A new rule states that Oregon insurance companies must open enrollment to children under 19 twice a year.
A new rule states that Oregon insurance companies must open enrollment to children under 19 twice a year.
The Department of Consumer & Business Services issued an emergency rule that states that starting next year, insurers must open enrollment to children during February and August each year.
Last week, just as federal health reform prohibited health plans from denying coverage to children because they are sick, several insurers including Regence BlueCross Blue Shield of Oregon, suspended sales to applicants under 19 years of age. National giants including Aetna Inc., Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna Inc. and HealthNet also stopped offering coverage in some states. The moves triggered alarm among competitors worried about shouldering the financial burden of a wave of young people with big medical needs.
Regence, Oregon’s largest health insurer, said it will resume offering coverage for children and teenagers once officials set ground rules for enrollment.
Read more at OregonLive.com.
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