Highmark Delaware, the state’s largest health insurer, is telling customers receiving cancellation notices to simply keep making their payments to ensure that coverage continues.
Individual policies were canceled that did not meet the expanded coverage requirements of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The problem was compounded as consumers had difficulty with signing up through online health insurance exchanges.
The lower cost plans were often bought by people who are self-employed or between jobs. Customers are typically happy with the coverage unless a health problem crops up.
President Barack Obama asked insurer to allow existing policies to continue another year and the Delaware Insurance Commissioner announced an agreement for the policies to continue in force. The administration has since reported improvements in the operation of the federal website. There has been no update on the Delaware website.
“Individuals who received notices that their current plan would be discontinued during the first quarter of 2014 will have the opportunity before Dec. 31, 2013 to continue their current plan for one year. Highmark Delaware is amending these policies to lessen disruption for our members. Members do not need to “opt in” to continue coverage; by continuing to pay their premium they will remain in their current plan,” according to a Higmark statement.
Highmark said members “will see a nominal rate increase and that the insurer will continue to work diligently with our members to ensure access to health care into 2014, and to help them understand their options as they transition to an Affordable Care Act-compliant plan.”
I am outraged. I have been Blue Cros BS- now Highmark for many years and last year I received letter form Highmark that I was grandfathered in. I pay $522 per month and even though I think that my payment is excessive, I continue paying it because I am responsible and knew that I had a great policy.
Now I received he letter form Highmark stating to look for new insurance after December 31. When Obama promised time after time that if you are grandfathered in you will NOT lose your insurance, I believed him and continued paying tis exuberant fee. Being grandfathered in, unfortunately does not mean what it implies. I guess it means you are grandfathered in for a year. This is deceptive and wrong. I spent thousands of dollars, I have been responsible and now I am forced to go to the health exchange. I have never been sick and I think that Highmark and Blue Cross should give me my money back. Further, I relied on Obama’s promise and now that his promise has been broken, I am left out dry. When I contacted Delaware Insurance Commissioners office, it took them 5 days to call me back. I was told that they cannot do anything for us consumers. Is that not their job? To help us, consumers, or they are there to help big corporations like Highmark. Unbelievable.