Blue Cross of Illinois - 2016 News of Interest

[AllenChicago]

June 2, 2015

Interesting summaries from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, which explain why they are seeking such hefty (statewide average) premium increases in 2016 for their Blue Precision HMO and their Blue Choice PPO plans.

Blue Precision HMO:
https://ratereview.healthcare.gov/#...b9zVwmrTlH+SYsywWVPaYCPvM2kPBWbB9rOyDrEVe3y1H

Blue Choice Preferred PPO: (currently called "Blue Choice PPO")
https://ratereview.healthcare.gov/#...OReyugblI6BX4cJYVqf5Se8fCJLy7mEC+hmjif7DeNjr3

Both of these plans lost quite a bit of money in 2014 due to high claims. The government risk-corridor bailout provisions didn't seem to work to Blue Cross's favor either..

Since the family of plans with the widest PPO network, the "Blue PPO" series, are not listed at https://ratereview.healthcare.gov/ we can assume that these policies will not have an average statewide premium increase of over 10% for 2016?
ac

 

[kgmom219]

Since the family of plans with the widest PPO network, the "Blue PPO" series, are not listed at https://ratereview.healthcare.gov/ we can assume that these policies will not have an average statewide premium increase of over 10% for 2016?
ac

They didn't post for Texas Blue's either.

Interesting. Are they pulling the PPO off the Exchanges? Or sending out less than a 10% increase? I need a crystal ball.

 

[AllenChicago]

They didn't post for Texas Blue's either.

Interesting. Are they pulling the PPO off the Exchanges? Or sending out less than a 10% increase? I need a crystal ball.

As usual, the government causes more problems than it solves. Omitting companies from the rate review website was nuts. I hear that you can still find all filed rates at https://data.healthcare.gov/ , however.

 

[AllenChicago]

July 7, 2015

The bottom of page 27 at this document https://ratereview.healthcare.gov/files/1395308_36096_01012016_IND_RedactedAM.pdf lists the BCBS-IL products that are being terminated before January 1, 2016.

It appears that all the "Grandmothered" plans (those effective between 3-23-2010 and 12-31-2013) are being terminated and "crosswalked" into comparable (read: more expensive) 2016 ACA-compliant plans.

Document's Source: https://ratereview.healthcare.gov/#...vZreo9BXQR6sSsp4EoPsxfylZ8N2+7nQO7kYuJl2aTyg=

ac

 

[AllenChicago]

July 16, 2015

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois is indeed cancelling all Grandmothered individual plans (those effective between 3.23.10 and 12.31.13) on December 31, 2015.

Here is a link to the SERFF page that contains links to the letter notifying the Illinois DOI of the upcoming cancellations, and the letter being mailed to all affected insured's before 9/30/2015.

SERFF URL: https://filingaccess.serff.com/sfa/search/filingSummary.xhtml?filingId=130151165

 

[AllenChicago]

July 22, 2015

I heard rumors of this, but because they were so extraordinary, I didn't believe them. But it now appears the rumors are true. BCBS-IL has been approved to cancel not only the Grandmothered plans (see my prior post), but the PPO and Multi-State plans sold after 1/1/2014 as well! This will leave only HMO plans in the BCBSIL portfolio.

Somebody, please look over the BCBSIL letter(s) to the IL Director of Insurance at this SERFF page and tell me if I'm interpreting this correctly.

Link: https://filingaccess.serff.com/sfa/search/filingSummary.xhtml?filingId=130136868

ac

 

[AllenChicago]

Thursday, July 23, 2015


OK..the pieces of the BCBS-IL puzzle are starting to come together now...

Attached to this post is a letter from BCBSIL to the Illinois Department of Insurance. Based on this letter, along with the various filings this year by BCBSIL, here's what I believe is in the works for Individual Family Plans, effective 12/31/2015.

1. BCBSIL is cancelling all transitional plans...those with an effective date between 3.23.2010 and 12.31.2013. These folks will need to pick a new QHP Metal policy, with a January 1, 2016 effective date.

2. BCBSIL is cancelling all plans that use the "Blue Choice PPO", "Blue PPO" and "Multi-State PPO" network.

3. BCBSIL is creating a new "Blue Choice Preferred" PPO network that will cover the entire state of Illinois. Every client will have the opportunity to actively enroll in a "Blue Choice Preferred" plan with a 1.1.2016 effective date. Those who do not, will be automatically assigned to one. BCBSIL Notification letters are going out to the +320,000 affected members not later than September 30, 2015.

The average state-wide premium increase for these new/replacement plans, over the discontinued 2015 Blue Choice PPO plans, will be 38.2%. And, all Blue Choice Preferred plans will utilize the "Generics Plus" medication formulary, per https://ratereview.healthcare.gov/ .

4. The "Blue Precision HMO" products will remain the same, except for an average premium increase of 29.9%, per https://ratereview.healthcare.gov/ .

NOTE: The new "Blue Choice Preferred PPO" plans will utilize the same Medical Providers and Hospitals as the current "Blue Choice PPO" in the Chicago region. This means that those clients who chose one of the more expensive "Blue PPO" or "Blue Multi-State PPO" plans, because their physician and/or local hospital was not in the "Blue Choice" network, will need to either, go with a different company, or accept the smaller network "Blue Choice Preferred" PPO plan that will be assigned to them by default.
ac

 

[prencik]

Great info Alan as always.

It seems that they will cancel those plans, lots of work for me.

I wonder though how this will work with their fillings on 04/13/15, #130021951, they filled for: BCBSIL Blue Choice Preferred PPO. Are they going to replace those 2 networks Blue Choice PPO and Blue PPO, with Blue Choice Preferred PPO. Or are they canceling PPO at all?

I guess you answered my question befor I replied. Thanks again

----------

NOTE: The new "Blue Choice Preferred PPO" plans will utilize the same Medical Providers and Hospitals as the current "Blue Choice PPO" in the Chicago region. This means that those clients who chose one of the more expensive "Blue PPO" or "Blue Multi-State PPO" plans, because their physician and/or local hospital was not in the "Blue Choice" network, will need to either, go with a different company, or accept the smaller network "Blue Choice Preferred" PPO plan that will be assigned to them by default.
ac

So, no option Advocate Medical Group for Blue Cross PPO customers, either HMO or other companies.

I wonder what will happen with Land of Lincoln. If they won't rise their prices, they will get all the business especially for Freedom plan.

 

[AllenChicago]

Unfortunately Prencik, the SERFF link I posted expired (timed out). That's where you verify that all the Blue Choice/Blue PPO/Blue Multi-State plans are being cancelled.

But you can go to https://filingaccess.serff.com/sfa/home/il to see for yourself. I don't expect anyone to take my word for these things. That's why I post reference links, when available.

I wish Land of Lincoln Health wasn't a government entity, so we could see what they have up their sleeve for 2016. It's ironic and frustrating that the government forces private insurers to bare all, but withholds all info related to their Land of Lincoln Health plans for 2016.
-ac

 

[prencik]

I noticed that those links expired. I had to do some research to find information that you linked to previously, but eventually I found out how to go to: serff -> access fillings for Illinois. Great source of info.

With Land of Lincoln it's a big question mark, their first enrolment was really low, and they don't have a full overview for this year. So my guess is that like last year Blue Cross, they won't do much changes for 2016, but I can be wrong.

But I need to be proactive and right now, and I have to check what other companies are doing in Illinois, especially find out about what will happens to networks. I'v done some SEP recently, and Coventry was not that far behind with prices. And looking and HC.gov rates review, some of their plans are going up within 15% range. Same for Humana - their fillings are below 20%, so the gap with prices will be closing.

Looks like lots of rewrites and subsidy redetermination will be happening this season in Illinois. It will be a very busy season for me.