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Monday, November 02, 2020

Highmark announces 2021 Affordable Care Act products in northeastern Pennsylvania

Camp Hill, Pa. (November 1, 2020) — Highmark today announced its Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance products in Northeastern Pennsylvania for the upcoming year, offering individuals and families a wide range of high-quality, affordable coverage options tailored to meet their individual needs.

The open enrollment period for selecting a 2021 ACA plan in Pennsylvania runs from Sunday, November 1, 2020 to Friday, January 15, 2021. Consumers are also eligible to shop for an ACA plan outside of the annual open enrollment period if they have experienced certain life-changing events, including losing health insurance, having a child or moving.

Highmark offers ACA plans in Northeastern Pennsylvania with some of the lowest deductibles in the state, including options with $0 deductibles. Many consumers — including about 75 percent of Highmark’s current ACA members — are eligible to receive subsidies or tax credits to help make coverage even more affordable. Members who qualify receive an average credit of $750 per month.

To give consumers flexibility and convenient access to care, all of Highmark’s individual and family products provide video visits via Amwell for $0. In response to positive consumer feedback, Highmark has also expanded its number of ACA plans that offer integrated adult dental and vision coverage.

“Many of our new ACA customers are encouraged by the number of high-quality options Highmark offers for individuals and families,” says Alexis Miller, president of federal markets for Highmark. “Many are used to employer coverage where they might only have one or two choices. We have an expert team available to help new shoppers sort through their options and pick the right plan for them.”

In Northeastern Pennsylvania, consumers can choose Highmark ACA plans that provide broad in-network access across the region. Through the BlueCard® program, Highmark plans also include in-network coverage for services received from more than 95 percent of doctors and hospitals around the country, including in New York and New Jersey. 

“To help consumers manage their conditions and have more certainty about their out-of-pocket expenses, Highmark offers some of the lowest-cost specialist visits in the region which are now the same cost as primary care visits,” Miller says. “We also give members the freedom to choose what doctor or specialist they want to see in-network, with no referrals needed to see a specialist. Our goal is to offer consumers convenience, access and choice.”

Through new plans, new networks, and lower prices, Highmark has increased its ACA membership in Northeastern Pennsylvania to about 17,000, compared to about 10,800 in 2019.

Consumers must enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts on January 1. For more information on Highmark’s 2021 ACA health insurance products, visit www.discoverhighmark.com or call 877-959-2562.

About Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Highmark Inc., doing business as Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, serves approximately 2.6 million members through the company’s health care benefits business and hundreds of thousands of additional members through the BlueCard® program. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is the market leader in commercial market share, and through its affiliated Blue companies has strong Medicare Advantage market share as well. All of Highmark's Medicare Advantage plans in Pennsylvania received a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services quality rating of 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. In western Pennsylvania, its unaided brand awareness, brand preference and overall brand rating are significantly higher than its closest competitor. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield employs approximately 4,000 people in western, north central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information, visit www.highmark.com.

For more information, contact:

Anthony Matrisciano
Highmark Health
570-574-0050 (mobile)
anthony.matrisciano@highmarkhealth.org