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Other state exchange premiums better than expected, Connecticut needs to act
Premiums for next year in other state exchanges are coming in and they are getting better news than Connecticut. Vermont and Rhode Island exchanges are seeing no rate increases and improved benefit packages. Maryland’s and California’s increases are far less than expected. Rates for Oregon and Washington actually dropped, in some cases significantly. In…
Read MoreConnectiCare joins health insurance exchange
Yesterday ConnectiCare filed individual and small group 2014 rates for Connecticut’s health insurance exchange. ConnectiCare joins HealthyCT, the new nonprofit co-op, in participating in the exchange. ConnectiCare plans to charge average premiums of $397 per member per month for individuals and $716 pmpm for small groups. HealthyCT’s proposed rates average $427 pmpm for individuals and…
Read MoreInsurance exchange rate proposals in for HealthyCT
Insurance premiums for HealthyCT, the new nonprofit health insurer co-op, have been posted on the insurance dept.’s website. HealthyCT is the only insurer that has submitted rate proposals for 2014 so far, despite an April 30th due date. Average monthly premiums for individuals will be $427/month and for small groups $445/month. While the benefit plans…
Read MoreStill waiting for insurance exchange rates, UnitedHealthcare is out
Rate proposals by insurers planning to participate in CT’s health insurance exchange were due to the Insurance Dept. last Tuesday, but none have been filed according to the Hartford Courant. However HealthyCT says they filed with the department on Friday. The exchange is blaming federal regulations and delays. UnitedHealthcare notified the exchange last week that…
Read MoreHealth Insurance Rate Shock: What Connecticut Can Do
All indications are that Connecticut health insurance costs will rise significantly next year. Fortunately there are several tools available to policymakers to mitigate that trend for Connecticut consumers and small businesses who will be mandated to secure coverage as of January 1st. A new brief outlines state affordability options including a stronger state MLR limit, active…
Read MoreCT Insurance Exchange update
Friday Trinity College sponsored “The Affordable Care Act: Implications for CT”, a conference on how CT is implementing health care reform and how our state’s system will be different. The conference highlighted Trinity’s new Masters Degree track in Health Policy. The insurance exchange was the subject of great interest, especially specific examples of household options…
Read MoreExchange Board approves recommendation to limit insurer administration and profits
At yesterday’s meeting the CT Health Insurance Exchange Board unanimously approved a motion recommending that the state pass legislation limiting the amount of premiums insurers can spend on administration and profits, the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR), beyond the limits included in the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). OPM Secretary Barnes made the recommendation in response…
Read MoreExchange meeting update
Monday morning the CT Health Exchange Board held a special meeting by phone with only a few days notice and only noticed on their website. The purpose of the meeting was to increase, yet again, costs for consumers in the exchange. They reduced the prescription deductible in the unsubsidized silver standard plan to $400 from…
Read MoreInsurance Exchange web portal needs work
The access health CT (formerly the CT Health Insurance Exchange) web portal got a chilly reception from stakeholders at its first demonstration Wednesday. The web portal is the foundation of the state’s health reform efforts. People searching for coverage, in public programs or private insurance, will be directed to the website. The audience of brokers…
Read MoreSmall business absence in Exchange planning
Kevin Galvin’s blog today notes the continuing absence of a small business voice on the CT Health Insurance Exchange Board, while the insurance industry’s voice is growing.
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