Our proposed rates for Kaiser Permanente Washington Individual and Family (KPIF) and Small Group plans have been filed with the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC). We have also made some changes to our service area. While changes may still occur due to final approval by the OIC later this year, here is a high-level overview of what you can expect in 2020.
Individual and family plans
We are pleased to announce that we’ve filed an overall rate adjustment of 0% for our 2020 KPIF plans. Actual rates vary by plan and the 0% rate adjustment doesn’t take into consideration annual age band changes. While a few plans are receiving proposed deductible and/or out-of-pocket maximum adjustments, no benefit changes are being proposed for 2020.
Delta Dental of Washington has filed a proposed 2.77% rate increase for its Individual and Family Dental Pediatric and Basic plans.
Commissions will remain the same as those introduced for 2019.
Small group plans
Our proposed rates for 2020 include increases of 4.5% for HMO plans and 8.7% for PPO plans. The increases include the Health Insurance Provider (HIP) fee, which was waived in 2019 but reintroduced for 2020.
Later this fall, we’ll announce a few modifications and enhancements to plan designs, and a new plan in select counties. In addition, we’ve filed rates with an increase in PPO commissions that will match our HMO commission levels.
Delta Dental of Washington has filed a proposed 8.77% rate increase for Small Group Pediatric and Adult Family plans (Basic and Standard). Rates include bringing back the 1.25% ACA Industry Tax. Dental rates will still be very competitive in the marketplace.
Changes coming in San Juan County
Starting in 2020, Kaiser Permanente Washington will no longer offer any health plans in San Juan County for small and large employer groups and individual and family plans. Groups domiciled in San Juan County with an effective date of February 2019 through December 2019 will be allowed to maintain their coverage until their 2020 renewal date. Members with individual and family coverage in 2019 will need to find other coverage effective January 1.
This was a difficult business decision and we remain fully committed to providing coordinated and connected health care services at an affordable price to each person we serve. We continue to focus on communities where we provide our own top-rated providers, or where we have close relationship with care delivery partners sharing our approach to care. Our Sales and Account Managers will partner with you in order to make this a smooth transition for our mutual clients. We’ll provide more details at the Producer Forums.
This announcement is with respect to Kaiser Permanente Washington’s individual & family and small and large group commercial markets only. Kaiser Permanente will continue to offer Medicare Advantage in San Juan County through 2019. In accordance with the annual timeline set forth by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the 2020 service area for Medicare will be finalized in the fall of 2019. Changes, if any, to the current Medicare service area will be announced at that time.
Save the date for Producer Forum
To get a preview of our 2020 product portfolio for all lines of business, be sure to save the date for an upcoming Producer Forum venue this fall:
| Marysville Tacoma Richland Seattle Spokane |
Monday, September 9 Tuesday, September 10 Thursday, September 12 Monday, September 16 Tuesday, September 17 |