Regence BlueCross Blue Shield increases insurance rates in Oregon
On July 1, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon announced it is increasing individual insurance plans by 26 percent and small group plans by 16 percent. These changes affect around 126,000 Oregonians, including many people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
"We're very concerned about this national trend of rising health care costs," said Randy Beranek, president and CEO of the National Psoriasis Foundation. "People living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, serious, painful diseases, currently report difficulties receiving appropriate access to health care."
The National Psoriasis Foundation advocates for patients who face insurance problems. Each year, the Psoriasis Foundation receives scores of calls from people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis who don't have access to affordable health care and treatment options.
To ease some of the burden for our patients, the Foundation negotiates with insurance companies to remove insurance barriers that directly impact the psoriasis community.
"It's unfortunate the rising cost of health care is something we are experiencing in our own backyard," said Sheila Rittenberg, senior director of advocacy and external affairs. "This news is disappointing, but it won't stop us from continuing our work to ensure people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis have the access to the treatments they need."
Already, the Psoriasis Foundation has entered into collaborative discussions with several insurance companies to reform restrictive policies and has seen positive outcomes in policies that are more patient centered with Blue Shield of California, Coventry, Cigna and the Oregon Health Plan, to name a few. Talks have been underway with Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield since January 2008.
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