BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and BlueChoice HealthPlan of South Carolina recently notified the state’s Department of Insurance that they will allow one-year renewals for non-grandfathered individual and small group policy holders’ plans.
“The state’s Department of Insurance stepped up with quick and decisive guidance. Allowing our non-grandfathered members the option of renewing their existing plans for one year is the right thing to do. The additional choice supports our members by giving them more time to prepare for ACA (Affordable Care Act)-related changes in the marketplace,” said David Pankau, BlueCross president and CEO, in a release.
In addition, BlueCross is sending out letters this week to its non-grandfathered members while BlueChoice is contacting its affected members during this same period. Eligible BlueCross and BlueChoice customers who want to keep their current health care coverage do not need to do anything at this time.
A grandfathered plan is an individual or small group policy in which the person or persons were enrolled in before March 23, 2010, when the ACA was signed into law. A non-grandfathered plan was purchased after that date and/or does not include the broad spectrum of benefits required by the ACA.
