WARWICK – Insurance companies have submitted their rate requests to the state Office of the Health Commissioner for 2017, and members of the public who want to weigh in can attend a Public Utilities Commission meeting on June 22.
The meeting will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the commission’s office at 89 Jefferson Blvd. Written comments also can be submitted through June 27 to alyssa.metivier@oihc.ri.gov.
For those with health insurance through small employers, requested increases are as follows: Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island seeks a 7.9 percent increase, UnitedHealthcare a 2.3 percent reduction, Tufts Health Plan a 1 percent increase and Neighborhood Health Plan a 2.2 percent decrease.
For individual or family health insurance premiums, Blue Cross seeks a 9 percent increase and Neighborhood proposes a 5 percent reduction.
These rates can’t go into effect until the OHIC acts; Commissioner Kathleen Hittner has the authority to approve, reject or modify them. Rates would be effective Jan. 1.
For information, visit www.ohic.ri.gov/ohic-formandratereview.php.