SMALL GROUP HEALTH PLANS COSTS THROUGH THE EXCHANGE

One of the largest medical insurance carriers in Maryland has announced that costs for Small Group Health Plans through the Exchange will cost 10% to 20% more due to mandated Essential Health Benefits  taxes, fees and assessments imposed on carriers.  Here is a partial break-down of those additional mandates/costs:

Transitional Reinsurance Program: $5.25 Per Member Per Month
Health Insurer Fee: Estimated at 2-3% of Premium
QHP Certification Fees-Not yet determned from Federal Government
Non-Grandfathered Groups-Pediatric Dental and Vision Being Added to Small Group Plans

This comes on the heels of information from President Obama's budget sent to Congress on April 11th, 2013 stating that costs for the Network of Health Insurance Exchanges for only half of the states will cost more than doulble the intial estimate.  Even though the intial costs projections were for the set-up of all states Exchanges.  Go figure, this is going to cost a heck of a lot more than we first were told by the President and the Federal Government.

Maryland Delaying The Launch of the Small Business Exchange

The state’s health department changed the start date for businesses to enroll in the small business exchange from October, 2013 to January 2014. The state’s decision comes after the federal government said it would give states until January 2015 to get up and running a key piece of the small business exchange that gives employees more insurance options.

The health insurance marketplaces for both small businesses and individuals were supposed to begin enrollment this October for coverage that would take effect in January. The individual exchange is still expected to stick to that timeline. The exchanges are part of the federal Affordable Care Act.

Excerpt from the Baltimore Business Journal, April 3, 2013