Individuals and small businesses currently covered by UniCare health insurance have a few more days to transition to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois if they choose.
"The original deadline was Dec. 1 for them to enroll," said Mary Ann Schultz, manager of media relations for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. "Members get another week to come over to (BCBS) Illinois."
Those affected by UniCare's decision to pull out of the Illinois market have until Monday to make the transition to BCBSIL.
"They can certainly go and look for other policies," Schultz said. "It would be an easier transition for them to come to us,"
Along with offering comparable rates, in most cases, and a larger provider network, BCBSIL is waiving any pre-existing conditions for those currently insured by UniCare, Schultz said.
"We're taking them right over," Schultz said. "I know that's a big concern for people."
Schultz said BCBSIL is signing contracts with doctors who were in UniCare's network but not in theirs so patients can continue with the same physicians.
"It's seamless for them," she said.
Those wishing to make the transition from UniCare to BCBSIL can visit www.acceptofferil.com, enter the identification number listed on the offer acceptance forms they received from BCBSIL, and follow the steps for accepting the offer; or sign and return the offer acceptance form in the envelope included in the packet BCBSIL sent them.
UniCare members who need more information before they decide can call the offer support line at 888-235-2977, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. They will be asked to provide the identification number from the forms they received in the mail, their last names, dates of birth for everyone on the policy, and ZIP codes.
When UniCare announced in October it is leaving the Illinois commercial health insurance market, BCBSIL said it would offer replacement coverage for UniCare members in Illinois that, in most cases, would have similar benefits and rates.
"It was surprising because UniCare was a major player in Illinois," said Robert Slayton, president of Naperville-based broker Robert Slayton Associates.
Carriers, he said, don't typically pull out of a state.
"Illinois, from a regional point of view, is a pretty good state to do business in," Slayton said.
UniCare's decision to leave the Illinois market will be felt most by micro-businesses, those with five or fewer employees, Slayton said.
Typically UniCare's rates would be 20 to 30 percent less than any other provider.
"UniCare was the least expensive alternative for them," Slayton said. "They're going to get hit with a large renewal."
Large groups will not see much of an impact, Slayton said, because most of them already had a composite rate. "Most of my clients accepted the offer (to transition to BCBSIL) — it worked best for them," Slayton said of his business clients. "One did not."
That company would have seen its employee contribution rate jump from $210 to $420, he said. They decided to stay with UniCare until the policy runs out, he said, and will then pick a new carrier that works best for them. All of Slayton's clients on individual policies moved over to BCBSIL, he said.
Schultz said BCBSIL won't know until next year how many clients transition over from UniCare.
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