 Illinois joins Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, Kansas, Oregon, South
Carolina, Colorado, Hawaii and Texas in giving insurance companies the choice to
renew existing health insurance policies with current policyholders."DOI came
to this decision based on the concerns raised by Illinois consumers and the
guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services," said Andrew
Boron, director of the Illinois Department of Insurance. "Allowing companies to
renew current plans gives consumers more time to evaluate their options and will
provide a smoother transition into the health care coverage system envisioned by
the ACA."
The Illinois Department of Insurance will immediately work with insurance
companies who choose to extend the terminated or canceled coverage to quickly
renew such policies. In step with President Obama's announcement, policies in
effect on Oct. 1, 2013, in the individual or small-group market can be renewed
for a policy year starting between Jan. 1 and Oct. 1, 2014.
According to notifications received by Department of Insurance, approximately
185,340 people in Illinois have been advised by insurers so far in 2013 that
their coverage has been canceled or terminated. The department's most recent
data indicate that more than 476,000 Illinois residents were insured by private
individual policies in 2012.
Also on Friday, federal authorities pushed back the deadline from Dec. 15 to
Dec. 23 for enrolling in a plan that begins on Jan. 1. The change gives people
eight additional days to consider their options.
For Illinois consumers, the ability to renew plans will depend on their
insurance company's decision of whether or not to exercise this option.
Consumers should contact their local insurance agent to discuss what options are
available to them.
In addition, according to the federal government, any insurance company
choosing to renew a noncompliant plan in 2014 should notify consumers that they
can purchase coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, where they may
qualify for federal financial assistance, which may include premium tax credits
for small employers and other subsidies for individual consumers. This notice
should also advise consumers about the protections under the Affordable Care Act
that they are forgoing by renewing their current plans, including certain
"essential health benefits" that may not be offered through existing plans. Such
protections will be required in plans being sold in the Health Insurance
Marketplace.
[to top of second column] |
After Dec. 31, insurance companies will not be permitted to sell any
new plans that do not meet the Affordable Care Act standards.
Consumers seeking health coverage should continue to visit
http://getcoveredillinois.gov/ to learn about new coverage
options available through the marketplace. Those who may consider
keeping their current policy should compare it with new plans
offered through the marketplace that cover more benefits, sometimes
at a lower cost.
The Department of Insurance is also recommending that consumers
who have questions regarding differences between a continuation of
their current coverage and benefits afforded to them through a plan
on the Health Insurance Marketplace should call the department's
Office of Consumer Health Information at 877-527-9431.
The following insurers have received
approval to offer coverage through the Illinois Health Insurance
Marketplace:
-
Aetna Life
Insurance Co.
-
Coventry Health and
Life Insurance Co.
-
Coventry Health
Care of Illinois Inc.
-
Health Alliance
Medical Plans Inc.
-
Health Care Service
Corp., a mutual legal reserve company (Blue Cross)
-
Humana Health Plan
Inc.
-
Humana Insurance
Co.
-
Land of Lincoln Mutual Health Insurance
Co.
"Making certain that Illinois residents have access to quality
affordable health care remains one of our top priorities," continued
Boron. "(Friday's) actions reinforce our commitment to a culture of
coverage."
[Text from
Illinois Department of
Insurance
file received from
Get Covered Illinois]
 |
