Five Health Insurers Apply For N.Y. Exchange

[AllenChicago]

The common state-to-state theme of omitting premium prices, and omitting Provider Networks, continues with the Empire State's announcement of which health insurers are participating in the exchange...

"The five largest insurers in the state -
--Oxford Health Insurance (also Oxford Health Plans)
--Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York (also HIP Insurance Co. of New York)
--United Healthcare
--Excellus Health Plan (also Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield)
--MVP Health Plan (also MVP Health Services)
have filed plans to provide ?off-exchange? services in January."

Source: Multiple Insurers Will Participate in NY Health Exchange | wgrz.com

QUESTION: Does New York use the words "Off-Exchange" to describe what we define as "On-Exchange"? Must be a typo?

-ac

 

[timsip]

The common state-to-state theme of omitting premium prices, and omitting Provider Networks, continues with the Empire State's announcement of which health insurers are participating in the exchange...

"The five largest insurers in the state -
--Oxford Health Insurance (also Oxford Health Plans)
--Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York (also HIP Insurance Co. of New York)
--United Healthcare
--Excellus Health Plan (also Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield)
--MVP Health Plan (also MVP Health Services)
have filed plans to provide ?off-exchange? services in January."

Source: Multiple Insurers Will Participate in NY Health Exchange | wgrz.com

QUESTION: Does New York use the words "Off-Exchange" to describe what we define as "On-Exchange"? Must be a typo?

-ac

It's explained in the preceding paragraphs.

State officials are withholding the names of insurers that will participate in New York's exchange until a public relations kickoff planned for later this month.

The secrecy is improper, according to Bob Freeman, executive director of the state's Committee on Open Government. He said the identities of the firms became public record when they applied to participate in May.

New York's Department of Financial Services web site does list insurers that have applied to sell policies outside the health exchange beginning in January. That's a precondition for participating in the exchange and signals likely involvement, according to Leslie Moran, spokeswoman for the New York State Health Plan Association.

So New York is waiting for their propaganda machine to kick in before releasing on-exchange carriers.

 

[AllenChicago]

The five largest insurers for 2013 will also sell plans in New York in 2014? Whoop-de-do!

This must have come from a bored reporter at that media outlet, or one who's concerned about losing his job if he can't create some "news". Thanks for the clarification, TimSip!
-ac

 

[RayNY]

Allen, your title is misleading, I got excited for a second.

Also, it's more like 13 insurers applied.

"Off exchange" is the unique product that will not be sold through exchanges. That is what is covered by this article, the rate filings are linked below. This has no bearing on exchange product or participation.


Here are the others that filed:
Aetna
Capital District Physicians Health Plans (Albany/Capital District Only)
North Shore LIJ (hospital consortium who is now offering their own health plan. Have a near monopoly on Metro/Long Island hospitals)
HealthFirst
HealthNow
EasyChoice (Formerly Atlantis, Metro only)

Also, HIP has semi-separate entities under GHI and EmblemHealth, not sure how you want to count them. Filed separately, with separate networks and plans and rates.

https://myportal.dfs.ny.gov/web/prior-approval/rate-applications-by-company Official Filings

 

[AllenChicago]

Allen, your title is misleading, I got excited for a second.

I'm glad that you and TimSip corrected my mistake. I've never seen a press release listing something as mundane as which companies will be selling health insurance off-exchange in a state, which is why I thought "off-exchange" was a misprint. Apparently it wasn't.
-ac