Major Announcement for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

IU65 Plan Announcement

Note: The 2017 changes to BCBSAZ’s Affordable Care Act individual plans do not affect group, federal or Medicare coverage, or grandfathered and grandmothered individual plans.

After months of reviewing options for our 2017 individual and family product line, we have reached a decision. We will continue selling individual under 65 health plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace. However, we are limiting where plans will be available.

Our focus is on the underserved and rural parts of our state. As a local company with deep community roots, we could not overlook that some areas would have no options or very limited access. That is why we will offer up to five different individual and family plans—pending approval—in 13 of Arizona’s 15 counties. ACA individual plans will no longer be available in Maricopa and Pinal counties. Keep in mind these changes do not affect grandfathered and transitional (grandmothered) plans. We will support those plans no matter where the member resides.

We believe we have found a mix of plan types and benefits changes that will make these ACA plans sustainable for at least another year. Once we receive approval from CMS, we will send you information about the plans and rates.

We know this is not ideal, but in order to make plans available at a lower cost, we could not continue with statewide coverage. The decision to only serve the rural areas means approximately 44,000 members in Maricopa and Pinal will need to find another source of health insurance. For some that may mean choosing a different carrier. For others, they may consider a BCBSAZ short-term medical plan.

Your clients and our members can expect to receive information about their coverage and how to re-enroll or how to select a different plan starting in September.

We will share plan details and pricing once we receive regulatory approval. In the meantime, you can expect to receive support materials and FAQs in the coming days. If you have immediate questions please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Mike Tilton, Vice President of Sales
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona