Annual Missouri Health Insurance Market Update
The following contains information for our NAHP Alternative Health Plan Solutions and ACA/Obamacare plans for individuals and small businesses in the state of Missouri.
Missouri Alternative Health Plan Solutions Updates
IMPORTANT NOTE: All non-ACA/Obamacare alternative plans are available year-round. For both individuals and small groups. There is NO limited (open enrollment) period for these options.
Health Insurance Buffet - Individual Alternative Plans
For those who do not qualify for a tax credit subsidy to help pay for an ACA/Obamacare plan, we have a STRONG “health insurance buffet” of alternative plans.
Our Primary Plan lineup has expanded and improved:
With our Primary Fixed Benefit plans we now offer the following:
Manhattan Life – Their newest and best fixed benefit plan - Affordable Choice Enhanced Fixed Benefit Plan. NOTE: The Affordable Choice plans have the BEST inpatient hospital coverage of any fixed benefit plan available today. They have also significantly upgraded their overall coverage.
Philadelphia American – Their newest and best fixed benefit plan – Health Saver Plus Gold. NOTE: The HSP Gold plan offers the BEST overall coverage of any fixed benefit plan in the market.
Our other Primary plan option - Short Term Medical (STM) plans are now available for duration's of 30 days up to as long as 36 months! We now offer plans from four great companies:
National General – Includes their best, updated STM plans with multiple deductible/coinsurance options for up to 36 months. Plans include the Aetna nationwide PPO networks.
IHC Group - Includes their best, updated STM plans with multiple deductible/coinsurance options for up to 36 months.
United Healthcare – Also offers multiple STM plans. They offer with the ability to have back to back 6-month policies to individuals and families. They also offer plans to individuals only for up to 36 months.
Pivot Health – Includes their Classic STM plans that have unique “No Network” plans for up to 6 months.
North American Health Plans STM – NAHP has partnered with US Fire Insurance Co. to offer the new Choice Advantage STM plans for up to 6 back to back 6-month policies.
Anthem Enhanced Choicecan offer a budget-friendly solution for those who don’t qualify for ACA/Obamacare subsidies. There are six plans. It is a medically underwritten Individual health plan that provides coverage for doctor visits, prescriptions, and more. Individuals only need to apply once to obtain benefits for nearly 36 months over three terms.
IMPORTANT TIP: In Georgia, whenever possible we recommend combining one of the Fixed Benefit plans together with a Short Term Medical plan above. The Fixed Benefit plan pays “first dollar” benefits for charges that are applied to your annual deductible on the Short Term Medical plan, which lowers or eliminates your out of pocket costs. This is a “best of both worlds” package with a much larger choice of providers that can still be LESS than a high deductible ACA/Obamacare plan!
Our Supplemental Plan lineup has also expanded and improved:
REMINDER NOTE: All these supplemental plans pay in addition to ANY other coverage you have. So, they are NOT just for our alternative “buffet” plans. They can reduce/eliminate out of pocket costs (plus provide additional cash for bills and other costs) of ANY primary health plan (group, individual, Medicare, etc.)
Accident Plans – In addition to accident supplemental plans from all our Primary plan companies (above), we offer separate LifeSecure Accident plans.
Critical Illness Plans – Again, along with plans from all our Primary plan companies, we offer separate LifeSecure Critical Illness plans.
Accident + Critical Illness Plans - We have a new plan from the IHC Group called Metal Gap 2. This is a guaranteed issue product that offers $2,500 to $10,000 of both Accident and Critical Illness coverage.
Cancer and Dread Disease Treatment – This is my favorite addition to our supplemental plans. Manhattan Life Cancer Care Plus Cancer and Dread Disease treatment plans. For those who choose one of Philadelphia American’s Fixed Benefit plans, their new Specified Disease plan is the preferred option for getting maximum coverage for Cancer and other Dread Diseases.
First Day Hospital Stay Protection – Along with plans from most of our Primary plan companies, Manhattan Life Out of Pocket Protection Plan is my favorite to include with whatever primary health plan YOU have. That includes employer group plans, Medicare, etc. We have a new plan from the IHC Group called Independence Hospital Insurance. This plan is a little more expensive than the Manhattan Life base plan but includes outpatient surgery coverage in addition to inpatient hospital coverage.
Hospitalization Buy-Up - We have a new plan from Enrollment First. When paired with their SelectMed Pro or Max plans (see below), this plan provides an extra $50,000 or $100,000 of inpatient hospital coverage. This can be a great addition to a Fixed Benefit plan as your primary coverage to provide extra protection for hospitalization.
Preventive Care Plus Plans – For those who want the MOST comprehensive coverage for preventive care plus other outpatient services, we offer the Enrollment First SelectMed plans.
Prescription Drug Plans For anyone who needs extra coverage for high cost prescriptions, we offer the SHA SCRIPTS program that includes their SHARx prescription drug plan. This plan works with our alternative plans and any employer plan with a high deductible for non-preferred brand and specialty prescriptions.
More information on all plans above can be found on each company’s page on our website and on our US Supplemental Coverage page.
NOTE: You can also combine one of the above Fixed Benefit plans OR STM plans together with Accident, Critical Illness, Cancer Treatment, Hospital Indemnity and Preventive Care (Plus) plans and create a comprehensive plan that will still be at least 15-20% LESS than a high deductible ACA/Obamacare plan!
Small Group Alternative Plans
In addition to the three companies we already have (Allstate Benefits, Allied National and Trustmark), we have two other companies that have previously provided only fully insured plans to small businesses. They are United Healthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City.
All the above options provide cost-saving, level funded alternative group health plans. Level funded plans can be a BETTER option for many businesses than the “one size fits all” ACA/Obamacare small group health insurance plans.
If you own, or work for a business with 5 to 50 employees covered on a “traditional,” fully insured group health plan, and believe the covered group members to be reasonably healthy overall, then it might be time for your company to explore a level funded plan.
To get quotes on a level funded group health plan, please schedule a call with us to review your situation. We will also need you to fill out our Group Census spreadsheet and email it to: robtavis@ushealthinsurancesolutions.com.
Missouri 2023 ACA/Obamacare Health Insurance Market Updates
Individual Plans
The following are some of the biggest updates/changes in the ACA/Obamacare individual market in Missouri.
For 2022 coverage, Missouri’s exchange has 9 participating insurers. In 2023, United Healthcare is expanding their footprint to Missouri. Bringing the total to 10 companies for 2023.
Aetna is expanding their footprint in existing markets, including more counties in Missouri.
The participating insurance companies are proposing average rate changes ranging from a just under 3% decrease to a nearly 21% increase for plans in 2023.
Small Group Plans
As with many states there is not much “new” to report with ACA/Obamacare small group plans in Missouri.
As noted below the market is split with half relatively small increases or decreases and the other half with increases over 10%.
Missouri 2023 ACA/Obamacare Rate review:
Missouri 2023 Preliminary Rate review:
NOTE: Final approved rates are not readily available at the time of this writing. We will do our best to update this page with the approved rates as soon as we can.
Missouri preliminary 2023 individual plan rate filing requests are as follows:
Anthem BCBS – requested an average increase of 3.22% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Blue Cross Blue Shield of KC – requested an average increase of 20.85% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Celtic/Ambetter - requested an average increase of 8.81% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Cigna - requested an average increase of 18.7% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Cox Health Systems – requested an average decrease of 2.77% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Medica - requested an average increase of 17.7% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Oscar Health Plan - requested an average increase of 8.86% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
SSM Health Insurance Company - requested an average increase of 9.66% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Missouri small group market rate filing requests look like this
Aetna - filed for a decrease range of a 4.85% to 5.33% varying by plan and network
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of MO - requested an average increase of 4.58% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Blue Cross Blue Shield of KC – requested an average increase of 14.7% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Cigna - requested an average increase of 9.25% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Cox Health Systems – requested an average increase of 6.79% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Humana - requested an average increase of 11.81% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
United Healthcare - requested an average increase of 11.86% varying by plan (not finalized yet)
Missouri 2023 ACA/Obamacare Approved Rates:
Missouri individual plan approved rate filings are as follows:
Anthem BCBS – Received an average decrease of % varying by plan
Blue Cross Blue Shield of KC – Received an average increase of 15.4% varying by plan
Celtic/Ambetter - Received an average increase of % varying by plan
Cigna - Received an average increase of % varying by plan
Cox Health Systems – Received an average increase of % varying by
Medica - Received an average decrease of % varying by plan
Oscar Health Plan - Received an average increase of % varying by plan
SSM Health Insurance Company - Received an average decrease of % varying by plan
Missouri small group market approved rate filings look like this:
Aetna - Received an increase range of a % to % varying by plan and network
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of MO - Received an average increase of % varying by plan
Blue Cross Blue Shield of KC – Received an average increase of 9% varying by plan
Cox Health Systems – Received an average decrease of % varying by plan
Humana - Received an average increase of % varying by plan
United Healthcare - Received an average increase of % varying by plan
US Healthcare Resources and Shopping Services
I invite you to go to my US Healthcare Resources page and spend some time going through all of the different tools, services and providers that are available to help you become a better health care consumer. I believe these resources can help you lower your overall health care costs no matter what primary health insurance you have.
U.S. Insurance Solutions is here to help
Remember, you are NOT in this alone…I am here to help! As your Personal Health Insurance Advisor, my goal is to make your life easier by taking the hassle out of finding the right health plan for your situation and needs.
To discuss your health insurance options and make sure you have the best possible health plan for your situation, please go to the link above with the image that says CALL ME and schedule a call with me on a day and time that works for you, and I will call you to review your options.