The Blues in SC

[Post Quartermaster]

They're HCR knee jerking all over the place here in SC......first no family plans in the individual market; all single contracts in the individual market.

Last week (I heard this Thursday) BCBS SC and Bluechoice (the HMO subsidiary) came out and said $750k annual max on all individual AND group products....apparently every agent in the state got on the phone and by Monday we got this:

We have received verbal confirmation from BlueCross BlueShield and BlueChoice HealthPlan that they are changing the annual maximum on new sales and renewing groups from $750,000 to $2,000,000 on plan years beginning October 1, 2010. There are no changes at this time to the $750,000 annual max on Personal Blue Plans sold 10-1 and after.

 

[dgoldenz]

What happened to no annual or lifetime maximums?

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Ditto - there's no annual limits allowed after Sept 23rd. Bueller?

 

[bill3173]

As much as I like Blue Cross SC, their underwriting has gotten so strict lately, that it almost doesn't seem worth it to send a case with any ratable condition. I have maintained my contract, but that's about it. Had to keep at least one BX carrier, for show if nothing else.

 

[jbage007]

What's the most competitive carrier in SC??

ok rephrase - it's probably Celtic right?

so what's the most competitive carrier with a minimum A-rating??

 

[AllenChicago]

What happened to no annual or lifetime maximums?

It seems that most health insurers are simply going to tell the Obamacare people (US Govt) to, "Stick it where the sun don't shine!" regarding a great many of the so-called health reform mandates. For example, I can't find any individual plans here in Illinois that are planning to comply with the required September 23rd date for covering preventive services, as stated and defined here: The Affordable Care Act's New Rules on Preventive Care and You - Preventive Care | Provisions | Understand the New Law | HealthCare.gov

EDIT: I stand corrected! BCBS of Illinois has decided to comply with ALL of the September 23rd requirements. Link to document shown with all 10/1/2010 and later quotes: http://www.bcbsil.com/dmagents/pdf/hcr_notice.pdf

-Allen

 

[Dave020]

This came in from Aetna this morning regarding lifetime max and mini-med plans under PPACA.............

Currently, about 1.4 million Americans receive their health coverage through limited-benefit plans. Unfortunately, many of them could lose that coverage as an unintended consequence of health care reform because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's (PPACA) new ban on annual limits. The prohibition on annual limits could result in premium increases that many limited-benefit customers could not afford. Consequently, Health and Human Services (HHS) has decided to allow temporary waivers from the ban if implementation would mean large premium increases in advance of the health care exchanges that will be operational in 2014, but no one yet knows what the final rules or guidelines will look like. As reported in Inside Health Policy last week, Aetna provided a strong voice in favor of relief for limited benefit plans and specifically urged that insurers be allowed to apply for waivers for their products to minimize administrative hassles for employers and potential disruption for individuals. Aetna also called for an expedited application process. All interested parties are urging HHS to act quickly since many employers will soon be making decisions on whether to continue coverage.

 

[scagnt83]

As much as I like Blue Cross SC, their underwriting has gotten so strict lately, that it almost doesn't seem worth it to send a case with any ratable condition. I have maintained my contract, but that's about it. Had to keep at least one BX carrier, for show if nothing else.

Do you focus more on individual business?

I dont do a lot of HI, and what I do place is group. They have been extremely competitive on the group side lately, even for ratable conditions.
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What's the most competitive carrier in SC??

ok rephrase - it's probably Celtic right?

so what's the most competitive carrier with a minimum A-rating??

I would say BC/BS.
As I said before, I dont do a lot of HI (almost no individual HI) and what I do place is groups.

That being said, I dont even think that Celtic is approved in SC... if they are I have never run across them.

This year BC/BS has beat the other top players (Assurant, GR, Aetna, Humana) on group quotes 90% of the time for the cases I have placed.
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Just checked their website, Celtic actually is approved in SC.

But like I said, I have never run across them before; and would not consider them competition.

 

[Post Quartermaster]

What's the most competitive carrier in SC??

ok rephrase - it's probably Celtic right?

so what's the most competitive carrier with a minimum A-rating??

lol.


Blue Cross is pretty competitive in SC. Humana will/or at least used to occasionally beat on certain demograpics on the HSA's.

Carolina Care Plan is usually a little below BCBS though no rating as the parent co. is a mutual...

95% of my biz goes to CCP or BCBS depending on the underwriting needed riders vs. rate ups with the balance to Humana.

Other than that is Wellpath (Coventry), who along with a B, has a fairly shoddy network and is young in the market and cut the GA's loose a year or so ago.....

GR and Assurant have been high last I looked, but I generally don't sell them (or any other association plans; American Comm., etc...) as they play games with their renewals here, and I have a conscience.....

 

[bill3173]

Do you focus more on individual business?

I dont do a lot of HI, and what I do place is group. They have been extremely competitive on the group side lately, even for ratable conditions.

SC Blue is very competitive on the individual side and they have excellent plan design. I don't do as much SC business as I used to, but always offer Blue.

I'm still a little scared of them, so I don't want to say anything further. I know an agent that had his ass handed to him by them, just for talking a little trash. They are very explicit about not discussing their business.

Oh, and mainly individual, some group. I'll keep what you said in mind.