Sept 23rd Mandates. Confusion with Carriers ?

chp

Super Genius
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175
SC
Ok, so I write mostly Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC and United Health care here in SC, as they are in my humble opinion the two best carriers in our part of the state.

Blue Cross has now made it impossible to write a family. There are no family plans, period. If I want to write a husband and wife, I have to write them separately. No 7K or 10K HSA plans! They will add the long list of preventative care mandates to their existing plan with all plans sold after 9/23. The problem, I cannot write a stand alone child plan with them. So, I cannot write a family with kids on a SC BCBS health plan!

Ok, I can still write families with UHC. Of course, no child only plans, but I can write a family plan with children on one policy. So, I have a family with kids that wants a family plan. They are excited that new plans must cover the preventative mandates. Well, when I create a quote, say a Co Pay Select plan, with a 17 Oct start date, it shows the current plan that does not cover these required mandates. They clients are asking why? So I get on the phone to call my GA...I am told that UHC will still sell the plans as they are. I am not sure how this is possible, So I call UHC directly.

40 mins of waiting and I ask are plans sold after 9/23 going to cover these mandates? Maybe there are new plans coming out?

I get the complete run around. "sir, I work for an insurance company, I do not have that information available." Ummm, ok, who can I talk to to get help? "Sir, we cannot talk about 9/23 as it is not 9/23."

Now I am pissed. So I ask, can I sell my clients a plan that covers the mandates after 9/23? I mean, your website tells me I can sell the current plan, without mandates, but how is this possible. This is my only question, please tell me who I can talk to?

I get: "Sir, we cannot talk about Health Care...."

I hung up.

Does anyone out there know how some carriers are implementing these new 9/23 mandates, and others are not?
How in the hell do I write families? What the hell do I say to these clients..."I cannot sell you Blue Cross, and UHC has no idea what they are doing."

Sorry to rant, just wondering if you guys are running into this problem.

I already feel better!
 
Re: Sept 23rd Mandates...confusion with Carriers??

As the mandates are written, I don't believe there is a single compliant carrier in MD for 9/23 effectives dates and beyond.
 
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Re: Sept 23rd Mandates...confusion with Carriers??

There are some carriers that are not changing their plan structures until 1/1/11 as they are only forced to do this on the portfolio's renewal. It could be they will do the same, and we have not gotten any updated info from them yet regarding benefits.
 
Re: Sept 23rd Mandates...confusion with Carriers??

I corrected a type on my post - this is NOT a single compliant carrier according to the letter of the law regarding mandates effective 9/23.
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There are some carriers that are not changing their plan structures until 1/1/11 as they are only forced to do this on the portfolio's renewal. It could be they will do the same, and we have not gotten any updated info from them yet regarding benefits.

This is Coventry One's spin (MD only.) Their take on the legislation is policies THAT RENEW after 9/23 have to be complaint with the legislation.

Since none of their plans renew until the end of December there will be no immediate changes. Also, when talking to certain people I get a sense of "what are they going to do to us anyway." Is there any teeth in this legislation. What if a carrier's not complaint by 9/23? Carrier jail? Do they even have the authority to fine?
 
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Re: Sept 23rd Mandates...confusion with Carriers??

"There are some carriers that are not changing their plan structures until 1/1/11 as they are only forced to do this on the portfolio's renewal. It could be they will do the same, and we have not gotten any updated info from them yet regarding benefits."

That makes sense, but I wonder what happens to a plan that is issued on 19 October without the mandates. Would it be grand-fathered, or would the client get a letter in the mail with a rate increase in January 2011?
 
Re: Sept 23rd Mandates...confusion with Carriers??

6 days left and still 0 for 6:

1) Will I receive full compensation for a family case where the child has to go GI?

2) What is the max rate up for a family case if the child has to go GI?

I don't see any of those answers coming within the next 6 days.
 
Re: Sept 23rd Mandates...confusion with Carriers??

"Sir, we cannot talk about 9/23 as it is not 9/23."

You just walked on to a Mel Brooks movie set. I believe it is called Young Obamastein.

Obama will play the part of the monster, Timmy Geithner is Igor, Sebelius is Frau Blucher and Janet Napolitano will be Inga.

As for other comments, plans issued before 3/23/10 are grandfathered until HHS says they are not.

Plans issued between 3/23 & 9/23 do not have to comply with mandated benefits until the next anniversary, 1/1/11 or whenever HHS pulls something new out of their butt.

Plans issued after 9/23 are supposed to be in compliance but no one really knows what is compliant, what isn't, especially HHS.
 
Re: Sept 23rd Mandates...confusion with Carriers??

This thread is SO off track and I love it. Hilarious posts boys, keep it going! HealthGuy
 
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