30-Day Moratorium on Horizon OMNIA Plans Will Allow for Public Vetting
TRENTON – Senators Nia H. Gill and Joseph F. Vitale today sent a letter to Horizon BCBSNJ requesting a 30-day moratorium on the release of the newly-announced OMNIA Alliance insurance plans into the state’s marketplace. The delay will allow for a public vetting of the plans at the joint hearing of the Senate Health and Commerce committees scheduled for Oct. 5.
The request by the senators, sent in a letter to Robert A. Marino, Horizon Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, comes after increasing questions about the proposed insurance plans by consumers, health care providers and elected officials.
“The proposal to dramatically change the insurance plans offered by the largest insurer in New Jersey, and the manner in which it was announced, has caused a great deal of confusion and anxiety in consumers and members of the health care community,” wrote Senators Vitale and Gill. “Despite the release by Horizon of public relations documents related to the plan, far too many questions remain about how the alliance was developed, the impact the new plans will have on residents and hospitals around the state, and the hidden costs to health care consumers.”
“…We request that Horizon suspend for 30 days the release of the new plans into the state’s insurance marketplace. A moratorium on the proposal will allow consumers to hear from Horizon on the overhaul of the insurance plans and to get a clearer understanding of their options. The extra time will also provide health care providers with information on the criteria used to select hospitals and about the future plans for the alliance.”
The senators’ full letter is below:
New Jersey Senate
P.O. Box 099
Trenton, New Jersey08625-0099
(o) 609-847-3700
(f) 609-633-7254
SENATOR NIA H. GILL
34TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
39 SOUTH FULLERTON AVE
MONTCLAIR, NJ 07042
TEL: (973) 509-0388
SENATOR JOSEPH F. VITALE
19TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
569 RAHWAY AVE
WOODBRIDGE, NJ 07095
TEL: (732) 855-7441
September 24, 2015
Robert A. Marino
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Horizon BCBSNJ Headquarters
3 Penn Plaza East
Newark, NJ 07105
Dear Mr. Marino,
Two weeks ago, Horizon announced the creation of the OMNIA Health Alliance and the planned rollout of a new Tiered Network Plan for members. The proposal to dramatically change the insurance plans offered by the largest insurer in New Jersey, and the manner in which it was announced, has caused a great deal of confusion and anxiety in consumers and members of the health care community.
Despite the release by Horizon of public relations documents related to the plan, far too many questions remain about how the alliance was developed, the impact the new plans will have on residents and hospitals around the state, and the hidden costs to health care consumers.
As you know, we have scheduled a joint hearing of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee for Oct. 5 to closely examine this proposal and to allow Horizon to publicly address the questions and concerns related to the plan. We request that Horizon suspend for 30 days the release of the new plans into the state’s insurance marketplace. A moratorium on the proposal will allow consumers to hear from Horizon on the overhaul of the insurance plans and to get a clearer understanding of their options. The extra time will also provide health care providers with information on the criteria used to select hospitals and about the future plans for the alliance.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
Sincerely,
Senator Nia H. Gill Senator Joseph F. Vitale
Chair, Senate Commerce Committee Chair, Senate Health, Human Services & Senior Citizens Committee