1350 Highmark Inc.; requesting approval to increase rates for special care medical surgical plan; filing no. 1-SCMS-00-HI

Highmark Inc.; Requesting Approval to Increase Rates for Special Care Medical Surgical Plan; Filing No. 1-SCMS-00-HI

[30 Pa.B. 4190]

   By Filing No. 1-SCMS-00-HI, Highmark Inc., d/b/a Pennsylvania Blue Shield, requests approval to increase its premium rates for its Special Care Medical/Surgical Plan in the Capital Blue Cross, Independence Blue Cross and Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania regions. No change is requested for the Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield region. Increases will vary by region, as follows.

	Percentage	Amount	Increase	Number of
Region	Increase	(millions)	PCPM	Contracts
Capital Blue Cross	16.6%	$0.6	$6.47	7,500
Independence Blue Cross	26.1%	$1.7	$10.59	13,700
Blue Cross of Northeastern PA	22.3%	$0.3	$7.55	2,900
All Regions Combined	22.8%	$2.6	$8.94	24,000

   The filing request an average increase of 22.8% of current premium. This will affect 24,000 contractholders and produce additional premium income of about $2.6 million. The requested effective date of the change is January 1, 2001.

   Copies of the filing are available for public inspection during normal working hours, by appointment, at the Insurance Department's offices in Harrisburg and Philadelphia.

   Interested parties are invited to submit written comments, suggestions or objections to Bharat Patel, Actuary, Insurance Department, Accident and Health Bureau, Office of Rate and Policy Regulation, 1311 Strawberry Square, Harrisburg, PA 17120, within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

M. DIANE KOKEN,   
Insurance Commissioner

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 00-1350. Filed for public inspection August 4, 2000, 9:00 a.m.]