Over the last few weeks the Group Insurance Trust has received a number of phone calls in response to headlines about significant premium increases recently proposed by Anthem Blue Cross. In fact, it turns out that Blue Cross is just one of many major insurers in California and throughout the nation who are contemplating big rate hikes. The good news, which Trust staff has repeated to these callers, is that ProtectPlus subscribers are not subject to the threatened rate increases that are so much in the news.

Since being licensed by the State of California as a Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA) in 1997, the Trust has acted as the insurer for the entire ProtectPlus medical, dental and vision plans, designing benefits to meet the needs of CalCPA members and setting its own rates.

The Trust’s executive director, Susan Young, notes, “The confusion may have arisen because the Trust contracts with Anthem Blue Cross for use of its Prudent Buyer Network and to adjudicate claims. The Trust has an administrative-services-only agreement for which it pays Anthem a negotiated fee per member, per month, for the services it provides.”  Young adds, “Although ProtectPlus members get the advantage of Anthem’s deep provider discounts, members should understand that it is the Trust that is responsible for setting ProtectPlus premium rates and benefits, which are based on our group’s claims experience. This is why the recent threatened increases by Anthem and others do not directly affect ProtectPlus members.”

For CalCPA members who are not yet taking advantage of the remarkable benefits found in the Trust program, this is an excellent time to see how their present plan stacks up against the ProtectPlus plans. Solo practitioners and members with small group plans who are facing big increases may well find that ProtectPlus offers them superior coverage at significantly lower rates.

While for many years premium rates for the ProtectPlus copay and HSA-eligible plans have been consistently competitive, now members can also appreciate the remarkable stability of these plans. Over the last six years, participating firms with two or more members have experienced an average annual premium increase of 7.42 percent, well below industry averages every year. The following chart tells the story.

Year Rate Action
2005        8.7 %
2006        6.3 %
2007        6.2 %
2008        6.9 %
2009        6.9 %
2010        9.5 %

For a quick look at the range of plans available to your firm, take a look at the CPA ProtectPlus web site (http://www.cpaprotectplus.com). For help in identifying plans that best suit your firm’s needs, try the new “Plan Selector” located on the home page (http://cpaprotectplus.com/main/plan_selector.php). Through a few simple questions, this tool can streamline your choices. You can also contact Tom Kowalski, sales manager for the Group Insurance Trust, who can answer your questions and walk you though the application process. You can call him at (650) 802-2406 or email tom.kowalski@calcpa.org.  Alternatively, you can use the “Ask Our Sales Manager” feature (http://cpaprotectplus.com/landing_pages/HomePage/index.html) from the Web site home page. Tom or another staff member will reply to your question personally.

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