• New Higher GI amounts
• 3 Year Rate Option
• More age reduction schedule options

06/21/2010

• A new behavioral health network logo - Magellan Behavioral Health*
• Revised precertification requirements

*The Magellan Behavioral Health network is not currently available to members in North Carolina or whose primary network is HealthLink, HealthLink Open Access II, HealthLink Open Access III, Hometown Health PPO, PPHN or SuperMed PPO. Magellan Behavioral Health is a subsidary of Magellan Health Services.

Proposal Would Curb Health Insurance Rates Nationally.

The New York Times (4/21, A15, Pear) reports, "Fearing that health insurance premiums may shoot up in the next few years, Senate Democrats laid a foundation on Tuesday for federal regulation of rates, four weeks after President Obama signed a law intended to rein in soaring health costs." Following "a hearing on the issue," Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) stated that "he intended to move this year on legislation that would 'provide an important check on unjustified premiums.'" Harkin added that "about 22 states in the individual market and 27 states in the small group market do not require a review of premiums before they go into effect."

        The Los Angeles Times (4/21, Levey) reports that this action "is aimed at giving all states the power to stop premium hikes deemed excessive, and allowing the federal government to step in if the states don't act." The Times adds, "Responsibility for regulating insurers has traditionally fallen to the states, but insurance commissioners' ability to control rate hikes currently varies widely from state to state. Senior Democrats on Capitol Hill, backed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, are exploring ways to standardize that authority."

        CQ Today (4/21, Ethridge, subscription required) says that the bill's "sponsor Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) warned that more insurance companies may follow the lead of Anthem Blue Cross, which recently hiked rates 39 percent for some California customers, before the new health care overhaul...begins to take full effect in 2014." Commenting on the bill, Sen. Harkin said, "There is a gaping hole in our regulatory system, and it is unacceptable." The measure would allow the HHS Secretary "to review premium increases in states where the insurance commissioner does not have sufficient authority to do so, and to block or modify them before they go into effect."

Feature details

Preventive Passport is available with Principal^® Dental Series II in all states except Montana and Washington:

• Preventive Passport allows members to visit the dentist for preventive services as many times as their contract allows, and those services do not count toward the maximum amount.
• Basic and Major services have a combined maximum.
• There are no lives restrictions, and it is available with all benefit designs.
• No cleanings or other services are required within a benefit year.
• The Maximum Accumulation Plan and Preventive Passport feature are not available on the same case.
• Benefit summaries will not be updated to show the Preventive Passport feature until May.

• Quicker turn around times
• Ability to hold quoted rates
• Better broker/account experience

• Great Product Portfolio
• POP Plan automatically included
• HRA and HSA Administration at no cost
• Great Broker Bonus Program

• Principal releases side by side comparions to assist brokers with the transition to the 2010 medical plan product generation.The side by side comparision maybe accessed via Principal's eFP Broker website. Please note - this is for broker use only and should not be shared with your clients
• Principal releases update to 2010 RX Listing which includes updates to Prior Authorization and  Dispensing Limits, Dose Optimization, Step Therapy and Specialty Drug List. Listing may be found on our website under Principal Plans.   

• One year after the first date of the medically necessary leave of absence, or
• The date coverage would otherwise terminate under the plan.

• Physician Certification - Written certification from the treating physician that the dependent has a serious illness and/or injury requiring a medically necessary leave of absence.
• Notice - The health plan must provide a notice describing the terms of maintaining their coverage and the notice must be written in a way that a typical covered person would find understandable. Further, the notice will be included with any notice regarding a requirement for certification of student status under the health plan.
• Benefits  - Coverage will remain the same as prior to the medically necessary leave of absence, except if there are changes in the coverage, insurance carrier, and/or fully insured to self funded or vice versa.