Health Insurance Blog

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) has annouced that they are extending their discounts for early enrollment discounts for their portfolio of Medicare Supplement Plans.

BCBSAZ’s discount program extensions increase the duration of the Medicare Supplement discounts from 5 to 10 years and raises the eligibilty age from 65 1/2 to 67 years old.  For example:

If an eligible senior enrolls in a BCBSAZ Medicare Supplement Plan at age 65 they will receive a 32% discount on the first year of premiums, a 28.8% discount on the first year of premiums for enrollment at age 66, and a 25.6% discount applicable to the first year of premiums for enrollment at age 67.

In addition, the discount amount decreases by 3.2% each year until the person reaches age 75 so long as the person is continuously enrolled in the plan.

The savings calculations are a bit confusing, but the net-net of it is,  seniors tend to stay with their health plans for a long period of time, so BCBSAZ is offering an innovative incentive to get them enrolled in their Medicare Supplement plans from the beginning of Medicare eligibility.

According to the Phoenix Business Journal, seven Arizona health insurance companies are working together to create the Arizona Association of Health Plans Inc.

The Seven health plans include:

• Arizona Physician’s IPA
• Mercy Care Plan
• Care1st Arizona
• University Family Care
• Phoenix Health Plan
• SCAN Long Term Care
• Health Choice AZ

The Association hopes to add more commercial health insurance carriers to their membership as they strive to work with AHCCCS administration as well as legislators, government agencies and health care providers to improve the quality, availability and cost of health care delivery in Arizona.

The 2008 presidential election is now in he books, but there are still a number of states that have health care reform initiatives with unknown results.

A rundown of pending and decided state health care initiatives is as follows:

• Arizona’s Proposition 101 would prohibit the passage of any law that would prohibit an individual from having the freedom to purchase a family health plan from any private health insurer offering health insurance in Arizona.
• In Wisconsin, legislation appeared to be on the verge of passing that would ensure universal coverage (in the 20+ cities and counties for which it appeared on the ballot)
• South Carolina voted down a amendment to allow state and local governments to invest funds in the stock market funds that are earmarked for retired public employee health benefits.
• Montana voters approved a measure expanding their children’s health insurance program, to increase the household income threshold to $55,000.

President elect Barack Obama vowed while compaining to make sweeping changes to the counties health care system that would make it more affordable and available to Americans.   He will soon be under pressure to begin doing just that, and it will be interesting to see quickly and sharply these changes will take place.

There has been a considerable amount of discussion surrounding the health care proposals from presidential candidates Obama & McCain, however state-level health care plans haven’t received much attention.

Arizona in particular has a health care initiative on the ballot called Arizona Proposition 101.  If this proposition were to pass, the state of Arizona would be blocked from enacting a universal health care plan.  Essentially it would block Arizona from moving towards a health care platform like the one that is currently in place in Massachusetts, which requires all residents to purchase health insurance or pay a fine.  In addition, if Proposition 101 passes it will serve as a basis for a legal challenge should the federal government move towards a national health insurance mandate.

More information about health insurance in Arizona.

Last week, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) announced the launch of 5 new Arizona individual health insurance plans .  The new plans deliver a wide range of co-insurance and deductible levels and can save customers as much as 40% from previous health insurance options.

The new individual health insurance plans offered by BCBSAZ are:

BlueOptimum - A PPO that features co-pays for many services and the broadest level of health coverage among the new plans introduced last week.

BlueValue - A PPO that features a mix of co-pay and co-insurance with lower monthly premiums than Blue Optimum.

BlueEssential - An ultra affordable PPO with basic coverage and a $1,000 cap on preventive care.

BluePortfolio - A high deductible health plan (PPO) that can be paired with a Health Savings Account (HSA).

BlueSecure and BlueSecure Plus -HMO plans.