In contrast to last year, the Division of Insurance has accepted all the base rate increases submitted for approval by health insurers in the state.
The increases for plans serving small businesses and individuals range from 2.8 to 9.9 percent, according to the Division of Insurance. In April 2010, some carriers sought increases as high as 34 percent. Gov. Deval Patrick instructed the Division of Insurance to reject the particularly high rate increases. That tipped off negotiations between some of the health plans and the state, as well as some lawsuits.
Worcester-based Fallon Community Health Plan’s request for an 8.4-percent increase to its small-group health insurance base rate was approved and will go into effect as of April 1. Last year, FCHP had requested a 25.2-percent increase.
Below is a list of the approved small-group health insurance base rates for other Massachusetts HMOs:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO Blue: 9.2 percent
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts: 1.4 percent
- Harvard-Pilgrim: 9.9 percent
- Tufts Health Plan: 9.0 percent
- Celticare: 7.7 percent
- Health New England: 2.8 percent
- Neighborhood Health Plan: 8.0 percent
- United Health Care of New England: 9.9 percent
