Blue Cross NC will lower ACA insurance rates. But 50,000 people will need new doctors.
This is the first time that
Some customers could see several hundred dollars in savings annually, but the rate change will not affect all customers equally because
The insurer did not provide details on how the 2019 ACA rates will affect specific counties or individual customers.
"This is a historic rate decrease," Conway said. "I have traveled across
The decrease could be bad news for about 50,000
Conway said that patients undergoing cancer treatment, pregnant women and others in special circumstances would be able to continue to receive treatment from Duke and
"As the only health system based right here in
Duke officials also said that its patients will be put in a difficult position.
"It's very difficult to disrupt a patient-doctor relationship, particularly for patients who have chronic medical conditions or a serious illness," said
Owens said Duke will have details on a new network with a competing insurers soon and will be contacting patients by direct mail and electronically to alert them that they can keep their Duke doctors by switching from
ACA shows signs of stability
The company announced its rate request on Tuesday and said the ACA market -- which tends to attract older and sicker people with higher-than average medical costs -- is showing signs of stability, despite Republican efforts to dismantle the law. Overall,
The rate request would be at least 15 percent lower if not for actions by the Trump administration and
The proposed rate reduction gave ACA advocates something to cheer about after years of unpopular price increases that caused economic hardships, especially for people who didn't qualify for federal subsidies and saw their health insurance costs double and even triple in a span of several years.
"Rate decreases are fantastic news, because these decreases will make ACA plans more attractive and available to more consumers," said
It took
A run-up in ACA pricing around the country has resulted in overpriced health insurance that now has to be scaled back, said
Blue Crossdoes not expect to fall below the ACA spending threshold this year, so it will not have to refund customers.
The proposed rate cut also affects 47,000
Cigna,
Cigna also has not announced the rates it's requesting for next year, but
Additionally,
The ACA enters its sixth year having weathered 70 Congressional repeal attempts and erosion by
As is, 90 percent of
___
(c)2018 The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
Visit The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) at www.newsobserver.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
What former HHS Secretary Shalala says she did with profits from UnitedHealth stock
Former Owner of Sleep Study Businesses Convicted of Fraud Conspiracy
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News