HealthTrust plans to lower health insurance rates

Oct. 16--CONCORD -- HealthTrust plans to lower health insurance rates paid by some of its members by an average of 4 percent, Executive Director Peter Bragdon said Wednesday.

Bragdon said increased use of wellness programs helped to flatten trend claims over the last several months, resulting in the decrease for member communities in the so-called January pool, which operates on a calendar year.

"It's generally good news," Bragdon said.

HealthTrust administrates health insurance for hundreds of member towns, cities and school districts throughout the state. It oversees assets totaling more than $400 million in taxpayer funds.

Rates for members of a July pool, which are primarily school districts that operate on a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year, are expected to increase slightly by an average of 2.75 percent and would cover July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016, he said. The July pool saw a reduction of rates in the spring of 1.1 percent.

Bragdon said the 2.75 percent average increase is a "guaranteed" rate the can't rise, but can be lowered. He said the July pool may receive "revisited" rates lower than the 2.75 percent average increase next spring should claims continue to be flat or lower.

The HealthTrust board of trustees will meet Wednesday to approve the rates, he said.

HealthTrust is a former subsidiary of the New Hampshire Local Government Center, which for years was the subject of numerous lawsuits and regulatory action on accusations the LGC held too much money in reserves. A 2012 Secretary of State hearing officer order, later upheld by the state Supreme Court, compelled the LGC to return more than $50 million to taxpayers.

This year, HealthTrust and another former LGC subsidiary, Property-Liability Trust, agreed to allow a state-appointed insurance expert, Michael Coutu, access to the organization in exchange for the Bureau of Securities Regulation dropping an action that sought to strip the entities of their quasi-government and tax-free status.

Bragdon, though, said Coutu's presence had "no effect" on the rates.

"It's all driven by the overall (claims) trend," he said.

tbuckland@unionleader.com

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