Monday, August 28, 2006
Is Wichita an expensive city for health coverage?
[Andi Atwater, "Ranking for Wichita is flawed, insurers say," The Wichita Eagle, 27 August 2006.]
A new ranking from eHealthInsurance places Wichita among the most expensive cities to obtain health insurance, but the numbers are under dispute:
The best and worst rankings -- Wichita made the bottom five of the nation's 100 most populous cities -- are being published in today's Parade section.
EHealthInsurance.com is an online broker of individual health insurance plans. Officials said the company has more than 140 insurance carriers nationwide representing some 5,000 plans. The site provides insurance quotes for individuals and businesses who enter their personal information online.
However, the company does not necessarily represent all of the insurance providers available in a given market. In Wichita, that translated to two carriers when the company surveyed itself last March for its report dated July 19. That report is the basis for the information in Parade.
Industry officials say Wichita has at least a dozen choices when it comes to buying personal health insurance.
EHealthInsurance officials say the report is still a viable tool. Bob Hurley, vice president of customer care, said these types of reports go a long way toward promoting price transparency for consumers.
"I think the value of transparency we're starting to bring to these markets is critical," Hurley said. "Consumers never had one place to go to see three carriers. Hopefully someday we'll have six carriers.
"But there's tremendous value in bringing that to the market, (even) if there needs to be a footnote saying it's only plans available on our Web site."
[Mary Katherine Stout and Matthew Hisrich, "Seeing Through the Cost of Health Care: Consumer-Driven Price Transparency in Kansas," The Flint Hills Center, 6 July 2006.]
A new ranking from eHealthInsurance places Wichita among the most expensive cities to obtain health insurance, but the numbers are under dispute:
The best and worst rankings -- Wichita made the bottom five of the nation's 100 most populous cities -- are being published in today's Parade section.
EHealthInsurance.com is an online broker of individual health insurance plans. Officials said the company has more than 140 insurance carriers nationwide representing some 5,000 plans. The site provides insurance quotes for individuals and businesses who enter their personal information online.
However, the company does not necessarily represent all of the insurance providers available in a given market. In Wichita, that translated to two carriers when the company surveyed itself last March for its report dated July 19. That report is the basis for the information in Parade.
Industry officials say Wichita has at least a dozen choices when it comes to buying personal health insurance.
EHealthInsurance officials say the report is still a viable tool. Bob Hurley, vice president of customer care, said these types of reports go a long way toward promoting price transparency for consumers.
"I think the value of transparency we're starting to bring to these markets is critical," Hurley said. "Consumers never had one place to go to see three carriers. Hopefully someday we'll have six carriers.
"But there's tremendous value in bringing that to the market, (even) if there needs to be a footnote saying it's only plans available on our Web site."
[Mary Katherine Stout and Matthew Hisrich, "Seeing Through the Cost of Health Care: Consumer-Driven Price Transparency in Kansas," The Flint Hills Center, 6 July 2006.]
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