Public comments to be heard on health insurance rate requests

R.I. HEALTH INSURANCE COMMISSIONER, Dr. Kathleen C. Hittner, has the authority to approve, reject or modify the health insurance rates being proposed by insurance companies. / PBN FILE PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS
R.I. HEALTH INSURANCE COMMISSIONER, Dr. Kathleen C. Hittner, has the authority to approve, reject or modify the health insurance rates being proposed by insurance companies. / PBN FILE PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

WARWICK – Insurance companies have submitted their rate requests to the state Office of the Health Commissioner for 2017, and members of the public who want to weigh in can attend a Public Utilities Commission meeting on June 22.

The meeting will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the commission’s office at 89 Jefferson Blvd. Written comments also can be submitted through June 27 to alyssa.metivier@oihc.ri.gov.

For those with health insurance through small employers, requested increases are as follows: Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island seeks a 7.9 percent increase, UnitedHealthcare a 2.3 percent reduction, Tufts Health Plan a 1 percent increase and Neighborhood Health Plan a 2.2 percent decrease.

For individual or family health insurance premiums, Blue Cross seeks a 9 percent increase and Neighborhood proposes a 5 percent reduction.

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These rates can’t go into effect until the OHIC acts; Commissioner Kathleen Hittner has the authority to approve, reject or modify them. Rates would be effective Jan. 1.
For information, visit www.ohic.ri.gov/ohic-formandratereview.php.

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