DCH may keep health cost flat for Georgia retirees

The Department of Community Health is expected to revise plans to more than triple the cost of insurance coverage for some of Georgia’s retired teachers and employees, reversing a move last month that led some to accuse the agency of steer i ng business to Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

Chris Riley, the chief of staff to Gov. Nathan Deal, said the DCH board will reverse the earlier decision and keep rates flat for the thousands of Georgians who buy Medicare Advan- tage health insurance from UnitedHealthCare as part of the State Health Bene- fit Plan.

The DCH board is scheduled to hold a phone meet- ing on the issue Friday.

The $3 billion State Health Benefit Plan provides health insurance to more than 650,000 teach- ers, state employees, retir- ees and their dependents. About 114,000 retirees get insurance through UnitedHealthCare, which, along with Blue Cross and Blue Shield, provides such coverage to plan members.

Last mon t h the DCH board voted to increase monthly premiums for United’s standard Medicare Advantage plan from $25.38 to $107.09. United expected the rates to stay flat. The monthly premiums for Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s standard plan went from $44.88 to $0.

Medicare Advantage plans provide coverage through private insurance companies approved by Medicare.

After the decision last month, retirees responded by accusing the agency of trying to steer business to Blue Cross by making United’s premiums unaffordable. United urged state officials to keep rates at $25.38.

Riley said the DCH is expected to do just that.