Delaware Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart announced today that she has reduced to 9.9 percent a request from Highmark BlueCross BlueShield for a health rate increases on small employe individual plans that were grandfathered into the health insurance system.
Highmark filed requests for increases in the rates for nine plans. Four of the plans requested an increase of 17.6 percent. Five additional plans sought a 15 percent rate increase. After reviewing the filings and taking into account the interests of consumers, Stewart reduced the amount approved to 9.9 percent for 8 plans and refused to grant one plan any increase at all.
The rates go into effect immediately and affect about 3,300 Delawareans.
About 14,000 Delawareans were enrolled in health plans under sign-ups under the Affordable Care Act.
