1835 65-Select (Hospital) Plans; rate filing

Inter-County Hospitalization Plan, Inc.; 65-Select (Hospital) Plans; Rate Filing

[35 Pa.B. 5436]

   Inter-County Hospitalization Plan, Inc. has filed filing no. MG Hospital 0905 for approval increased rates for its community-rated 65-Select program. The revised rates are to be effective on January 1, 2006, and reflect an average increase of 21.3% over the currently approved rates. The monthly premiums for subscribers enrolling at first eligibility are as follows:

	Current Rate	Proposed Rate	Adjustment Percentage
Plan A	$33.35	$44.00	31.9%
Plan B	$50.30	$68.15	35.4%
Plan C	$65.00	$78.35	20.6%
Plan D	$65.70	$79.10	20.4%
Plan E	$69.35	$83.60	20.5%
Plan H	$146.20	$164.90	12.8%

   These rate adjustments will affect approximately 3,200 subscribers in this Commonwealth and will generate approximately $720,000 in additional premium annually.

   Effective January 1, 2006, subscribers will have the option of enrolling in Medicare Part D. Subscribers under Plan H who enroll in Medicare Part D will no longer receive prescription drug benefits under their Plan H coverage. Inter-County Hospitalization Plan, Inc. proposes in this filing a 52.1% reduction in premiums for Plan H subscribers whose prescription drug coverage is eliminated from their plan benefits. The proposed Plan H first eligibility rates with and without prescription drug coverage are as follows:

	Proposed Rate With Rx	Proposed Rate Without Rx	Adjustment Percentage
Plan H	$164.90	$78.95	-52.1%

   Unless formal administrative action is taken prior to December 13, 2005, the subject filing may be deemed approved by operation of law.

   A copy of the filing is available on the Insurance Department's (Department) website at www.ins.state. pa.us. Under the Quick Links section, click on the link ''Rate Filings Published in the PA Bulletin.''

   Copies of the filing are also available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal working hours at the Department's regional office in Harrisburg.

   Interested parties are invited to submit written comments, suggestions or objections to Michael Gurgiolo, Insurance Department, Insurance Product Regulation and Market Enforcement, Room 1311, Strawberry Square, Harrisburg, PA 17120, [e-mail] within 30 days after publication of this notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

M. DIANE KOKEN,   
Insurance Commissioner

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 05-1835. Filed for public inspection September 30, 2005, 9:00 a.m.]