| Temporary | Supplemental | Travel | HSA | Major
Medical | Life | Dental | Ancillary | International |
Group | Individual | Accident | Mini-medical | High
deductible | Emergency | Critical Illness | Prescription
| PPO | Guaranteed Issue | Pre-existing Condition
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Delaware Insurance News2/1/2012 The Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, a division of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reported that as of June 30, 2011 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware, Aetna Health and Coventry Health Care of Delaware are the state's largest health insurance providers and as such, earn the right to set the benchmark for the development of the state's essential benefit plans to debut in 2014 under health reform law. 10/17/2011 State law H 161 enacted as Chapter No. 141 on 7/25/2011 requires that individual health insurance coverage be available to children under the age of 19 with pre-existing medical conditions. 3/2/2011 2011 premium rate increases: Delaware's Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart announced the 2011 rate increase approval of 9.9% for Golden Rule Insurance Company (operating as UnitedHealthOne). The company had requested a 10.4% increase. Standard Security Life Insurance rate increase of 9.8% was approved as requested. The largest approved rate increases were for Celtic Insurance, Time Insurance (operating as Assurant Health) and John Alden Insurance Company all above 29%. Other health insurance companies in Delaware may have rate increase requests still pending review so policies applied for now are still issued at 2010 rates. 2/12/2011 With dozens of health plans choices available online offering a wide range of pricing and benefits, how do you find the best combination of price and benefits? Celtic Insurance realizes that the choices can be overwhelming; the company offers more than 40 possible health plan designs in many parts of the United States. A new feature called "Help Me Choose" lets users easily and quickly select the benefits they value most and narrows the list down to a few of the best choices. No personal information is required other than zip code and date of birth. 2/7/2011 The state's pre-exisitng condition insurance plan (PCIP) monthly premium rates (per person):
PCIP will cover a broad range of health benefits, including primary and specialty care, hospital care, and prescription drugs. All covered benefits are available for you, beginning on your coverage effective date, even if it’s to treat a pre-existing condition - there are no waiting periods. PCIP applicants who are approved to participate in PCIP can choose from three plan options, with different levels of premiums, calendar year deductibles, prescription deductibles and prescription copays. The HSA Option provides an opportunity to open a Health Savings Account, a tax-exempt account where you can deposit funds for eligible medical expenses. Each of the three PCIP plan options provides preventive care (paid at 100%, with no deductible) when you see an in-network doctor and the doctor indicates preventive diagnosis. Included are annual physicals, flu shots, routine mammograms and cancer screenings. For other care, you will pay a deductible before PCIP pays for your health care and prescriptions. After you pay the deductible, you will pay 20% of medical costs in-network. The maximum you will pay out-of-pocket for covered services in a calendar year is $5,950 in-network/$7,000 out-of-network. There is no lifetime maximum or cap on the amount the plan pays for your care. If you apply for PCIP coverage on the government Web site, you will be billed for the premium once your application is approved. You will need to send in your payment in order for your coverage to be effective. Please do not send in the premium before you are billed. Note that your premium may increase if you age into a higher rate tier, or if PCIP adjusts its premiums to any changes in the commercial market. 12/16/2010 Delaware Department of Health and Social Services officials met representatives of 44 other states and numerous employees of the federal Health and Human Services Department in Washington DC this week for a two-day working meeting to discuss the next steps in establish a government-run health insurance exchange under the American Health Benefit Exchange Model Act. Their attendance at this meeting was paid for by a $1 million federal grant awarded by HHS in September to the state for research how to set up an insurance exchange. Two states (Alaska and Minnesota) declined to participate, saying that it was a waste of taxpayer money. Four other states (not identified in press reports) that received federal grants did not send representatives to the meeting. Attendees included representatives of 16 states that are suing the federal government in an attempt to overturn the federal health reform law; specifically the requirement that forces individuals to buy health insurance on the insurance exchange or pay a hefty tax fine. In its initial federal grant request for the insurance exchange project, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services said that it would: 1) Conduct a planning process involving key stakeholders that will enable the State to make an informed decision concerning the implementation of a Health Benefit Exchange, 2) Identify the advantages and disadvantages of implementing a State-run Exchange, a regional Exchange, or an Exchange administered by the federal government, 3) Utilize State resources, consultant support, and stakeholder participation to inform decision-making related to the establishment of an Exchange in the State of Delaware, 4) Solicit the widest-possible involvement from public and private stakeholders through the development of targeted working groups as appropriate, and 5) Convene public meetings which will provide a vehicle for both dissemination of information and citizen feedback. The meeting reportedly did not address the role of the commercial health insurance exchanges on the implementation of new competing government systems. The model act does not address inter-state insurance exchange proposals nor insurance sales across state lines. Federal officials admitted that they may not be able to provide further guidance until 2012. Meanwhile, most states are motivated to continue to meet requirements to obtain additional funding promised by the federal government for the establishment of insurance exchange by 2014. Freedom Benefits has previously voiced the opinion that the huge amount of money being spent to set up alternate insurance sales system technologies could be better used providing health benefits to the public. We proposed on the Universal Health Insurance blog that adequate commercial insurance sales systems are already in place that could be modified in a public/private partnership to make health insurance more affordable. 5/14/2010 Diabetes Coverage: A new resource to help find health insurance for diabetics in Delaware is now available at Freedom Benefits. 11/12/2009 A statute is approved to add virtual colonoscopy as an approved colorectal screening modality. |

Opinions expressed are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Freedom Benefits Association or any other person, company or entity mentioned. Information is from sources believed to be true, but cannot be guaranteed.