New “Essential Plan” makes coverage even more affordable for thousands of New Yorkers
Albany, NY (October 16, 2015) -- NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace, today announced the insurers offering health and dental plans to individuals and small business owners in 2016. NY State of Health (NYSOH) also announced the insurers that will be offering the new Essential Plan to eligible, lower income New Yorkers. The Essential Plan has no annual deductible and offers the same essential benefits as other plans, including free preventive care. Consumers pay just $20 a month per adult or nothing at all depending on their income. Additional information on the Essential Plan can be found here: http://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/sites/default/files/Essential%20Plan%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf.
“More than 2.5 million New Yorkers have already enrolled in affordable coverage through the NY State of Health Marketplace since its start two years ago,” said NY State of Health Executive Director Donna Frescatore. “We’re urging individuals who have not already enrolled in coverage to visit the Marketplace to see what it has to offer in 2016”.
The New York State Department of Financial Services had previously announced the approved health insurance plan rates for insurers seeking to offer coverage in New York’s marketplace on July 31, 2015.
The insurers that will offer Qualified Health Plans on the Individual Marketplace in 2016 are:
- Affinity Health Plan
- Capital District Physicians Health Plan
- Crystal Run Health Plan
- Empire BlueCross and Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Excellus (Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield in Central NY and Univera in Western NY)
- Fidelis Care
- Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York (EmblemHealth)
- Healthfirst New York
- HealthNow New York, Inc. (BlueShield of Northeastern NY; BlueCross BlueShield of Western NY)
- Independent Health
- MetroPlus Health Plan
- MVP Health Plan, Inc.
- North Shore LIJ (CareConnect)
- Oscar Insurance Corporation
- United Healthcare of New York, Inc.
- Wellcare
The insurers that will offer the new Essential Plan in 2016 are:
- Affinity Health Plan
- Amerigroup (Empire BlueCross BlueShield HealthPlus)
- Crystal Run Health Plan
- Excellus (Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield in Central NY and Univera in Western NY)
- Fidelis Care
- Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York (EmblemHealth)
- Healthfirst
- Independent Health
- MetroPlus Health Plan
- MVP Health Care
- United Healthcare
- WellCare of New York
- YourCare Health Plan
NY State of Health’s Small Business Marketplace offers flexible options for small businesses with 100 or fewer employees. Employers can select the amount they want to contribute toward the cost of their employee’s coverage and offer their employees a choice of health plan options without the administrative hassle.
The insurers that will be offered on the Small Business Marketplace, or SHOP, in 2016 are:
- Capital District Physicians Health Plan, Inc.
- Excellus (Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield in Central NY and Univera in Western NY
- Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York (EmblemHealth)
- HealthNow (BlueShield of Northeastern NY; BlueCross BlueShield of Western NY)
- Independent Health
- MetroPlus Health Plan
- MVP Health Plan, Inc.
- North Shore LIJ (CareConnect)
The Marketplace will also offer the following stand-alone dental plans:
- Delta Dental Insurance Company
- Dentcare
- Dentegra Insurance Company
- Emblem
- Empire BlueCross and Empire Blue Cross BlueShield
- Guardian (expanded to the Individual Marketplace in 2015)
- HealthNow New York, Inc. (BlueShield of Northeastern NY; BlueCross BlueShield of Western NY)
- Healthplex
- MetLife (offered on the Small Business Marketplace only)
- Solstice
Health Republic, a CO-OP that was offered on the Marketplace in 2014 and 2015 will not be offered in 2016. Persons enrolled in Health Republic will receive a renewal notice providing information about how to select another plan for 2016. NY State of Health and Department of Financial Services staff will be available to assist Health Republic consumers with this transition to new coverage.
All health plans offered on the Marketplace will cover doctor’s visits; hospital stays; emergency care; maternity and newborn care; mental health and substance abuse disorder services; prescription drugs; rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive and wellness services; chronic disease management and pediatric dental and vision. Some plans will offer additional benefits such as adult dental and vision.
Individuals who are currently enrolled in the Marketplace will receive information about renewing their coverage for 2016 directly from the Marketplace. Consumers who are new to the Marketplace will be able to enroll in coverage for 2016 when the open enrollment period begins on November 1, 2015.
For additional information, visit the NY State of Health website at https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov. Maps of the 2016 Health and Dental Plans are available at: http://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/PlansMap and http://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/EssentialPlanMap
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Contact: New York State Department of Health
518 474 7354, ext. 1