EHA News
EHA News
** NEW Update: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska negociations with Catholic Health Initiatives
November 11, 2014
BCBSNE to Extend In-Network Benefits for Members at Five CHI Health Hospitals Kearney, Grand Island, Nebraska City, Schuyler and Plainview Facilities Impacted
Effective January 1, 2015, BCBSNE members will pay in-network out-of-pocket amounts at CHI Health hospitals in five Nebraska communities, despite CHI's termination from BCBSNE's statewide provider network.
Members will receive their in-network level of benefits at these five facilities: Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Saint Francis Medical Center in Grand Island, St. Mary's Community Hospital in Nebraska City, CHI Health Schuyler and CHI Health Plainview.
That means members will pay in-network deductible, copay and coinsurance amounts at those facilities, and BCBSNE will pay the same amount for covered medical services at those facilities as it did prior to the September 1 network termination. "We hope this eases the transition for our members, and provides them with options for care within their communities," said BCBSNE senior vice president Lee Handke.
BCBSNE made the move to help Nebraska members who would have to pay higher out-of-network costs if they had used the five CHI facilities -- which are the only full-service hospitals in those towns.
CHI Health was removed from the BCBSNE network in September because its costs are 10% to 30% higher for physician and hospital services in Omaha. CHI Health had included all its facilities across Nebraska under one contract, which locked out members outside of Omaha from getting care at in-network rates. BCBSNE proposed multiple times signing a separate agreement with CHI hospitals outside of Omaha, but CHI refused.
"We were hopeful of reaching an agreement with Denver-based CHI long before now -- especially in our efforts to take members in these five communities out of the middle of an Omaha problem," Handke said. "We made the decision to fix the problem on behalf of our members in those communities."
Because the five facilities are still out of network, BCBSNE will send payment for medical services directly to the member, who will be responsible for paying the provider. CHI Health can still bill members for the difference between what BCBSNE pays and what the provider charges -- although CHI officials have stated publicly they will not bill members for the difference.
Members in the communities impacted by this upcoming change are receiving a letter from us later this week. If you have any questions, please contact a member of your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska account team.
Sincerely,
Pat Bourne
Senior Vice President, Sales and Account Services
School Groups Applaud Low 1.9% Rate Increase for Educators Health Alliance Insurance Premiums
Lincoln, NE, October 28, 2014 – Three statewide education groups said premium rates for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) health care plan used by nearly every Nebraska school district will increase by only 1.9 percent next school year, a rate that is significantly below national cost increases and well below Nebraska’s historic yearly rate growth.
The Nebraska Association of School Boards, Nebraska Council of School Administrators and the Nebraska State Education Association jointly govern the Educators Health Alliance (EHA) plan.
The 1.9 percent increase is for all benefit options and is effective Sept. 1, 2015. The Board of Directors of the Educators Health Alliance approved the renewal rates and benefits last Friday.
When the 2015-16 plan year takes effect on Sept. 1, 2015, it will mark the 13th consecutive year the rate increases have been less than 10 percent. The rate increases in 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 were 0.0 percent, 2.99 percent, 6.4 percent and 2.3 percent respectively. The EHA has kept the increases well below national trends.
“Several factors contributed to the EHA’s ability to achieve a rate increase below medical inflation,” said Neal Clayburn, EHA board chair. “The wise use of medical services and maintenance of healthy practices by our members has resulted in favorable claim experience. Additional factors include the work of BCBSNE, the ongoing dependent eligibility verification, the EHA wellness program and the collaboration of the three associations that govern the plan.”
Beth Kernes Krause, EHA Vice Chair and Auburn Public Schools Board of Education member, said premium rates will increase by 1.9 percent for all rate and benefit categories. “This includes all medical and dental plans as well as active employee and early retiree categories. There will be no changes made to the EHA available plan deductibles, coinsurance, or copays for the 2015-16 plan year.”
“The EHA continues to work diligently to achieve rate stability and increases below health insurance industry averages,” said Jack Moles, EHA Secretary and Superintendent of Johnson County Schools. “In addition to good management of the plan, utilization substantially affects rates. Our members are making smart health care choices and that is reflected in continued favorable experience with regard to utilization.”
The EHA plan’s insurance coverage with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska includes more than 70,000 education employees, early retirees and their dependents in more than 400 school groups. The statewide health care network was formed 45 years ago. A 12-member board representing NSEA, the Nebraska Association of School Boards and the Nebraska Council of School Administrators now governs the health care plan.
Rates and Benefits Released
Please click the links below to access new benefits and rate information.
EHA Executives speak out on controlling health care costs
EHA Executives speak out on controlling health care costs
Please click on the below link to read the Op-Ed article in the Lincoln Journal Star:
New 2014/2015 EHA Summary of Benefits and Coverage
Please click on the appropriate link below per your benefit coverage.
Update: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska negociations with Catholic Health Initiatives
We have established a dedicated website at www.nebraskablue.com/update and hotline (844.286.0855) to answer any questions members may have.
We also have scheduled twice‐daily webinars beginning Wednesday, June 4 through Tuesday, June 10 (content will be identical for each webinar) to give you more information and answer any questions you have.You can register for one of the webinars by going to this link: www.nebraskablue.com/webinar.
Please Click on the below link to review BCBS's informative letter.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Link To Find A non-CHI Provider
New 2014/15 Educator Health Alliance Summary of Coverage Booklets and Health/Dental Enrollment Form
The EHA and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska have posted the following 2014-2015 summary of coverage booklets and enrollment form. Please click on the links below to view.
Please click on the links below
2014 Early Retiree Seminar for Direct Bill
The EHA is please to announce there will be an informative seminar covering retirement health care benefits on May 8th at the Westside Community Center, 3534 South 108th Street, Omaha, NE 68144. Sign in will begin at 4:00 PM with the seminar beginning promptly at 4:30 PM.
ASK BLUE: Health Care Reform
ASK BLUE: Health Care Reform
Your Guide to Health Care Reform
Please click on the link below to get the latest information on the Affordable Care Act from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska. If you have any questions please contact Greg Long, the EHA Field Representative.
EHA Announces Expanded Dual Option Choices
On February 21, 2014, the EHA Board approved the expansion of Dual Options within existing plan offerings. The new options will be made available immediately for new subgroups created for the current school year and will also be available for all subgroups for the 2014/2015 school year, beginning August 1st, 2014.
In addition to the current dual options that include the $500/$750 PPO combined with either the $3,100 HSA eligible high deductible or $1650 PPO option the EHA has expanded additional offerings. The new options include the $950 PPO with either the $1650 PPO or $3,100 HSA eligible high deductible. The $1,250 PPO is also being offered with either the $1,650 PPO or $3,100 HSA eligible high deductible. These new options give great flexibility in health benefit options for Schools throughout the EHA.
Please review the PDF that shows the difference with premium and out-of-pocket maximums. You may also call Greg Long of the EHA at 402-440-1358 with questions about the new options.
