The health insurers that want to participate in Cover Oregon next year have until next Tuesday to file their proposed rates and benefit plans with the Insurance Division
Sen. Chip Shields told The Lund Report he expects the Senate to pass the measure, which would remove the unique exception insurance companies such as Regence BlueCross BlueShield have from the Unlawful Trade Practices Act.
At the request of Regence BlueCross BlueShield and Lifewise, the state will require a silver plan, but not a gold plan to sell health insurance outside the exchange. All insurers selling health plans in Cover Oregon must still offer a gold plan.
March 22, 2013 — Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson, D-Gresham, helped Regence BlueCross BlueShield and other insurers defeat a requirement that they notify consumers of pending rate hikes above 7 percent — a measure pushed by Sen. Chip Shields, D-Portland, which easily passed the Senate in the 2011 session.