For Immediate Release: June 7, 2017
Voicing concerns about the credibility of the prior approval process, including a lack of transparency, the New York Health Plan Association today called on the Department of Financial Services to post 2018 rate applications to ensure consumers have information about health insurance pricing.
“Plans have fulfilled their statutory obligation,” said Paul Macielak, HPA president and CEO. “The state, however, has not done its job. Plans are taking the flack and consumers are being left in the dark.”
Plans filed applications two weeks ago and last week sent DFS approved notices to members about the 2018 rate requests, as required by law. People are now receiving those letters, getting word of potential double digit increases, and being directed to the DFS web site to review the applications and make comments. Yet, despite DFS announcing its intention to post applications on June 1, those applications are still not on the department’s web site.
“There’s no big secrecy here. The requests are just that – requests,” noted Macielak. “Under New York’s prior approval law, consumers have 30 days to make comments on these requests. Like DFS, plans are concerned about consumers’ rights. The continued delay in posting of rate applications is impeding those rights.”