Upstate Not-for-profit Health Plans Extend Coverage to More Young Adults

ALBANY, NY (04/27/2010)(readMedia)-- New York's upstate not-for-profit health plans, CDPHP, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and BlueShield of Northeastern New York, Independent Health, and MVP Health Care, announced today that they are taking steps to prevent a gap in coverage that could have left many of the state's young adults uninsured.

Each year, especially around June following college graduations, many children and other dependents "age off" their parents' policy. Federal health care reform legislation, signed into law last month, addressed this issue by extending the dependent age for coverage to 26. This new law, however, applies to policy renewals after Sept. 23, 2010. As a result, many dependents who currently have coverage as students would have faced a coverage gap during the months before this provision is fully implemented, which in some cases could be close to a year without coverage.

New York's upstate not-for-profit health plans are closing this gap and allowing young adults to keep their current coverage until the Federal legislation takes effect in September. The health insurers will extend coverage for individual and employer-sponsored plan customers.

"This is the right thing to do, and it is something we can do now," said David W. Oliker, MVP Health Care president and CEO. "Realizing that this component of health care reform legislation would not be phased in for several months – after many young people lose their coverage because of their age, student status, or other factors – we concluded that it was vital to close this gap and extend coverage."

"CDPHP is committed to ensuring a workable and effective implementation of the new health care reform law," said John D. Bennett, MD, president and CEO, CDPHP. "By implementing this in advance of law, we ensure that young New Yorkers are able to maintain their health care coverage and access the care they need to stay healthy."

"The new health reform legislation provides national support for our health system, but the sustainable solutions must take place at the local level," said Michael Cropp, M.D., president and CEO, Independent Health. "This effort by New York's not-for-profit health plans is an example of how we can take steps in advance of the federal legislation to maintain coverage for thousands of young adults at risk of losing coverage."

"This step aligns with our goal of helping more people have access to affordable, quality health care, which is also the primary driver of current health care reform," said Alphonso O'Neil-White, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and BlueShield of Northeastern New York president and CEO.

"By making this change in advance of the law, we can ensure that young New Yorkers are able to hold on to their coverage and access the care they need," said David Klein, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield president and CEO.

New York State's upstate not-for-profit health plan's employ approximately 14,000 New Yorkers and insure more than five million members.

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