ZoomCare Beats Its Competitors in the Individual Marketplace

As officials start digesting the proposed rates for the individual and small group marketplace next year, ZoomCare is ahead of the race at the start-out gate, offering the lowest price for a standard individual silver plan -- $233 a month – compared to its nearer competitors, Health Net at $240 and the Oregon Health CO-OP at $241.

On the other extreme, PacificSource Health Plan is asking for the highest rate next year -- $405 in the same category -- while Moda Health Plan, which captured the majority of the individual market last year, has proposed a $307 monthly rate.

None of these individual rates are set in stone, and are all subject to a rate review process by the Oregon Insurance Division, which will hold public hearings in the coming weeks.

From ZoomCare’s perspective, it always expected to be very competitive after gaining its insurance license earlier this year, said Denise Honzel, president of its health insurance arm.

“We’re very excited about being on the exchange,” she told The Lund Report. “This has been an incredibly expansive year.”

ZoomCare is also preparing to announce several new services, such as alternatives for people seeking care in hospital emergency rooms, dental cleanings in its neighborhood clinic model and building its specialty network.

“We’re delivering a new kind of health insurance for Oregonians who want to be more creative, productive, faster, happier, more fit. Health insurance you can actually use every day to be as healthy as you want to be. Our new personal health insurance will give people full access to our on-demand urgent, primary and advanced care neighborhood clinics that you control with your phone,” said Dr. Dave Sanders, the co-founder and CEO of ZoomCare.

The Oregon Health CO-OP also anticipates being a major player in the individual marketplace, said its CEO Ralph Prows. “We have an amazing selection of products that offer transparency and financial security, and anticipate doing very well with our market position, which is very exciting.”

The other insurers offering a standard silver plan to a 40-year-old single, non-smoking man, include:

• Bridgespan $289
• Health republic $332
• Kaiser $245
• Lifewise $318
• Moda $307
• Regence $279

Diane can be reached at [email protected].

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To review the current rates charged by health plans in the exchange, click here.