Looking for Cheap Health Insurance first look at Rates for 2022

Hey, dialing in from the Wenatchee Enrollment Center. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act, healthcare has gotten cheaper for 2022. If nothing is done then it will skyrocket in 2023 for some of the people. That is for a different blog. 

Here is the teaser of what we are looking at in Central Washington:

Again, we are the most or second most expensive zone in the state for the health insurance plans. Healthcare is a team event with a dance between Providers and Insurance companies. When you have large areas to cover with only a few providers, providers can drive up the price. If you are concerned with the trend in Central Washington then our largest providers can be reached at:

Confluence Health 

Columbia Valley Community Health 

A simple comment of could help: 

Insurance Companies have left our area and have had to raise rates. We have some of the highest rates in the state for health insurance. The Health Insurance companies are required by law to pay back funds if 80% of premium is not used on health. What are you doing to lower consumer costs and the cost of healthcare?

How do I lower my cost next year with the OIC: 

1. Log onto the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner site: https://fortress.wa.gov/oic/consumertoolkitrt/Search.aspx 

2. Leave a comment on the health insurance plans that begin on 01/01/22.

The comments are taken into consideration and the first chance to be able to purchase the updated plans will be November 1, 2021. Open Enrollment runs until December 15th. Review your plan every year and you can even set an appointment today. 

 

Some samples of past statements:

We are focused on three things:

1. Consumer price being lowered.

2. Consumer networks expanded for better use.

3. Consumers having expanded service (which means local brokers being paid). 

If you want some good examples for this year you could copy and paste the following:

With providers required to contract with Cascade Health Plans and have a set reimbursement rate, then why are we not seeing broader networks with these plans? Why are we not able to travel throughout the state? In Central Washington network, why is the University of Washington excluded from our networks? 

Why was Confluence Health's primary care physicians not allowed to work with the Community Health Cascade plans? It was if they punched a hole into coverage for the consumers to get their plans in leaving us high and dry.

As for Rate Changes, why are companies like Community Health  asking for a rate decrease when they have higher forecasted claims percentage than Coordinated Care which is rising lower than inflation? What happened to reinsurance being used to lower the cost of insurance? 

The addition of the broker commission is important to every plan offered as it provides additional local service. The commision rate needs to be set at $20 per policy to account for changes throughout the year. 

With the expanded enrollments of 2021 and increased participation, why are we not looking at lower rates?

Healthcare is complicated. It is why we have always recommended selecting a broker as you have a resource ready to assist you that is trained. Even if you do not pick the Wenatchee Enrollment Center, there are eleven others that can assist you or your neighbors. They are a community resource and we also assist with Medicare and Life Insurance at our office. 

If you are interested in small business then check out our Podcast Suzilla.