Bill Gracey is the CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, which is headquartered in Chattanooga. Credit: TN Photo Services
Tennessee’s largest insurance company has notified some 66,000 policyholders that their health plans don’t meet minimum standards under the Affordable Care Act. They’re being redirected to plans on the federal health insurance marketplace.
These are not cancellation notices, says Blue Cross spokesman Gary Tanner. He prefers the term “transition” notices.
Blue Cross runs almost all the plans offered in the online marketplace in Tennessee. Tanner says some of those with individual policies may find a better deal with the exchange anyway.
“People who have pre-existing conditions, riders – those sorts of things – will wind up paying less. Others may wind up paying more.”
Those who had high-deductible plans no longer allowed will almost certainly see a hike in their monthly premiums.
Other big insurers in Tennessee, such as Cigna and United Healthcare, have been less forthcoming with how many notices are going out to policyholders who need to pick a new plan.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM