Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield; ClassicBlue Medical Surgical Plan (Western Region); Rate Filing [35 Pa.B. 2479] By Filing No. 1A-DPMS-05-HBCBS, Highmark, Inc. d/b/a Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield requests approval to increase the premium rates for its Direct Pay ClassicBlue Medical Surgical plan (Western Region). The filing requests an average increase of 0.0% for Plan C and 9.9% for UCR 100 or $0.00 and $13.85 per contract per month, respectively. This will affect about 1,100 Plan C and 2,900 UCR 100 contract holders and will produce additional annual premium income of about $0 and $492,000, respectively. For HIPAA and HCTC eligibles, the filing requests an average increase of 8.2% for UCR 100, or $13.46 per contract per month. This will affect about 900 UCR 100 contract holders and produce additional annual premium income of about $144,000. The filing also adjusts the relativities between contract types to be consistent with Highmark's other programs; thus some contract holders may receive rate adjustments that are less than or greater than the average. The requested effective date of these changes is September 1, 2005.
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 Rashmi Mathur, Actuary, Bureau of Accident and Health Insurance, Insurance Department, 1311 Strawberry Square, Harrisburg, PA 17120 within 30 days after publication of this notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
M. DIANE KOKEN,
Insurance Commissioner[Pa.B. Doc. No. 05-791. Filed for public inspection April 22, 2005, 9:00 a.m.]
