Tuesday, November 01, 2022
Parkersburg, W.Va. (November 1, 2022) — Highmark West Virginia today announced its Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance products for the upcoming year, offering individuals and families new PPO plans, lower select premiums and copays, and innovative new benefits.
On November 1, Highmark will unveil a range of affordable, high-quality coverage options, including access to high-quality doctors and hospitals around the country with additional flexibility to see out-of-network providers.
“We are committed to providing high-quality affordable health care to individuals and families across West Virginia,” says Ellen Galardy, Senior VP of Consumer Markets for Highmark. “Thousands of Highmark members and millions of consumers nationwide have benefitted from expanded ACA subsidies that lower what they pay for their coverage, and those subsidies have been extended through at least 2025. At a time when inflation is rising and household budgets are tight, there’s an affordable Highmark ACA plan for every individual and family in West Virginia.”
Almost 90% of Highmark’s ACA marketplace members in West Virginia qualify for subsidies or tax credits to make their coverage more affordable, with more than 1,500 Highmark West Virginia members enrolled in plans with a premium of less than $5 per month after subsidy.
2023 Individual and Family plans
“In response to consumer demands in the market, we will transition our West Virginia members to my Blue Access PPO plans for 2023,” says Bill Tuthill, Vice President of Federal Markets. “Members will continue to have in-network access to the same high-quality doctors and hospitals around the country as they do now, but they will gain the flexibility to see out-of-network providers if they choose.”
In West Virginia, my Blue Access PPO ACA plans provide broad access to doctors and hospitals across the region and across the country. Through the BlueCard® program, Highmark plans include in-network coverage for services received from more than 95 percent of doctors and hospitals nationwide. This includes access to contracted Blues providers in nearby states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Maryland, and Virginia. Highmark has also expanded the number of ACA plans with bundled adult dental and vision coverage, in addition to medical and pharmacy coverage.
“The plans on the health insurance marketplace have become more affordable than in the past,” says Jim Fawcett, President, Highmark West Virginia. “2023 will bring increased consumer purchasing power for West Virginians. With enhanced federal subsidies, consumers can find high-quality health insurance at a price that’s more affordable than ever.
“Our most popular plans aren’t changing for 2023,” Fawcett says. “But since we realize that our ACA customers aren’t always looking for the same thing in a health plan, we make a broad range of plans available and help our customers to enroll in the one that’s right for them. More West Virginia consumers are choosing Highmark, with our total ACA membership growing by over 25% — to about 15,000 — in just the last year.”
While the open enrollment period runs through January 15, consumers must enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts on January 1. For more information on Highmark’s 2023 ACA health insurance products, visit Highmark.com or call 877-418-0314.
About Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia serves approximately 246,000 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 of West Virginia holds the largest share of the commercial market, and more West Virginians carry a Blue Cross Blue Shield card than any other insurance carrier in the state. With offices in Parkersburg and Wheeling, Highmark West Virginia employs approximately 700 people and serves as a key economic driver in the state with its total economic impact reaching $262 million.
For more information, contact
Cathy McAlister
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia
304-347-7754
cathy.mcalister@highmarkhealth.org