The New York State Department of Financial Services is currently reviewing insurance companies’ rates for the coming year, 2015. Overall this year, 11 insurers asked for rate increases and four asked for decreases. You can read insurer rate applications here. Members of the public have the chance to comment on the rates. HCFANY recently submitted seven letters about these plans:

Aetna Health

Empire HealthChoice

Excellus Health Plan

Health Republic Insurance of New York

Metro Plus Health Plan

Oscar Insurance Corporation

United Healthcare

2014 insurance rates on NY State of Health, our State’s health plan Marketplace, declined by 53%. These affordable rates were an important reason for the enrollment of over one million New Yorkers. The Department of Financial Services has an important role in ensuring that health plan rate increases are in line with actual medical cost changes, and that rates remain as affordable as possible for consumers.

HCFANY’s comments first discuss the broader context that the Department should consider and then additional specific carrier issues. In addressing the broader context, HCFANY notes:

1. Health care costs have been rising at slower rates for the past several years, and have been under 10% for the last 12, according to National Health Expenditures data. The California Marketplace held health insurers to a maximum 4.2% increase for 2015.
2. It’s reasonable to expect the 2015 risk pool will be healthier than 2014, because less healthy consumers are likely to have already enrolled.
3. The ACA “risk” programs should mean lower risk for insurers and lower prices for consumers. The ACA includes special programs – risk adjustment, risk corridor, and reinsurance programs – to compensate insurers for any increased risk they take on as a result of new enrollees. The programs were designed specifically to ensure stable insurance rates for consumers.
4. Insurers should have lower administrative costs as a result of the ACA. Significant money and energy is being put into marketing and outreach for health insurance because of the ACA, which means insurers can spend less time and money marketing their products.

The Department of Financial Services should post the final rates sometime in the early fall.