Health Connector considers a simplified system
Massachusetts Health Connector officials are considering limits next year on the number of plans that insurance carriers offer through the state's insurance exchange website.
Connector officials said the goal is to "streamline" the shopping experience for consumers looking for a plan, as well as to reduce operating burdens on the Connector and the carriers.
At a Thursday meeting of the board of the Connector Authority, which oversees the state health insurance exchange, staffers proposed a 14-plan cap per carrier for 2016.
"There is certainly too much choice," said Louis Malzone, Connector board member and executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition of Taft-Hartley Funds. "I don't need 32 flavors."
Eleven carriers -- including Tufts Health Plan, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Celticare and Fallon Health Plan -- are currently offering 126 qualified health plans, including "catastrophic" health plans. There is no cap and they can provide an "infinite" number of plans, according to Sarah Bushold, senior manager for plan management and external affairs at the Connector Authority.
"When we look at what carriers currently offer on our shelf, there are some carriers that offer more plans than they will be allowed to offer next year and that will immediately remove 30 plans," Bushold said.
Bushold said Connector staffers are aiming to get the number to under 100 plans offered.
One carrier, Fallon Health Plan, offers more than 30 plans through the Connector website due to their number of networks, she added.
Asked if Connector officials had spoken with the carriers, Bushold said, "We've talked to them. Generally speaking, they need time to think about this."
Connector staffers are also proposing the elimination of two previously required standardized plan designs.
The Connector board will likely take a preliminary vote on the staff proposals in July, with a final vote scheduled for September.
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