Online Insurance Marketplace to be Named "DC Health Link"

   The insurers - Aetna, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Kaiser Permanente, and United HealthCare - have proposed rates for individuals, families, and small businesses. These rates are largely in line with current premiums for policies in the market today, according to the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking.

   Here are some of the proposed rates for each of the four tiers of coverage, starting with bronze, the level with lowest premiums and highest out of pocket costs, through silver, gold and platinum:

• A 27-year-old can buy a bronze plan for as little as $124 and a platinum plan for as little as $249 a month
• For a 40-year-old, the lowest bronze premium would be $166 and platinum $333 a month;
• For a 55-year-old, the lowest rates would be $296 to $591 a month;  
• Small businesses in the District could buy a bronze plan for a 27-year-old employee for as little as $144 a month and a platinum plan for a 55-year-old for as little as $572 a month.

The DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) will review rates to ensure they are justified. Once the department approves final rates, consumers and employers will know the exact range of prices available in October. For more rates and information, visit this link.
  The DC HBX Executive Board has voted to adopt "DC Health Link" as the name of the new online marketplace that will offer individuals, families, and small businesses the ability to shop for health insurance and choose the coverage that best meets their needs and budgets. DC Health Link will open for enrollment on October 1 and offer health insurance policies that cover a set of essential health benefits ranging from doctor visits to prescription drugs and preventive screenings and tests. People who enroll will have benefits effective January 1, 2014. The web tool will determine if residents are eligible for help in paying their premiums or for coverage through the District's Medicaid program. DC Health Link will also have trained experts available online, on the phone, and in person to answer questions and assist with enrollment. 

Challenges Facing Health System and Physicians  

   There is a new blog post titled, "Countdown Continues, Health System Not Ready for 30 Million New Patients," written by Physicians Foundation President Lou Goodman and Foundation CEO Tim Norbeck. The piece examines the major issues physicians and patients are facing that have yet to be addressed, including uncertainty over health insurance exchanges, increasing medical consolidation, acceptance of new Medicare and Medicaid patients and more.       

    "Medical Liability Reform - Now!" provides medical liability reform (MLR) advocates with the information they need to advocate for and defend MLR legislation. It includes background on the problems with the current system, proven solutions to improve the liability climate and a discussion of innovative reforms that could complement traditional MLR provisions. The document is intended to shed light on this particularly complicated issue and provide direction for those looking to fix it. This is a crucial period for MLR as federal policymakers and their state colleagues implement health system reform.

Chair of the Board; At-Large

Daniel I. Perlin, MD
President

Laura L. Tosi, MD

President-Elect, AMA Alternate Delegate 

James C. Cobey, MD

Immediate Past President   

Joseph E. Gutierrez, MD

Treasurer; AMA Delegation Chair

Reginald L. Robinson, MD

Secretary; At-Large

Peter E. Lavine, MD

AMA Delegate

J. Desiree Pineda, MD

AMA Alternate Delegate

Julian R. Craig, MD

At-Large  

John W. Larsen, MD

At-Large 

Barry Lewis, MD, MBA

At-Large

Joan B. Loveland, MD

At-Large 

Carla C. Sandy, MD

At-Large

Stuart F. Seides, MD

At-Large

K. Edward Shanbacker

 Sheraton Silver Spring Hotel, Silver Spring, MD 

• Earn up to 8% more revenue from Pay-For-Performance incentives, without slowing productivity
• Achieve Stages 1 & 2 of Meaningful Use, while avoiding upcoming financial penalties