1 Onesies, Twosies and More Considerations in Rhode Island for merging existing Small Group and Direct Pay markets Presentation Christopher F. Koller Health Insurance Commissioner, State of RI January, 2007 SmGdirectpay_SCI

2 Agenda I.Background: Market Overview II.Small Group Market Conduct Study Overview III.Small Group & Direct Pay Intersection: Groups of One IV.Small Group & Direct Pay Intersection: Options to Consider V.Where we are: Next Steps

3 I. Background: Rhode Island by the numbers

4 I. Background: Small Group Market Overview  Statutory Group size: 1-50 employees  Insurance Market: Two Players (UHP & BCBSRI) BCBSRI accounts for ~80 percent of small group covered lives  Distribution: Broker, intermediary dominated Roughly two-thirds of small group accounts are sold through brokers/intermediaries  Regulatory Controls -- you betcha

5 I. Background: Small Group Market Overview Small Employer Health Insurance Availability Act RIGL 27-50… Policy Goal of SmG Reform 2000: Treat SmG as one large pool. Allow rates to be adjusted by only four key factors, within a specified range Allowable rate factors Maximum rate band Guaranteed Issue Association rating Preex allowed? Pre-2000 Class of business (e.g., assoc) “Case characteristics” (e.g., demog, size) Industry Claims exp., health status, duration Etc… Rate review? None No Yes Post-2000 Adjusted Community Rating. Demographics – specifically age, sex, family size Health status (+/- 10%) Rate review: Annual actuary letter plus periodic examination 4:1 Yes No Only if no prior coverage Limited to those with claims up to 6 mos prior Exclusion limited to 6 mos

6 I. Background: Direct Pay Market Overview  Guaranteed Issue – open enrollment period  Single Carrier Only BCBSRI, as carrier of last resort, is required by law to participate in Direct Pay. Other carriers may choose to participate (but have not done so to date)  Medical Underwriting: Two pools, heavily cross-subsidized Those that pass medical underwriting are given age/sex adjusted rates. Those that do not pass medical underwriting are given one unadjusted rate.  Regulated Line of Business State rate approval authority, public rate hearing process Relatively Well-Functioning Direct Pay Market 15,000 enrollees (or 0.15% of population; vs 65,000 or 0.10% in Mass) Relatively affordable rates for young, healthy individuals: A 21 year old male who passes medical underwriting can buy comprehensive coverage (HM400) for $185 per month Reasonably subsidized rates for comprehensive coverage for older, sicker individuals: Individuals who do not pass medical underwriting can buy comprehensive coverage (HM400) for $618 per month

7 I. Background: Market Trends  Low and declining employer offer rate decrease in employer offer rate from 91% to 84% over last 6 years for employers with employees – vs. steady 98% for large employers  High premiums Average commercial small group premium rate of $420 vs. large group average of $374 – a twelve percent gap  Declining membership Total RI small group membership has declined from 136,000 in 2003 to 117,000 in 2005 – a fourteen percent decrease over two years Market trends are troubling, both in small group and direct pay markets  Declining Membership Down about 5 percent since last year, long term trend is down  High and rising premiums Proposed increases for 2007 are 9% (pool 1) and 5% (pool 2)  Low take up in higher deductible products – Eligibles choosing to go bare. Direct Pay Small Group

8 1. Background: Small Group Innovation The Wellness Health Benefit Plan Why it Works Small businesses finally get large business deals and purchasing savvy. State role creates savings for small businesses: Benefit design based on Principles of Affordability – take costs out of system. Cut administration – facilitate RFP process. Stronger role for rate oversight. Insurers are required to offer the Wellness Health Benefit Plan, a publicly defined affordable health insurance product for small group and direct pay participants State bargains with insurers to design a product ~ 20% cheaper than standard small business offerings State sets a price – 10% of average wages in RI ($314/month) and works with Advisory Committee to develop requirements Product offered as a Commercial choice alongside existing options Description

9 II. Market Conduct Study Overview Study Objectives: Describe the overall state of the small group health insurance market in RI Assess the effectiveness of 2000 reforms Make recommendations for policy changes to assist in achieving the purposes of the Act Assess insurer compliance with SmG Law, RIGL (not discussed here) First study performed in June, 2002 based on 2000 data. Preliminary findings: Effectiveness of 2000 Reforms: Too early to tell 2000 Reforms DID NOT contribute to the large rate increases experienced by some groups State mandated low cost plan designs were NOT available due to non-compliance by the plans Latest study was performed by Hinckley Allen & Tringale LP (HAT), and DeWeese Consulting, Inc (DCI), under contract with the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) Provides information about small employer health insurance in RI from 2003 to 2005 This question was considered as part of a broader Market Conduct Study performed this year in Rhode Island

10 II. Summary of Key Recommendations 1.Rate Regulation (“Adjusted Community Rating”) oMaintain status quo. Require more transparent rating, underwriting practices, with vigilant oversight oStandardize medical history collection tool oFuture considerations: rate review authority, reinsurance/risk adjustors 2.Managing groups by size oDo not further segment the small group market by group size oMaintain existing treatment of groups of one. Perform detailed assessment of SmG/direct pay merger impact oTake steps to better align direct pay with small group rate structure oFurther investigate differences in claims experience for very small groups between UHC and BCBSRI 3.Product Portfolio oPermit carriers to discontinue unpopular products and streamline their product portfolios oEnable carriers to provide information about selected products to prospects at renewal oEncourage joint OHIC/insurer educational effort re: trade-offs involved in choosing a product with more cost- sharing than they are currently purchasing 4.Distribution system oRequire producers to disclose to their clients the monthly and projected annual commission he/she will receive as a result of placing the client’s business oRequire that all carriers file their small employer commission schedules with OHIC. BCBSRI is required to do this as a result of its enabling legislation, but other carriers are not oRequire that each carrier itemize the external distribution costs in its proposals and renewals to all employers oProhibit volume and/or persistency-based bonuses in the small employer market oLonger term, work with the producer community to consider the following options: Make the external marketing costs a rating variable that is not subject to compression; Have producers bill clients directly for their services

11 III. Small Group & Direct Pay Intersection: Groups of One Key Challenge: Adverse Selection in a Voluntary Market In a voluntary market, only those who anticipate needing coverage will pay for it Exacerbated in Groups of 1. Buyers can shop between direct pay and small group – but pricing is disconnected. Healthy ones go bare. Employees enrolled as groups of one in SmG Direct Pay enrollees Total Total Subscribers 6,000 9,500 15,500 Note: Groups of one account for over 30% of groups & ~10% of SmG subscribers Total Members 13,500 14,500 28,000 Where these two markets intersect: Sole Proprietors – may choose to buy direct pay or as a group of one

12 III. Small Group & Direct Pay Intersection: Groups of One Key Question: How best to improve options, affordability, take up for this “bleeding edge” population, given two very different starting points Groups of One in SmG Individuals in Direct Pay Adjusted community rated Two Carriers Wide range of products offered Modest regulatory oversight Distribution: Heavily broker, intermediary Medical Underwriting: Two pools, heavily cross subsidized Single Carrier Limited set of products offered Regulated line of business Distribution: Direct purchase from BCBSRI

13 IV. Small Group & Direct Pay Intersection: Options to Consider 1)Move toward a Direct Pay model for small group 2)Segment into Multiple, Smaller Rating Pools by Size 3)Eliminate Sole Proprietors from Small Group (require all to buy Direct Pay) 4)Merge Direct Pay and Small Group Markets

14 IV. Small Group & Direct Pay Intersection: Options to Consider (1) Community rating Aggressive price regulation (à la Direct Pay) Guaranteed issue Key Risks: Participation: Healthy people may exit the pool Lack of insurer participation, benefit innovation Loose underwriting rules No guaranteed issue High risk pool Key Risks: Access: High risk consumers may be excluded or priced out Insurer success is a function of risk identification – not changing underlying medical trend Recommendation: Do not pursue Small Group reform efforts must strike a delicate balance between protecting high risk consumers and maintaining participation of low risk individuals More Insurer Competition Less Insurer Competition Rhode Island: Current SmG Status Option 1: Move toward a direct pay model for small group

15 IV. Small Group & Direct Pay Intersection: Options to Consider (2) Small Employer Loss Ratio by Group Size Source: Market Conduct Study data and analysis, United total also includes another category of accounts, “other”, which includes groups with premium and claims during the experience period but not active on Dec 31, BCBSRI data is based on July 2004 through June 2005 Incurred claims paid through August United data based on 2005 renewal summary. Employer Group Size Segment BCBSRI: 7% of groups and 39% of subscribers were in groups of 11 or more United: 14% of groups and 52% of subscribers were in groups of 11 or more Are cross subsidies by group size appropriate? Is United’s experience of policy concern? Option 2: Segment into multiple smaller rating pools by size

16 IV. Small Group & Direct Pay Intersection: Options to Consider (2) Estimated Impact: 3% increase for smaller groups and a 2% decrease for larger groups Factors to Consider: +Would better align premium to cost, as group rate would more directly reflect its experience +Could help to attract younger, healthier groups -Counter to expressed purposes of SmG law – to prevent segmentation of health insurance based on risk; and to spread health insurance risk more broadly -Hurts very small groups -- those most at risk of dropping coverage Recommendation: Do Not Pursue Option 2: Should we segment into multiple smaller rating pools by size?

17 IV. Small Group & Direct Pay Intersection: Options to Consider (2) +Would reduce SmG rates by an estimated ~ 2.2% Could help to attract younger, healthier groups -Reduced choice (of carriers and products) for sole proprietors Significant cost increase for most groups of one Dislocation related to change in rate structure Risk increase in the uninsured -Politically unpopular Option 3: Eliminate Sole Proprietors: Require all to buy direct pay Recommendation: Do Not Pursue

18 IV. Small Group & Direct Pay Intersection: Options to Consider (2) Recommendation: Maintain status quo, but study merger Currently reasonable balance between direct pay and small group coverage Perform detailed assessment of SmG/direct pay merger impact Take steps to better align direct pay with SmG rate structure Option 4: Merge Direct Pay and Small Group Markets +Estimate modest impact: 1.5% to 2.5% increase in SmG rates +Could provide more choice for direct pay purchasers – choice of carriers and products +Consistent with stated objectives Small Group Law: Spread health insurance risk more broadly -Likely impact is complicated by the following: -- Single vs. multiple carriers -- Differences in rate structure between two pools -- Commissions paid in SmG market, not direct pay -- Differences in benefit plans offered

19 Probable Impact of Merger ProductsRatesPolicy Issues Direct Pay High Risk (7500) More choices, broker driven DownWinners and losers among enrollees. Determining and mitigating impact. Adverse selection: high risk groups in Direct Pay likely to stay with BCBSRI. Reinsurance pool? Distribution Channel – brokers vs direct. How paid. Greater regulation = less competition. Do we care? Link to Rite Care and strategy for uninsured – designing the “Exchange” Direct Pay Low Risk (7500) More choices broker driven Some up / some down Small Group (116,000) No changeUp ( %)

20 V. Next Steps  Develop legislative proposal: Study commission to evaluate possible direct pay/small group merger  Part of Broader Initiative targeting Affordable Health Insurance for All Rhode Islanders