Healthcare providers are ‘narrowing’ provider networks for Corpus Christi health insurance recipients. Consequently, consumers have fewer physician and facility options to choose from.
Corpus Christi health insurance operated through marketplaces under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will be offering fewer provider networks and in turn, physician choices.
The recent trend across cities throughout the U.S. including Corpus Christi has been for insurers to narrow provider networks while raising rates leading to robust profits. Insurance providers have also adopted this strategy as it has effectively controlled costs. With limited networks, consumers of health insurance in Corpus Christi will likely have fewer choices of physicians and other providers of medical care. There has been recent optimism that Congress will pass legislation that money will be allocated for reinsurance programs and assistance for health insurance consumers to pay for co-payments and deductibles.
According to research, approximately half of U.S. counties are covered by a single insurer. Competitive pressure has forced insurance providers to abandon PPOs in favor of more narrow networks particularly in larger cities. Providers typically only allow consumers to utilize physicians that are under contract with the provider. Some plans do allow recipients to go out-of-network at a premium cost. But many providers like Blue Cross and Blue Shield were experiencing huge financial losses.
Although Corpus Christi healthcare consumers may have fewer choices, some advocates have argued that quality can actually improve under the narrow network strategy. For example, the world-renowned health facility Cleveland Clinic, has been recruited to offer services on public ACA exchanges in several cities. Some of these partnerships are focusing on meeting high-quality metrics and preventative wellness for their patients. Beyond insurance offered through the ACA, or Obamacare as it is commonly called, private alliances are also focusing on narrow network offerings. In fact, CVS Health and Walgreens Boots Alliance are currently formalizing plans to roll out services later in 2018.
Rick Thornton, a Corpus Christi health insurance agent from Insurance4Dallas believes this trend will continue. “Insurance providers have seen the financial benefits of more narrow provider networks. And employers are embracing it as their costs are lower. I expect this will be the primarily model within the next five years.”
Insurance4Dallas, (I4D), helps insure all of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona, Louisiana, New Mexico, Alabama, Virginia and Florida. Insurance4Dallas provides consumers with detailed information on health insurance with the ability to purchase health insurance online. Insurance4Dallas provides a full spectrum of health, dental, vision, life and ancillary insurance products, providing a diverse selection of price and benefit options complemented by personal customer service. Available via phone, email or fax, Insurance4Dallas answers consumer questions throughout the purchasing process and during the utilization of its health insurance policies.
