Medica Introduces Group Health Coverage to Nebraska
Medica (medica.com) is expanding its health coverage offerings to support employers throughout the state of Nebraska and three border counties in Iowa. By bringing group coverage to Nebraska, Medica now offers health insurance in three distinct markets: individual coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare and employer-sponsored group coverage. Medica group coverage is available across Nebraska and three Iowa counties (Harrison, Mills, and Pottawattamie) beginning January 1, 2021. The health insurer has offered individual coverage in those areas since 2016. It began offering Medicare coverage in Nebraska in 2019.
A key benefit of Medica’s group plans is a $25 cap on member costs for a one-month supply of insulin. Starting in 2021, Medica’s individual plan members in Nebraska with ACA coverage also will pay no more than $25 for a one-month supply of insulin. Medica is making this essential benefit available at a low cost to ensure diabetics have access to insulin, which has been increasing in price at an unsustainable rate. Addressing the issue, Nebraska lawmakers last year introduced bills that would cap insulin at $100 per prescription.
Medica group products feature a variety of provider network options. It has created an open access network with established health systems and providers throughout the state of Nebraska to ensure high quality, efficient care is delivered to its members. The network also includes a large national network.
In many larger Nebraska cities, including Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, and Kearney, Medica has created in partnership with CHI Health an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) product for its group members. The organizations have been in a similar partnership for ACA members since 2018 and Medicare members since 2019. Medica currently has about 47,000 members in the ACO products with CHI Health. To learn more, visit medica.com.