OHIC announces Blue Cross Direct Pay rate filing and hearing

Blue Cross has asked the OHIC to approve rate increases for its line of Direct Pay products. These products are for individuals and families who are neither eligible for employer-based coverage nor State or Federal programs. OHIC will hold a public hearing beginning on Monday, January 14, 2008 at 10:00 a.m., continuing on Thursday, January 17, 2008, at 6:00 p.m. and thereafter on Monday, January 28, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. The hearing will be held at 233 Richmond Street, Providence, RI in the main hearing room of the Department of Business Regulation.

All interested persons may submit their comments regarding the proposed rates orally at the public hearing on January 14, 2008 or on January 17, 2008, or in writing, either by delivering the same in person or by United States mail with postage prepaid to OHIC, 233 Richmond Street, Providence, RI 02903, attention John Aloysius Cogan Jr., Esq., Hearing Officer or by e-mail to jcogan@ohic.ri.gov.

The filing consists of the following:

     2007 BCBSRI Direct Pay Hearing Notice
     Exhibit 1 - Filing Letter
     Exhibit 2 - Actuarial Schedules (Schedule 53 is confidential)
     Exhibit 3 - Trend and Comparison Supplement
     Exhibit 4 - Prefiled testimony of John Lynch
     Exhibit 5 - Prefiled testimony of Thomas Boyd
     Exhibit 6 - Comparison of CY08 Budget to CY07 Projected Actual
     Exhibit 7 - Comparison of CY09 Budget to CY08 Budget
     Exhibit 8 - Direct Pay Budget Narrative
     Exhibit 9 - Prefiled testimony of Augustine Manocchia, MD
     Attorney General Exhibit prefiled testimony of Barbara Niehus