2009 Annual Increase for Health Net of Arizona Members

July 1, 2009 is the date Health Net of Arizona members can find their annual increase on their premium statements. There is good news for some and not so good news for others. Remember this occurs annually for each carrier so do not feel like you are being singled out.

The good news is that those of you with a Health Savings Account or HSA qualified plan and those of you with the PPO 5000 will not see a rate increase on your statement. Feel good about that, and this confirms my belief that a HSA qualified plan is a great option to consider.

The not so good news is that all other plans including the, PPO 2500, PPO 1000, PPO 500 and HMO plans are all going to have a rate increase. I understand many folks are cutting expenses and wanting the most affordable options available. There may be some options available to you, but you will want to discuss them with your agent or myself before making any changes. Remember agents are here to assist you and make sure you make informed decisions.

Consider the following before asking your agent to shop another carrier for you.

Accumulators:

-As a Health Net of Arizona member any money you have paid towards your current deductible and co-insurance this year (2009) will carry over if you decide to change to a higher deductible plan
-If you switch carriers you will start fresh with the new carrier as no money will transfer over

Medical Underwriting:

-As a Health Net of Arizona member you may request to move to higher deductible health plan without going through medical underwriting and this is a huge benefit for those of you who had claims and on-going illnesses
-If you switch carriers you will have to go through medical underwriting and you may have waivers or rate ups attached to your plan

Health Net of Arizona stands by their members and they believe in, “Decision Power: Your health, your time. Your choice.” More information on this topic can be found be found at; http://www.healthnet.com/ or you even have the option to contact Health Coach by telephone. Whatever works for you Health Net is there to help keep you healthy by providing tools that benefit you and your family.