Blue Cross champions the new plans as offering an "attractive" option to the state's 125,000 uninsured who can't get federal subsidies. (Photo: Shutterstock)
A new short-term health care plan offering to be sold by Blue Cross Idaho is touted by the company as providing comprehensive benefits to purchasers who can't afford premiums for an Affordable Care Act plan.
But skeptics doubt that, since, according to Modern Healthcare, the new plans still avoid some ACA consumer protections—which could benefit healthy purchasers at the expense of people who rely on the exchanges for policy purchases.
Blue Cross of Idaho claims that these new so-called "Access" policies will cost up to 40 percent less than ACA-compliant coverage because sicker and riskier purchasers will not only be on the hook for higher premiums, but will also be stuck with a 12-month waiting period for coverage for pre-existing conditions. Both of those conditions are banned for ACA plans.
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Marlene Satter
Marlene Y. Satter has worked in and written about the financial industry for decades.
