Kansans in Johnson and Wyandotte counties who are making choices by Dec. 15 on individual health insurance for 2018 now have more options within existing networks, according to Ken Selzer, Kansas commissioner of insurance.
Recently negotiated contracts by insurers Sunflower State Health Plan (Ambetter) and Medica are now providing coverage for individuals through additional health system providers.
Sunflower State Health Plan, a subsidiary of Missouri-based Centene, has added Shawnee Mission Health, the University of Kansas Health System and Olathe Health to its provider network.
Medica, in its second-year of offering coverage in Kansas, has added Children’s Mercy to its network for its Select by Medica plan in Johnson and Wyandotte counties. Select by Medica also includes providers from the St. Luke’s health system. Medica Connect is offered in the other 103 counties in Kansas, and includes Children’s Mercy.
People who have already signed up for a federal marketplace plan may switch during the open enrollment period; however, enrollment ends Friday, Dec. 15.
“Kansans wishing to buy insurance on the federal marketplace should shop across all ‘metal’ levels (bronze, silver, gold plans) if they are eligible for premium subsidies,” Commissioner Selzer said. “Several factors have impacted how subsidies are determined, and those purchasing coverage should be aware of how their final premiums could be affected.”
“It is also important to understand how the policy you purchase works from a network perspective,” Commissioner Selzer said. “Not all plans are available in all Kansas counties. We encourage you to search the full provider directories for Sunflower State Health Plan and Medica to see all other providers in their networks.”
For more information, read the department’s “2018: Overview of the Health Insurance Market in Kansas,” which is located on the department’s website at http://www.ksinsurance.org/documents/healthlife/health/KID-Issue-Brief.pdf.
