1525 Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield; filing no. 1A-SSC-07-HBCBS; request to increase rates for the Direct Pay Special Care Hospital Plan (western region); rate filing

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield; Filing No. 1A-SSC-07-HBCBS; Request to Increase Rates for the Direct Pay Special Care Hospital Plan (Western Region); Rate Filing

[37 Pa.B. 4601]
[Saturday, August 18, 2007]

   By filing No. 1A-SSC-07-HBCBS, Highmark, Inc., d/b/a Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, requests approval to increase its premium rates for its Direct Pay Special Care Hospital Plan (western region). The filing requests an average increase of 15% or $13.55 per contract per month. This will affect about 11,600 contractholders and produce additional premium income of about $1,884,000 per year. The filing also adjusts the relativity's between contract types to be consistent with Highmark's other programs; thus some contractholders may receive rate adjustments that are less than or greater than the average. The requested effective date of the change is January 1, 2008.

   Unless formal administrative action is taken prior to November 1, 2007, 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 Harrisburg office and Pittsburgh office.

   Interested parties are invited to submit written comments, suggestions or objections to James Laverty, 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.

JOEL SCOTT ARIO,   
Acting Insurance Commissioner

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 07-1525. Filed for public inspection August 17, 2007, 9:00 a.m.]