Tag Archives: Marketplace

As reported in the news late last week, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina recently requested an adjustment to their 2016 rate increase for North Carolina health plans sold on the health insurance marketplace. As we reported in June, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBS-NC) originally proposed a 25.7% rate hike for marketplace plans in 2016. However, BCBS-NC recently announced on their website, that the requested rate increase would be revised based on two main factors:

“Early on, industry and government officials counted on two assumptions: A healthier mix of customers in the second year (2015), and a leveling-out of medical spending this year following a surge in demand for the initial year. We now have enough data to know that both of these assumptions have not proven true.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield NC rate increase: 34.6%

In addition, BCBS-NC also announced that they would discontinue the wider network PPO plans in 16 North Carolina counties for 2016: “In keeping with this approach, we will no longer offer Blue Advantage and Blue Select plans in the counties in the Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham markets.”

It is important to note, that in the Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham markets, BCBS-NC has experienced increased competition from United Healthcare and Coventry/Aetna – and Humana is expected to begin offering marketplace plans in these metro areas for 2016 as we previously reported. Click here to see all available marketplace plans in your area of North Carolina.

Of course, the Blue Cross Blue Shield NC rate increase request of 36.4% is still subject to regulatory review, and may not be approved by the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Stay tuned to NChealthconnector.org for breaking North Carolina health insurance news!

Click here to read the entire BCBS-NC blog release concerning the new 34.6% rate increase.

Bluecross Blueshield North Carolina 2015 ACA rates.

According to various sources around the web, Bluecross Blue Shield North Carolina on Wednesday released some limited rate information or 2015 marketplace health insurance plans.

The headline number for this story is that rates will rise “more than 13 percent on average”. Of course, that does not tell the entire story. As we recently saw in South Carolina , rate increases for ACA plans offered on the exchange will fluctuate quite a bit between different regions. We do not expect every Bluecross Blueshield customer to receive a 13% increase. Rates will vary across regions, as North Carolina has 16 distinct rating regions, each with differing rate increases. In addition, different types of plans will receive different increases:

Rate increase got you down? Click here to shop for a lower price!

Bluecross yesterday provided only one scenario of how rates would increase next year. For a 45-year old nonsmoker, the monthly premium rate would increase 15.6 percent – from $364.39 to $421.32 – on one of the most popular individual plans Blue Cross sold in Raleigh through the federal marketplace – a Silver plan.

Keep in mind, however, rate increases for Bronze and Gold plans will change by different amounts. We have also been told certain plans in specific areas may actually decrease a bit – stay tuned for more!

Of course, most North Carolina residents will also be able to choose a marketplace plan from Unitedhealthcare for 2015, as well as Coventry Healthcare in certain areas!

Our takeaway? If you need the most robust network options for North Carolina in 2015, Bluecross Blueshield of North Carolina may be your best bet. However, if you are willing to change doctors to accept an HMO or Tiered network structure, you may be able to save some money.

Beginning November 15, North Carolina residents can view 2015 rates and apply online from our frontpage (click the Blue button!).

During the first week of open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act, the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace has had a rocky start, to say the least. As your trusted North Carolina Obamacare Agent, we are continuously checking the status of the enrollment portal at www.healthcare.gov, as well as keeping an eye out for any pertinent news regarding open enrollment. Recently, while perusing the news, we found a particularly disturbing article from CNBC.

You can read the original article here. On Friday, CNBC reported that as many as 99% of Obamacare enrollment applications contain enough information for the insurance carrier to process the application! Another insurer reported that approximately half of all applications received did not have enough information to process the enrollment. Don’t let this happen to you!

This is why you need a North Carolina Obamacare Agent!

As your North Carolina Obamacare Agent, our agency tracks every application to ensure that your enrollment is complete! Sure, you could go to healthcare.gov and enroll on your own – but why risk not having insurance on January 1st? As your North Carolina Obamacare Agent, we have the knowledge, resources and experience to help ensure that your health insurance enrollment application is complete!

North Carolina Obamacare Agents must be CMS certified before helping consumers apply for Obamacare plans. North Carolina Obamacare Agents must complete assigned training and pass exams before they may assist individuals with an application, plan selection, and enrollment through a Federally-facilitated Marketplace.

North Carolina Obamacare Agent vs. Navigators

Navigators may help you navigate the Federal Marketplace. By law, the Affordable Care Act forbids navigators from actually recommending what specific health plan or coverage people should purchase. Navigators are only allowed to help people understand their options and they’re banned from receive compensation from insurers, as North Carolina Obamacare Agents can.

North Carolina Obamacare Agents are not only certified by the Federal Government, but also licensed, trained, and appointed with each insurance company they represent. This relationship ensures that your North Carolina Obamacare Agent has a professional working knowledge of the plans they represent.

NC DOI officials have approved 67 on exchange health plans for North Carolina’s Federally Facilitated Marketplace, opening on October 1, 2013.

Health insurance plans will be offered by 3 companies:

Bluecross Blueshield of North Carolina – 26 plans in all 100 counties.

Coventry Healthcare of the Carolinas – 25 plans in various metro areas.

FirstCarolina – 16 plans in six counties: Lee, Moore, Richmond, Hoke, Montgomery and Scotland.

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Department of Insurance today announced that it has completed timely reviews and approvals of health insurance rates for plans that insurers have proposed to sell in the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. This approval allows the insurers to continue the process to become certified by the federal government to participate in the Marketplace.

The Health Insurance Marketplace, also known as a health benefit exchange, will be accessible online through www.healthcare.gov and is a place where individuals, families and small employers will be able to compare health insurance options and shop for coverage. Those eligible will be able to take advantage of federal subsidies and tax credits. Pursuant to N.C. Session Law 2013-5, the federal government will operate the Marketplace in North Carolina.

As of today, rates have been approved for three insurers that have indicated to NCDOI their intent to sell plans on the Marketplace. The insurers include Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Coventry Health Care of the Carolinas, and FirstCarolinaCare. All three have indicated intent to participate in the individual market; BCBSNC has indicated intent to also participate in the small group market. Coverage options will vary by county. As the federal government will be operating the Marketplace in North Carolina, it will make the final decision as to which plans may be sold through the Marketplace in this state.

Rate details for these insurers were filed with NCDOI as trade secret, and under North Carolina law, may not be released by NCDOI without the consent of the insurer.

The Health Insurance Marketplace is scheduled to open for enrollment on Oct. 1. Health insurance plans, from the insurers above as well as others operating in the state, will also be available outside of the Marketplace; however, income-based federal subsidies are only available through the Marketplace. For coverage beginning in 2014, no health insurer may deny coverage to an individual or small group, or charge more for coverage because of health status, claims experience or a pre-existing condition.

For more information about the Health Insurance Marketplace, visit www.healthcare.gov or call the federal Marketplace Consumer Call Center at 800-318-2596.