before coverage is granted, and all the products are subsidized as part of a three-year-old Community Health Reinvestment Agreement with the state, Weinstein said. He added rates for the plans would be 15 to 25 percent higher without the subsidies. Aging population Weinstein said growth in technology and an aging population are the main drivers behind the requests for rate hikes. Pennsylvania has among the highest incidence of chronic conditions among its elderly population, Weinstein said. We feel this is a sound request, he added. We look at claims history and trends and, when necessary, we do seek rate increases. As part of our community mission, we try to hold down the increases. Weinstein said part of the corporate philosophy of Highmark is to expand health care coverage to individuals who have no other option because other commercial insurers would not offer coverage. Public comment Melissa Fox, deputy press secretary for the department, said the state has yet to receive any public comment on the Highmark requests. Generally speaking, when a rate request is received and posted in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, consumers have 30 days to submit written comments to the department, Fox said. If the public comment period needs to be extended, an extension will be granted. Fox said the Highmark requests were published in the bulletin on Aug. 23, but the Sept. 29 newspaper ad mentions a deadline of 15 days beyond the 30-day period included in the bulletin. Fox was unable to confirm when the comment period expires. Review clock At the close of the public comment period, the review clock for the department starts. The department has 45 days to review the filing, which involves having on-staff actuaries review documents Highmark provides to justify the rate hike. The purpose of the review is to make sure the rate request is not excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory to policy holders, Fox said. At the end of the review, the department could either approve the rate requests, approve the requests but modify the percentage increase, disapprove the requests or request additional information for more review. Fox said a department ruling on the Highmark requests could take place as early as mid- to late November. Local First name only, no personal information. Current Word Count:   Comments will appear online after a brief review period. 1 comment(s) Eva wrote on Oct 6, 2008 1:26 PM: " Why not raise the price of health insurance, they know they will get it or you don't get any insurance. If the doctor's and hospital's wouldn't have such rediculous prices then the insurance companies wouldn't have to put up the insurance. I know one visit to my arthritis doctor is $180 for a 5 minute visit, that is rediculous. " Quick Links Sections Services Syndication: Best viewed with: a division of ©2008, The Sentinel, a division of Lee Enterprises. Do not copy or redistribute.