Blue Cross to return more than $21 million to
current, under-65 individual plan subscribers
in response to COVID-19 pandemic.
What you need to know?
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network will waive 30% of one month of health and dental plan premiums for more than 180,000 active, commercially insured individual health plan subscribers this fall.
Totaling more than $21 million, the refunds will be delivered in the form of premium credits on November invoices, pending approval of plans filed with state regulators this week. The credits are a response to lower than expected health care claims resulting from the disruption in the delivery of health and dental services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Many people in Michigan are struggling with the economic impacts of the pandemic, so we’re very pleased to provide a credit that will reduce November premiums by 30% for our individual plan members,” said Blue Cross President and CEO Daniel J. Loepp. “It’s critical for people to maintain their health insurance coverage, especially during a pandemic, and Blue Cross is doing what we can to help.”
Individual health plans are strongly regulated, and many subscribers receive federal tax subsidies to lower their premiums. Before making today’s announcement, Blue Cross worked carefully with federal and state regulators to ensure that providing premium relief wouldn’t jeopardize subscribers’ eligibility for Advance Premium Tax Credits or increase their tax liability to the IRS.
Blue Cross to proceed with premium credits fully confident that subscribers wouldn’t be negatively affected.