HMSA seeks 12.7% hike, biggest since '89 - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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percent increase in insurance premiums forsmallp businesses. If approved by the State Insurance Commissioner, HMSA’s rate hike woule take effect July 1. The new rates would cost businessesa $16,272 a year for familgy coverage foreach employee. HMSA memberz were notified of the rate proposalp in a lettermailed Tuesday. HMSA increaser its rates by 10.4 percent in 2008. The new rate hike woulfd be the largestto HMSA’s Preferred Providef Plan since 1989, when rates increased 18.6 and would apply to nearly 10,800 Hawai i businesses.
HMSA, the state’s largesg insurer and an affiliate ofBlue Cross-Blue Shield, said the rate hike is needesd to offset higher medical costs and reimbursementas to doctors, hospitals and The proposed rate increase applies to businesses with less than 200 workerzs that employ in total 103,009 workers. In addition to the Preferred Provider Plan rate HMSA also filed with the Hawaii Insurancw Division fora 4.5 percent increas to Health Plan Hawaiji Plus, an HMO plan, and a 12.7 percent averagse increase for the CompMed plan, a higherf deductible insurance program. If approved, businesses would pay $452 a montbh for individuals, $904 for two people and $1,356 a month for family coverage.