Highmark announces 2021 Affordable Care Act products in western Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH (November 1, 2020) — Highmark today announced its Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance products in Western 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 Western 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 of $450 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. Highmark is the only insurer offering integrated adult dental and vision coverage in the region.

“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.”

Highmark’s most affordable ACA plan in the Pittsburgh and Erie markets is Together Blue, which offers consumers access to high-quality, convenient primary and specialty care through Allegheny Health Network (AHN).

“We introduced our Together Blue ACA product last year, and it proved to be popular with consumers of all ages and backgrounds,” Miller says. “With Highmark and AHN together, we can connect your coverage and care to create a remarkable health experience--one that offers lower costs, higher quality and convenience. The value offered by Together Blue continues to increase as AHN introduces new and expanded access points across Western Pennsylvania, bringing care closer to where people work and live.”

Highmark also offers a range of ACA plans that provide consumers with a network built around AHN and select community hospitals (called my Direct Blue) and broad-network access plans (called my Blue Access, offered off-exchange only). In 2021, Highmark’s my Direct Blue and my Blue Access ACA products will offer in-network access to 95 percent of doctors and hospitals around the country through the national BlueCard® program.

Through new plans, new networks, and lower prices, Highmark has increased its ACA membership in Western Pennsylvania to about 13,000, compared to 6,200 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.