Medicare Advantage prices to remain stable in Western Pennsylvania for 2018
The new prices let seniors start shopping the plans, which are private alternatives to traditional Medicare, in advance of the annual enrollment period that runs from
Medicare Advantage plans are increasingly popular among baby boomers, who retire at an estimated rate of 10,000 people per day, and the
Highmark expects the most growth in its Community Blue plans, which don't include UPMC hospitals, said
"It's been our fastest-growing product; we assume it's going to be the same this year," she said of the Community Blue plans. Enrollment grew to about 20,000 from 16,000 last year, she said.
Highmark's Medicare Advantage enrollment in
The insurer sells plans across the state with the exception of the counties around
Lovelace attributed the growth to competitive pricing and the reputation of UPMC's hospital system.
While its
Despite the lukewarm reception in those counties,
Most of Highmark's Medicare Advantage policyholders retain in-network access to UPMC hospitals through 2018, Galardy said. UPMC will be allowed to leave Highmark's networks in 2019 in accordance with a state consent decree governing some business between the feuding nonprofits.
The national insurers have promoted their access to both UPMC and Highmark-owned
Officials from UPMC and Highmark said the uncertainty that has loomed over other types of health coverage -- including individual plans sold on the Affordable Care Act marketplace, Medicaid and employer-based coverage -- has not impacted Medicare. They emphasized that premium increases in for the ACA plans do not apply to Medicare Advantage.
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