HARRISBURG, Pa., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Insurance Commissioner Teresa
Miller, along with the CEOs of all five health insurers
offering individual coverage in Pennsylvania through the Affordable Care Act
(ACA), today sent a letter to federal Health and Human Services
Secretary Tom Price, urging him to work with them to make sure
Pennsylvanians continue to have access to health insurance, by
taking action to stabilize the individual market.
"Working together over the past year, we have put our market on
a pathway to stability," Commissioner Miller and the CEOs wrote.
"The most immediate drivers of instability are the weakening of the
individual mandate, the uncertain status of funding for the
cost-sharing reductions and the absence of funding for overall
market stabilization measures. Additional regulatory action
should be designed to minimize disruption and instability."
In addition to Commissioner Miller, the letter is signed by
Deb Rice-Johnson, CEO Highmark
Health Plan, Steve Youso, CEO
Geisinger Health Plan, Diane Holder,
CEO UPMC Health Plan, Yvette Bright,
COO Independence Blue Cross, and Gary St.
Hilaire, CEO Capital Blue Cross.
Specifically, Commissioner Miller and the insurance industry
leaders ask Secretary Price to keep the Pennsylvania market stable by continuing to
make cost-sharing reduction payments. These payments help
lower-income Americans, those earning between 138 and 250 percent
of the federal poverty level, or between $16,400 and $29,700 for an individual, and
between $33,600 and $60,750 for a
family of four, pay for their out-of-pocket medical costs that
would otherwise be unaffordable. These costs include deductibles,
co-pays, and co-insurance.
The letter also asks that the federal government continue
enforcing the individual mandate to purchase health insurance, so
people have meaningful incentives to stay in the market, which
improves the risk pools for insurers, helping contain costs.
And, the letter asks the federal government to make all payments
owed to insurers to stem any further exodus from these
markets. The letter adds time is of the essence since
insurers will be filing 2018 products just a few short weeks after
Congress addresses the government funding deadline.
"With the added certainty these actions will create, we believe
rate increases in the individual market will be moderated and
consumer coverage options will be preserved," the letter
states.
Commissioner Miller notes over 1.1 million Pennsylvanians have
accessed coverage through the Affordable Care Act, resulting in
more Pennsylvanians receiving coverage than before its enactment
and enjoying the benefits of no pre-existing condition exclusions
and access to free preventive care services.
The letter concludes by offering for the commissioner and
insurers to be resources and partners in discussing thoughtful
regulatory changes that will make this market more appealing for
insurers to sell in as well as for consumers to buy from.
MEDIA CONTACT: Ron
Ruman- 717-787-3289
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wolf-administration-pennsylvania-health-insurers-urge-hhs-secretary-price-to-join-them-in-protecting-access-to-health-insurance-for-pennsylvanians-300446257.html
SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Insurance