IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM YOUR BROKER ABOUT YOUR 2016 HEALTH INSURANCE

2016 Is shaping up to be the most challenging year we have ever seen in the Individual Health Insurance Market in Arizona. Due to massive losses sustained by every carrier in AZ there will be huge changes this year so please take a few minutes to read this update.

So what is happening with the Individual Health Insurance Market?

1. Blue Cross Blue Shield lost over $90 million and as a result will no longer offer any PPO plans for 2016 except for those people who have grandfathered plans that were written before 01/01/2014. Over 77,000 people will be getting a letter notifying them that their coverage will no longer be available. Blue Cross Blue Shield of AZ will only offer HMO plans in 2016. The average rate increases for theses HMO plans will be around 29% compared to last year’s same HMO plans. Current HMO members may want to either increase their deductibles to save money or look elsewhere because the Blue Cross Alliance and Select network plans will still be some of the most competitive in Maricopa County.

2. Health Net of Arizona lost a reported $86 million dollars and will follow the lead of Blue Cross and will drop all PPO’s except for one basic Bronze plan that we will not be selling. They will no longer be offering their benefit rich Platinum $750 deductible or Gold $1500 deductible plans. These two plans represented 90% of the plans that we at Phoenix Health Insurance sold for Health Net. Health Net’s prices also increased on average 21% for remaining HMO plans.

3. Meritus only lost $16 million and is our states only local CO-OP and was a very good option that provided predictable benefits along with some of the lowest prices. Unfortunately last week the Department of Insurance placed Meritus into Receivership, which means that unless something can be worked out in the next week or so all 58,000 Meritus customers should plan on finding a new home for 2016. This is unfortunate as some believe that this is a political move but you can view more about this here http://www.meritusaz.com/content/meritus-frequently-asked-questions-faqs.

4. Assurant was the first recorded casualty this year with losses exceeding over $120 million dollars. They announced that after 102 years in the health insurance market they would be closing its doors for individual health as of the middle of 2015. Assurant was the ONLY OPTION for MAYO CLINIC that we had here in Arizona.

 So how do I find a new plan for 2016?
1. Off Exchange: Visit our new website phxhealthinsurance.com and click on the Health Insurance Quote Now button. This is a custom quote link that will allow you to compare and apply.

2. On Exchange: You have to use the www.healthcare.gov and please check the box that says you are working with a broker and enter 15856993 in the NPN Number. It is a small box in the first section of the application that you have to click on.

 *OR quote our top 3 carriers for 2016 one at a time

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona quote link: https://broker.azblue.com/12878

Cigna quote Link: https://cignaindividual.com/public/Quoting/Individual/EnterQuoteCriteria.aspxSFFjB61wbbN60xWzDwts6b+QLjujoVBU9Q0QNzzCDAs=

Health Net Quote Link:  https://www.healthnet.com/getquote?a=108903&ga=

Due to the overwhelming nature of having 752 clients who all need to replace their plans within 37 days we simply cannot deliver the same one to one service that we have been able to provide in the past. We hope that you will use these tools to purchase your 2016 plan so that we may continue to be your agent of record and serve you throughout the years to come. I appreciate any feedback that you have and hope that you will email us with what plan you have selected so that we may follow up on it for you. Please email info@phxhealthinsurance.com. Thank you for your understanding and please email or call 623-516-8300 for more direction.

Sincerely, Lynn Marble and your team at Phoenix Health Insurance