Last month, the Kansas State Employees Health Care Commission discussed the future of state employee health coverage — and there is a chance Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas may not be in it.
Under the current contract, state employee plans from BCBS Kansas and Aetna cover about 35,000 and 4,500 enrollees, respectively. Both insurers submitted proposals for a three-year contract beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
The proposals suggest a cost difference of under $240 million between the Aetna- and BCBS-only three-year contracts. The difference is based on Aetna’s “Local Best” network offering.
HCC Commissioners Steve Dechant and Republican State Rep. Bill Sutton both took interest in a transition to an Aetna-only model.
“I’m a dollar-and-cents guy. We have the responsibility to our plan members,” Mr. Sutton said, adding he has “a tough time running away” from Aetna’s savings.
Mr. Dechant said he was “leaning towards Aetna only” but expressed concerns about rural coverage.
Meanwhile, HCC Commissioners Cristi Cain and Vicki Schmidt, who is also the state’s commissioner of insurance, approached the matter with more caution. Ms. Cain was worried about the share of enrollees using the BCBS plan currently, as well as provider access.
Ms. Schmidt said she considers ancillary services as more of a priority than monetary savings. She also wanted to see more detailed data.
“I think the more important thing is just having ancillary services for our employees and their families,” Ms. Schmidt said.
The commission scheduled another meeting in May to discuss, while its June meeting will center on plan design and other requests for proposal decisions.
At the Becker's 5th Annual Fall Payer Issues Roundtable, taking place November 2–3 in Chicago, payer executives and healthcare leaders will come together to discuss value-based care, regulatory changes, cost management strategies and innovations shaping the future of payer-provider collaboration. Apply for complimentary registration now.
