Boise-based St. Luke’s Health System began offering a new health plan Jan. 1 in 20 counties across the state.
The nonprofit St. Luke’s Health Plan subsidiary will provide patients with access to the system’s six hospitals and more than 200 clinics, along with out-of-state physician partners.
Health Plan President Matt Wolff told the Idaho Capital Sun that the new plan will also help patients avoid getting caught in the middle of disputes between payers and St. Luke’s, primarily by eliminating the need for prior authorization.
“The thing that really is going to be different with our own health plan: you will have an integrated experience,” he said. “I think that’s a major hurdle that causes a lot of friction, a lot of dissatisfaction.”
An individual plan will be offered on and off the state’s ACA exchange, and employer plans for large and small groups will also be available, according to BoiseDev. Eventually, a Medicare Advantage offering will be considered. Plans will feature no cost sharing for in-network primary care after meeting the deductible, in-network preventive care, in-network maternity care, and $0 preventive and generic prescription drugs.
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