1527 Highmark, Inc.; filing no. 1A-SCMS-07-HI; requesting approval to increase rates for Special Care Medical Surgical Plans; rate filing

Highmark, Inc.; Filing No. 1A-SCMS-07-HI; Requesting Approval to Increase Rates for Special Care Medical Surgical Plans; Rate Filing

[37 Pa.B. 4602]
[Saturday, August 18, 2007]

   By filing No. 1A-SCMS-07-HI, Highmark, Inc., d/b/a Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Highmark Blue Shield, requests approval to revise premium rates for its Special Care Medical/Surgical programs in the Central region, Western Pennsylvania region, and Northeastern Pennsylvania region.

Region	Percentage Increase	Additional Premium  per Month	Number of Contracts
Central Region	15.0%	$18,000	2,300
Western Region	15.0%	$95,000	11,600
Blue Cross of Northeastern PA	15.0%	$24,000	3,600
All Regions Combined	15.0%	$137,000	17,500

   The filing requests an average increase of 15.0% or $7.81 per contract per month. This will affect about 17,500 contractholders and produce additional premium income of about $1,644,000 per year. For the Central and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield regions only, the filing also adjusts the relativities 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 Insurance 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. 07-1527. Filed for public inspection August 17, 2007, 9:00 a.m.]